The Team of Adventure Therapy Institute
Founder & CEOs
Alexander Rose
Founder | CEO | Owner
Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Psychotherapist, and Sports Scientist, Master’s degree in Health Psychology, Master’s degree in Drug Counselling (Addictive Behaviours), degrees in Physical Activity & Sports Sciences.
Alexander Rose is a clinical psychologist, clinical psychotherapist, and sports scientist with master’s degrees in Health Psychology and Drug Counselling. Since 2000, he has been working with groups in natural environments, mainly with adolescents at risk and young adults, integrating experiential, nature-based, and adventure-oriented therapeutic approaches.
Since 2008, he has played a key role in introducing and developing Adventure Therapy in Spain. He is the founder and general director of Terapia Aventura (Valencia). His contributions include international teaching, the development of therapeutic programs for youth mental health and addiction, and authorship of the first Spanish-language book on Adventure Therapy.
Alexander is active in European and international networks such as ATE and ATIC and continues to advance the professionalization of Adventure & Nature Therapy across Europe.
Christiane Thiesen
Christiane Thiesen is a certified Social Pedagogue and Supervisor (DGSv). She works at the intersection of nature, psychotherapy, and health promotion and is regarded as one of the pioneers of Adventure & Nature Therapy in German-speaking countries.
Her professional background includes Supervision and Coaching (DGSv), Disability Management (CDMP), Psychotraumatology, Attachment-based counseling (BBT, Brisch), and Forest Health Training.
She holds the certification “Erlebnispädagoge be®” certified by the German Federal Association for Individual and Experiential Education (Bundesverband Individual- und Erlebnispädagogik e.V.) and in recent years founded the association’s adventure therapy specialist group, where he remains a member of the management team to this day.
She teaches internationally, develops training curricula, and supports professionals in integrating nature-based methods into therapeutic and educational practice.
Per Wijnands
Per Wijnands is a social worker and experienced specialist in experiential learning and adventure therapy. Since around 2003 he has been working with children and adolescents—including those with intellectual disabilities, psychological and psychiatric challenges—as well as their families and groups, employing nature-based and adventure-oriented methods.
He holds the certification “Erlebnispädagoge be®” (first Dutch bearer since 2020) certified by the German Federal Association for Individual and Experiential Education (Bundesverband Individual- und Erlebnispädagogik e.V.).
In his role as trainer, coach and guide he regularly leads workshops and courses in experiential education and adventure therapy, guiding clients and professionals through outdoor and nature-based processes, often working “in, under and beside trees” as he puts it.
Alexander Rose
Founder | CEO | Owner
Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Psychotherapist, and Sports Scientist, Master’s degree in Health Psychology, Master’s degree in Drug Counselling (Addictive Behaviours), degrees in Physical Activity & Sports Sciences.
Alexander Rose is a clinical psychologist, clinical psychotherapist, and sports scientist with master’s degrees in Health Psychology and Drug Counselling. Since 2000, he has been working with groups in natural environments, mainly with adolescents at risk and young adults, integrating experiential, nature-based, and adventure-oriented therapeutic approaches.
Since 2008, he has played a key role in introducing and developing Adventure Therapy in Spain. He is the founder and general director of Terapia Aventura (Valencia). His contributions include international teaching, the development of therapeutic programs for youth mental health and addiction, and authorship of the first Spanish-language book on Adventure Therapy.
Alexander is active in European and international networks such as ATE and ATIC and continues to advance the professionalization of Adventure & Nature Therapy across Europe.
Christiane Thiesen
Founder | CEO | Owner
Dipl. Social Pedagogue, acad. Supervisor & Coach, Traumapedagogue/ psychotraumatology, Attachement-based counseling, Forest Health Trainer, Certified Disability Management Professional (CDMP)
Christiane Thiesen is a certified Social Pedagogue and Supervisor (DGSv). She works at the intersection of nature, psychotherapy, and health promotion and is regarded as one of the pioneers of Adventure & Nature Therapy in German-speaking countries.
She holds the certification “Erlebnispädagoge be®” certified by the German Federal Association for Individual and Experiential Education (Bundesverband Individual- und Erlebnispädagogik e.V.) and in recent years founded the association’s adventure therapy specialist group, where he remains a member of the management team to this day.
She teaches internationally, develops training curricula, and supports professionals in integrating nature-based methods into therapeutic and educational practice.
Per Wijnands
Founder
Educator B.A., Therapeutic Tree Climbing, Adventure Therapist, Experiential educator/ Outdoor trainer – certified „Erlebnispädagoge be„
Per Wijnands is a social worker and experienced specialist in experiential learning and adventure therapy. Since around 2003 he has been working with children and adolescents—including those with intellectual disabilities, psychological and psychiatric challenges—as well as their families and groups, employing nature-based and adventure-oriented methods.
He holds the certification “Erlebnispädagoge be®” (first Dutch bearer since 2020) certified by the German Federal Association for Individual and Experiential Education (Bundesverband Individual- und Erlebnispädagogik e.V.).
In his role as trainer, coach and guide he regularly leads workshops and courses in experiential education and adventure therapy, guiding clients and professionals through outdoor and nature-based processes, often working “in, under and beside trees” as he puts it.
Our Team of experts

Josef Sözbir
Experte für Naturtherapie

Elmo Mesic
Spezialistin für Abenteuerpädagogik

Chiara Alba Oftring
Trainer für Outdoor-Leadership
Vania Blugaria
Coach für Persönlichkeitsentwicklung
Eduard
Fachmann für Umweltpsychologie

Vivi-Ann Vogel
Dozentin für Achtsamkeitstraining
Jorn Vetter
Trainer für Erlebnispädagogik
Max
Spezialistin für Resilienztraining
Mag. Stefan Meier
Experte für Stressmanagement
Our international Team of Supervisors & Coaches

Josef Sözbir
Leitende Supervisorin

Elmo Mesic
Senior Coach

Per Wijnands
Supervisorin für Naturtherapie

Alexander Rose
Coach für Abenteuertherapie

Christiane Thiesen
Supervisorin für persönliche Entwicklung

Michaela Hierl
Coach für Resilienztraining
Julia Neumann
Supervisorin für Gruppendynamik
Markus Lehmann
Coach für Stressbewältigung
Katrin Bauer
Supervisorin für berufliche Weiterentwicklung
Stefan Richter
Coach für Outdoor-Programme
Nina Hoffmann
Supervisorin für kreative Therapieansätze
Felix Weber
Coach für Achtsamkeitstraining
Do you want to be involved?
Erfahrungen unserer Teilnehmer
„Die Unterstützung durch das Team hat meine berufliche Entwicklung maßgeblich beeinflusst. Besonders die Supervisionen waren ein Augenöffner.“
Laura S.
„Dank der Coaches habe ich neue Perspektiven auf meine Arbeit gewonnen und fühle mich nun sicherer in meiner Rolle.“
Jonas T.



