
Vertical Playpen
Want to learn more about Adventure and Experiential Education? Then this podcast is for you!
Listeners of this podcast will get;
- Adventure Programming Theory
- Facilitation Tips
- Activity Ideas
- Industry Career Advice
- Interviews from Industry Professionals
High 5 Adventure Learning Center is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to helping individuals, teams, schools, communities and businesses improve the way they live, learn and work together. Connect with us at high5adventure.org
Latest episodes

Aug 10, 2021 • 35min
Rediscover your Play | Jeff Harry
Jeff Harry (rediscoveryourplay.com) joins Phil to discuss; - Favorite kid's TV shows - How to bring play into the workplace - The benefits that adding play can do for team culture.

Aug 3, 2021 • 24min
Listener Questions - Group Norms and Industry Trends
In this episode Phil answers some listener questions; - How do you experientially create norms without sitting down and just writing a list? - What are some trends in our industry you hope will not continue? - Pudding vs. Jello? If you have a question for Phil submit them to; - podcast@high5adventure.org - DM on Instagram - @verticalplaypen

Jul 27, 2021 • 29min
Improvisation and Play | Gary Ware
Gary Ware (Breakthroughplay.com) joins Phil to talk about; - His 1st experiences of learning through play. - How he brings meaning through play. - What Improv can teach us about play and facilitating play

Jul 20, 2021 • 51min
College Outdoor Education | Clint McCarthy
Clint McCarthy (Associate Professor of Outdoor Education, SUNY Adirondack) chats with Chris Damboise about lessons learned as a younger professional, what students can expect when joining the SUNY program and the impact SUNY Adirondack aims to have in their community.

Jul 13, 2021 • 26min
Ipswich Town Football Club | Brett Johnson
Brett Johnson, the new owner of Ipswich Town Football Club, joins Phil to discuss why connecting with the supporters matters, qualities of good leadership that are important to him and how empowering your staff makes all the difference. In 2005, Mr. Johnson founded and is the CEO of Benevolent Capital (www.benevolentcapital.com), a family office with investments in professional sports teams, real estate, private equity and venture capital. The current portfolio includes Ipswich Town Football Club, Phoenix Rising FC, FC Helsingor, Tucson FC, USL Rhode Island, TerraCycle, Athletic Brewing, Oura Ring, Damon Motorcycles, Thrasio, NYC Office Suites, Octagon Partners, and ArcherDX (acquired by NASDAQ: NVTA).

Jul 6, 2021 • 47min
Organizational Development | Mike Cardus
Mike Cardus joins Phil to discuss how Experiential Education informs his work in Organizational Development, how the front loading of activities needs to be adapted when working with corporate audiences and how having hundreds of hula hoops at home can affect how your job is perceived by others. Mike has focused expertise in team building, managerial-leadership, and organization development. Frequently asked to create solutions to address the development of high-performance teams, retention of talent, the innovation of product and profit streams, group conflict, coaching of leaders, developing systems to drive positive behaviors, and development of knowledge to increase organizational and personal effectiveness. Working primarily with teams and management within these organizations, his role has been honed to coach, counsel, facilitate and conduct focused group work. Learn more about Mike - mikecardus.com

Jun 29, 2021 • 36min
How Soccer Explains Leadership | Phil Darke
Phil joins Phil to discuss qualities that he admires in leaders, why Soccer is truly the "beautiful game" and how it models leadership and life lessons. Phil is the co-host of the How Soccer Explains Leadership podcast and you can find it anywhere podcasts are found as well as their website - howsoccerexplainsleadership.com

Jun 22, 2021 • 40min
Ask Deep Questions | Jan Keck
Jan Keck joins Phil to discuss how he was introduced to the world of Experiential Learning, what he has learned over the last year about virtual facilitation and how to ask deep and meaningful questions. Learn more about Jan - jankeck.com

Jun 15, 2021 • 23min
Listener Questions - Introverted Facilitator & Favorite Icebreaker Question
In this episode aimed answering your questions, Phil read out some of the podcast reviews and answered the following questions; - Is there room for introverts in facilitation? - How do you stay genuine in a "performancy" profession? - What is your favorite icebreaker question? - Best closing to a single day program? - Most under-appreciated facilitator skill? - What's something you are bad at and are working on improving? - What's your process when you have a bad day? Submit all future questions to - podcast@high5adventure.org

Jun 8, 2021 • 53min
Adventure Therapy | David Christian PhD and Danny McCarty PhD
In this discussion, David Christian PhD, an expert in Counselor Education, and Danny McCarty PhD, specializing in Clinical Mental Health, explore the transformative power of adventure therapy. They share personal experiences that shaped their educational practices and delve into Adlerian theory, discussing concepts like social interest and overcoming challenges. The duo emphasizes the importance of play in counseling, illustrating how outdoor activities can enhance mental health and connection among clients. Their insights promote adventure as a unique therapeutic tool.