ASHEVILLE, N.C., Jan. 25, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Phoenix Outdoor announced today that Alex Kirby received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Antioch New England Graduate School in Keene, NH, following the successful defense of his dissertation, "The Antecedents of Turnover for Field Staff in Wilderness Therapy." Dr. Kirby is an adolescent therapist at Phoenix Outdoor in Asheville, NC, a wilderness treatment program that provides comprehensive crisis intervention and assessment for families with students ages 13-17.
Dr. Kirby began his career in wilderness treatment in the 1990s at Aspen Achievement Academy. Starting as a field instructor, he worked his way through the ranks into senior field staff positions. During that period, he developed a passion for working with adolescents and eventually made the decision to leave field operations and return to school to pursue his doctorate.
As part of his graduate training, Dr. Kirby worked in community mental health clinics in New Hampshire and Vermont, providing psychological assessment services as well as individual, family, group, and couples therapy. He completed his pre-doctoral internship at the Department of Veterans Affairs and Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. His rotations included neuropsychological assessment, inpatient psychiatry and substance abuse, behavioral medicine, organ transplant evaluation and intervention, and outpatient psychotherapy.
At Phoenix Outdoor, Dr. Kirby works with adolescents having a range of issues such as ADHD, bipolar and attachment disorders, depression, trauma, anxiety, and various adjustment issues. He uses a cognitive-behavioral approach, focusing on collaborative treatment planning and identifying concrete, practical steps students can take in order to move toward their stated goals.
About Phoenix Outdoor
Phoenix Outdoor LLC is a licensed therapeutic adolescent wilderness program that provides comprehensive crisis intervention and assessment for teenagers ages 13-17 and their families. Headquartered in Atlanta, with wilderness operations in the mountains of western North Carolina, Phoenix Outdoor combines adventure-based challenges, supportive peer groups, and clinical treatment in a safe environment to help teenagers stop harmful behavior and make positive choices in their lives. Phoenix provides extensive, coordinated support for families.
For more information visit www.phoenixoutdoor.com or call 888-868-8233.