Fraize and Associates founder, Darrell Fraize, M.Ed.,LCPC,LADC has worked with hundreds of families, and has extensive experience working with nationally recognized educational consultants, mental health professionals, therapeutic programs and boarding schools. Fraize and Associates specializes in the critical period of transition from a treatment environment to a boarding school or college.
Prior to founding FA, Darrell and Andy worked together as wilderness therapists at a northeast program that specializes in academics and is often considered a first choice for working with students for short term residential treatment after a temporary or permanent separation from boarding school. For some, the return to the school was conditional upon the successful completion of the program and recommendation of the wilderness program therapist. For others, successful completion of the program was the gateway to another or to re-apply to their first boarding school.
Prior to founding FA, Darrell and Andy worked together as wilderness therapists at a northeast program that specializes in academics and is often considered a first choice for working with students for short term residential treatment after a temporary or permanent separation from boarding school. For some, the return to the school was conditional upon the successful completion of the program and recommendation of the wilderness program therapist. For others, successful completion of the program was the gateway to another or to re-apply to their first boarding school.
![]() Darrell Fraize, M.Ed.,LCPC,LADC
Darrell began working with youth at his local Boys and Girls Club. He spent seven years as a Youth Development Professional for Boys and Girls Clubs, including roles as an athletic director, education director and community outreach director running satellite clubhouses in local housing developments. During college, he spent a semester in the Walt Disney World College Program and earned a certificate in Business Management while being a front-line worker in EPCOT Center. Darrell has served in a variety of clinical and administrative roles and has guided canoe trips in the Everglades, and backpacking trips in the Shenandoah Valley and White Mountains. He has taught Adventure Based Counseling courses at Plymouth State University as an adjunct faculty member. He also served as an internship supervisor for the Bachelor’s in Social Work program. Darrell worked as a therapist for nearly ten years at an adventure therapy program in Maine. He was the founding Clinical Director for their transitional program geared towards helping boys and young men with the transition to more traditional environments. Darrell is part of a blended family, and lives with his wife and two teenage children. He shares his time between the beautiful lakes region of Bridgton and the seacoast city of Portland where he is a founding partner of Onward Transitions Independent Living for young adults. Darrell currently serves on, is a professional member of, or actively supports the following organizations:
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R. Andrew Derstine MSW, LCSW
Andy has been providing counseling and therapy services to children, adolescents and their families for nearly 35 years. He began his career working in a residential treatment center for adolescents in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. From there he moved to Portland, ME and served as the program director for an independent living program for older adolescents. In addition to maintaining a private practice for the most of the past 25 years, Andy has provided consultation services to local public and private boarding schools, served as a program manager/clinical supervisor for a community mental health center, and worked as a therapist/clinical supervisor in a wilderness treatment program for adolescents. Andy earned his BA in Psychology at Muhlenberg College and a Master in Clinical Social Work at Boston College. Andy lives in rural Maine with his wife, two dogs and five cats. He has a 23 year old son and a 20 year old daughter. He is a reasonably accomplished woodworker, an avid outdoorsman and is a member of the National Ski Patrol. |