Matthew D. Weneta, MEd. Owner & Director
 
Matthew has worked in the treatment and education fields since 1994.  He holds a Masters of Education from the University of Georgia in Recreation Administration with a focus in Experiential Therapies and a Bachelor’s of Science in Special Education from Georgia Southwestern State University.  Matthew is the founder and director of Aerie Experiences.  His previous experience includes directing a Wilderness Therapy program that focused on creating positive motivation for change in youth, young adults and families.  He has run two therapeutic boarding schools, an adventure camp for at-risk children, and he previously sat on the board of Kids Enabled a non-profit that provided access to programing and information for children with special needs.

Over the past three years Matthew has visited with over two hundred schools and programs to further his knowledge of the industry and provide meaningful placement options to his clients.  Matthew has been developing and overseeing multi-disciplinary treatment plans for twenty years in both residential and home settings.

Previously Matthew was a professor at the University of North Georgia and Gainesville State College teaching courses in Adventure Based Counseling, the Prescriptive Use of Recreation, Psychology and Philosophy as well as wilderness hard skills; Rock Climbing, Trekking, and Paddling. Early in his career Matthew spent ten years teaching special needs children in hospital, psycho-educational, outdoor therapeutic and mainstream school settings, and he still holds a current special education teaching license. Matthew has also been a wilderness guide, camp counselor and an award-winning soccer coach.

Matthew’s primary areas of experience and expertise are in Wilderness and Adventure Based Therapies.  He is a certified Wilderness First Responder and is also certified in Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy and Learning (EAGALA).  Programmatically, his programs and practice all have a focus on, the meaningful inclusion of family in the treatment process, internal motivation and providing an emotionally and physically safe environment for growth and learning.  Administratively, his experience includes business development, staff development, and developing clinically and cost-effective programming for children and their families.

Contact me directly by phone/email: mdweneta@aerieexperiences.com / 404-285-0467