Episode 86: Sarah Stusek: Filmmaker, Author and Former Wilderness Therapy Student

<p>Sarah Stusek of <a href="https://stusekstudios.com/about">Stusek Studios</a> has worked in the film and television industry since childhood. When she was 17 years old she was brought to a wilderness therapy program in Montana called Three Rivers. The transporter told her, "You should write a book about this" and now, 13 years later, she has finished the book and it will soon be a motion picture. Sarah shares her challenging journey into the wilderness and how it changed her life. She shares her thoughts about the field, her book, and the film.</p> <p>Bio from Stusek Studios Website: Has been in the film and television industry since 1995, working on Emmy award-winning projects like HBO's VEEP and NETFLIX's HOUSE OF CARDS. </p> <p>Bio from Three Rivers Section of Stusek Studios:</p> <p>Wilderness-based therapy has helped so many, how many more can we reach through film?</p> <p>Growing up today in this chaotic society is tough. Taking a break from the noise that surrounds us would be beneficial to anyone. No noise, cell phones, internet or connection to society.</p> <p>I am Sarah Stusek, the filmmaker behind Three Rivers. Producer Wendy Geary and I met while working on the hit EMMY award winning HBO's <em>VEEP </em>seven years ago and have worked toward making this film together ever since. More about us in a minute, let's get back to THREE RIVERS!</p> <p>When I was seventeen-years-old I attended a wilderness program that completely changed my outlook on life -- I lived in the backcountry of Montana in the middle of winter for three months. I was in a co-ed group of other teenagers labeled "troubled or at-risk youth" that had to work both together as well as independently to literally survive the program-in-the-woods.</p> <p>I learned not only lessons about nature and survival skills, but the importance of communication and cooperation. However, by far the most important lessons I learned were about myself. These were not always easy lessons to learn, but I kept at it. After I learned to confront my feelings I b