Wilderness Treatment for Young Adults And Teens
Explore. Uncover. Change.
Wilderness treatment for young adults is also known as adventure-based therapy and outdoor behavioral healthcare. This research-based treatment modality has been in existence for the last thirty years and focuses on behavior modification and interpersonal self improvement in a wilderness setting. Exposing individuals, mostly teens and young adults, to the outdoors provides an opportunity to problem solve, unveil existing problems, gain resilience, courage and self esteem.
With the right tools and competent professionals, anyone can benefit from wilderness therapy. Physical activity is prominent in wilderness therapy and that alone can improve physical and mental health. Furthermore, encountering challenges and solving problems in a nature setting can help individuals build skills in dealing with real-life problems on their own.
Although families, couples and older adults participate in wildness therapy, more often than not teens and young adults partake in this form of treatment. Teens with behavior problems, eating disorders, OCD, substance abuse issues, etc., are usually required to stay for eight to ten weeks. In this setting teens and young adults are placed in an emotionally safe environment and given structure with little distractions. Through self efficacy and peer modeling, individuals become empowered once they see they can survive in the wilderness.
Individuals can participate in residential wildness therapy or therapists can even provide sessions for non residential clients in nature settings. Either way folks can learn to defeat unhealthy emotional and psychological patterns while experiencing, camping and exploring nature.
Most residential programs are not covered by insurance and can be very costly. However, other treatment programs and residential facilities can provide certain aspects of wilderness therapy. For example, some treatment centers go on field trips to take hikes or group therapy sessions are held outside.
Wilderness Treatment is a great place to build a foundation prior to coming into our program. If you would like to learn more about this, please call our intake line.