About Us

From Struggle to Strength – Resources for Resilience and Renewal

Who we are

Your Trusted Partner in Parenting and Family Growth.

We understand how overwhelming it can feel when your child seems stuck, angry, or resistant to growing up. Our work is built on the belief that parents are not powerless and that families can rediscover hope, strength, and connection. Through The Developmental Vacation®, we equip parents and professionals with practical tools and supportive guidance to lead children toward maturity, resilience, and independence.

Our Vision

We partner with families who feel worn down and hopeless. We bring resources that teach clarity and confidence, so parents don't feel alone while facing a child's complex mental and behavioral health struggles.

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide parents and professionals with a new understanding of developmental trauma, utilizing values-based tools that foster connection, nurture growth, and promote maturity.

Our Motto - From Struggle to Strength

We believe transformation happens when parents understand the "why" behind their child's behaviors. With confidence and the proper support, families can grow in resilience and find renewal for the journey ahead.

Featured In...

Meet the Experts Behind the Developmental Vacation® Model of Therapy

Drive Growth with Expert Coaching and Consulting

Ascension Trails offers add-on parent coaching and professional consultation services that support families in regaining their developmental momentum, helping parents and therapists every step of the way. Our heart-centered, values-based curricula and coaching practices are designed to help you reconnect with a sense of personal power and purpose. With our expert guidance and support, your family can move from surviving to thriving.

DR. DANIEL M. SANDERSON

Ph.D., CSAT

Dr. Daniel Sanderson—known to many as “Doc Dan”—is an internationally recognized Clinical Psychologist and certified sexual addiction therapist with over 30 years of experience in forensic psychology, neuropsychology, and outdoor behavioral health. He is the creator of The Developmental Vacation®, a groundbreaking treatment model for adolescents and young adults with complex trauma, attachment issues, and treatment-resistant behaviors.

A pioneer in wilderness therapy, Doc Dan is Co-Owner and Clinical Director of Star Guides Wilderness Therapy and Therapy Associates Clinic in St. George, Utah. He also serves as a consulting psychologist for White River Academy, supporting clinicians and families with adolescent males in residential treatment.

His work has been featured on the Discovery Channel, BBC, and ABC News, and he is a vocal advocate against pornography, sex trafficking, gaming addiction, and family breakdown.

Doc Dan and his wife have five children and fourteen grandchildren. He enjoys MMA, backcountry hiking, kayaking, welding, and restoring cars.

TANA FREY

LCMHC, CSAT, TRAUMA THERAPIST

Tana Frey is a licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist with 12 years of experience specializing in adolescents and their families struggling with attachment, sexual trauma, and complex behavioral concerns.

Tana began her journey working with adolescents and their families over 20 years ago and was trained in the Developmental Vacation® model since its inception. Tana has incorporated the Developmental Vacation® model into her therapeutic foundation and recognizes the difference it makes in understanding and working with problematic behaviors and emotional difficulties, with clients of all ages. Tana offers a collaborative and eclectic approach to treatment, incorporating art and other experiential therapies, as well as DBT, CBT, and EMDR modalities, to help her clients grow into a life where they feel safe and healthy.

Tana Frey is recognized for her work implementing and training for The Developmental Vacation® as she helps her clients and other clinicians who work in the arena with complex and challenging trauma, reactive attachment struggles, and treatment-resistant emotional and behavioral concerns.

Tana is a passionate caregiver, professional coach, and excellent trainer. She loves sharing and teaching from her years of experience working in various positions in the adolescent treatment industry, and works to help other staff and clinicians navigate some of the more challenging aspects that may arise. She loves guiding adolescents and their families to hopeful places and helping them build safe and healthy futures.

Tana enjoys hiking, reading, learning, and crafting; her family time is where she finds the best balance and connection in life.

Is the Developmental Vacation Master Class Right For You?

It may not be for every parent. But for those who have tried everything else and still feel unseen and frustrated, we desire to connect with you. Our help is for those who are desperate to find expertise for addressing their child’s confusing, self-destructive, and soul-destroying behaviors.