Quick Links: Treatment Programs for Troubled Teens
Wilderness therapy programs provide treatment to troubled teens through the challenges of living and learning outdoors. Living in an unpredictable natural environment provides a unique therapy experience that for many teens has long lasting positive benefits.
Wilderness Therapy Explained
Surviving in nature helps teen's discover their strengths and weaknesses. These programs are experiential, offering constant hands on learning while participating in varied wilderness experiences. In meeting the challenges of living outdoors teens' learn about themselves and how they respond to difficult physical and mental tasks.
Wilderness programs are structured so that each day teens participate in interactive activities and structured goals such as rock climbing or hiking to a specific location. They are taught the skills needed to successfully live outdoors, work well with others and draw on their inner resources. Due to the intensity of wilderness programs they are much shorter than other residential programs for teens, usually lasting 30-45 days.
How Wilderness Therapy Works
In wilderness programs teens are challenged in a variety of ways and experience first-hand that the decisions they make have immediate results. These programs teach therapeutic lessons using the natural environment, examples include:
- experiencing natural consequences, such as bears coming to the campsite if food isn't properly put away
- showing teens the need to work together to accomplish tasks and survive in the wilderness
- learning directly that behavior has consequences, such as not eating if unable to start a fire or organize food preparation
- developing an appreciation for little things like dry socks or a warm house
- gaining self-confidence by accomplishing difficult tasks, such as climbing a mountain or finding shelter in a thunderstorm
Teen Problems Most Likely to Benefit from Wilderness Therapy
Wilderness therapy is not appropriate for troubled teens who are fragile physically or emotionally, such as those with problems such as cutting, severe depression or an eating disorder. This approach is best suited for teens who are acting out, using drugs or have behavior problems such as excessive anger or defiance.
Regardless of how difficult the program is or how much troubled teens complain while participating, most will eagerly tell tales of survival after it is all over and feel they have accomplished more than they ever thought possible.
Wilderness programs vary in terms of how much therapy they provide. The most therapeutic programs have therapists or counselors living with the teens at all times and actively involve families in the program.
Quick Links: Treatment Programs for Troubled Teens