Heartwood Expeditions in Williamsburg

Heartwood Expeditions is a beautiful location. Mat is so kind and welcoming. The Provider Gathering for mental health professional who want to connect with each other and nature was a wonderful event of like minded individuals. I look forward to collaborating with Mat and Heartwood Expeditions in the future.

Mat has a wonderful private intimate space next to a stream with trails. He set up a program that met a wide array of needs and backgrounds (cross-generational, skills and training orientations, comfort level with groups, etc.) And offers a gentle leadership style. I highly recommend for anyone to experience his offerings, or maybe hire him to create a program for your own group!

Mat really helped our teenage son through a difficult year. He found Mat to be caring and very easy to talk to. He also really appreciated Mat’s thoughtful approach to counseling while taking trail walks outdoors rather than meeting in an office. He found it easier to open up this way, and liked the visual interest and more casual format. As parents, we thought it was great especially for a teenage boy new to counseling.

Me and Matt met back in 2018 when I started my journey at Seaportacademy oh, and he was a clinical intern then Although he wasn’t my counselor, he made a great impact on me and my life growing up I didn’t really trust men but he got me to trust him I was hesitant at first to trust Matt but that quickly changed he made me feel safe when I didn’t have much safe places or relationships. the school trips that Mat would take me on would forever changed my life for the better I had so much fun and I learned so much from Matt on these trips in the first person that I came out as gay to was Mat on the Lassen volcanic national Park in California trip back in 2019

Mat has a beautiful calm demeanor. He does a wonderful job integrating nature and heart. My son has enjoyed his weekly sessions and says Mat has helped him immensely with his ability to express himself. He was especially fond of Mat’s approach where walking in nature was part of his therapy. I would recommend for your teen as well.

My son has gone on many outdoor trips with Mat over the past couple of years and they have all been great experiences for him. Mat has a communication style that makes you comfortable. He earned his trust and was a positive influence on his behaviors and overall outlook. Mat worked with my son and with my husband and I to help our family better communicate and have understanding and patience to work through difficult emotions. We saw our son excel in the outdoors as a leader and building relationships. Mat created an environment for our son to feel successful. Thanks Mat!

I've worked with mat for a couple years now and my mental state has improved exponentially, he has helped me grow as a person and discover what I need to do in life. I have unforgettable memories with Mat and the trips we have gone on that I will never forget. You truly cannot go wrong with Heartwood Expeditions truly life changing.

Heartwood Expeditions is an incredible resource for the young men at our school. The therapeutic expeditions Mat creates are fun, and the hands on activities that he leads build confidence, endurance and camaraderie in students who might not engage with each other in other settings. It's wonderful to see the benefits of students unplugging or "de-screening" to interact with nature and each other in a structured and safe environment. Mat works with students to prepare them for challenging expeditions-- recognizing their present limits while prepping them to be able to push and persevere to achieve the next step. The confidence that students gain from such physical challenges transfers to school life in that it allows them to take and manage appropriate social and academic risks. Highly recommend.