Inside the Wilderness Rehab That Changed Nick Reiner Forever

Nick Reiner’s struggles with addiction and mental health did not begin in adulthood. 

Long before his name became tied to the shocking double-murder case, the son of legendary filmmaker Rob Reiner was sent to an extreme wilderness therapy program in Utah. 

What was meant to help a troubled teenager may instead have reshaped his path in devastating ways. 

Former attendees, Nick himself, and even his parents have since questioned whether the experience caused more harm than healing.

Nick was just 16 when his parents made the decision to enroll him in Second Nature, a wilderness therapy program located deep in the Utah backcountry. 

At the time, he had stopped attending high school and had already begun experimenting with drugs. 

According to the program’s website, Second Nature uses a “nomadic backpacking approach” designed to teach adolescents how to face challenges directly. 

For the Reiners, it appeared to be a last resort after more traditional rehab centers in Los Angeles and Malibu failed to work.

Years later, Nick reflected on the experience during a 2016 appearance on the “Dopey” podcast. 

He explained that it was during this program that he first met people who would later influence his drug use. 

“I went to a wilderness program in Utah. It was called Second Nature,” he said, recalling meeting another teen from Los Angeles who later introduced him to heroin. 

Nick acknowledged that while the program exposed him to a broader group of people, it also planted seeds that followed him long after he left.

In his podcast interview, Nick Reiner described how the connections he made at Second Nature had long-lasting consequences. 

After leaving the program, he reconnected with a former participant while living in sober housing. 

That reunion led him to Skid Row, where he said he was injected with heroin for the first time. 

Reflecting on that moment, Nick stated, “The point of the story is that the seed of heroin got planted by the first time I was ever in rehab, and the person I got it from was a guy that I met in rehab, like three years down the line.”

While the screenwriter acknowledged that the program exposed him to people outside his privileged upbringing, he believed the damage outweighed the benefits. 

“For all the negative that I think it did to me, it also exposed me to a larger demographic of people,” he admitted. 

Two former Second Nature attendees who spoke with the Daily Mail offered disturbing accounts of life inside the program during the years Nick Reiner was enrolled. 

Savanna Boda, who attended at age 15, described living outdoors full-time during the freezing Utah winter. 

“We did frostbite checks on our feet every hour,” she claimed, adding that the cold and isolation were relentless. 

Boda also said participants hiked up to seven miles daily while carrying heavy packs and were only allowed to bathe every few days.

She alleged that food was limited to canned and freeze-dried meals and that warmth depended on mastering a skill called “busting a fire.” 

When she failed, she said she was placed in “fire isolation” and denied hot food. Boda, who lost a friend from the program to suicide, also said she believes boys were treated more harshly than girls. 

While stressing that she does not condone violence, Boda expressed sympathy for Nick’s suffering. 

“I know that he probably went through a lot of pain, and I feel bad for his suffering and his heart,” she said. 

Another former attendee, Margaret Lynd, echoed claims of emotional mistreatment, saying counselors referred to teens as “dirt urchins” and lacked proper clinical training. 

She recalled her first day in the program, revealing that she was stripped naked and forced to wash her hair with lice shampoo. “I just don’t feel like these people care,” she said.

Second Nature has firmly denied the allegations made by Boda and Lynd, calling the claims “false and misleading.” 

A spokesperson told the Daily Mail that the program is licensed, closely regulated, and focused on compassion and emotional safety. 

They noted that licensed therapists oversee care and that parents remain actively involved throughout treatment. Some online reviews have also praised the program for its effectiveness. 

A woman named Emma T, who attended Second Nature in 2006, wrote on Yelp that she came into the program angry, empty, addicted, and without hope.

However, during her time there, she learned more about herself. According to Emma, she knew how to communicate about her feelings better. 

In addition, she made connections with amazing people she relates with till date.

Rob Reiner has publicly acknowledged that he and his wife, Michele, regret how they handled their son’s treatment. 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the director admitted they ignored the 32-year-old when he said the program was not helping. 

“We were desperate, and because the people had diplomas on their wall, we listened to them when we should have been listening to our son,” he said.\

Michele added that they were repeatedly told Nick was lying or manipulating them, and they believed it.

Nick later addressed this dynamic himself, explaining that fear often drives parents’ decisions. 

“Parents, they get scared. They don’t want to see their children die, so they jump the gun,” he said. 

Despite everything, he emphasized that he did not blame his parents, stating that addiction ultimately comes down to personal choice.