The Benefits of Holistic Wilderness Therapy for Teens and Young Adults
Wilderness therapy represents what holistic treatment is all about - the merger of mind, body, and spirit. Reflected in the balance of nature is our own internal desire for balance and harmony. The physical perception of nature through sight, sound, and touch translates into an emotional response of joy, fear, or wonder, which then translates into a spiritual response of admiration of the beauty that surrounds us. In just a few moments in nature, you've unified mind, body, and spirit. More than that, you've incorporated another equally important element: the environment.
John L. Swanson, a Gestalt psychologist, wrote in his book Communing with Nature: A Guidebook for Enhancing Your Relationship with the Living Earth, "Most people find the profusions of nature to be nurturing, aesthetically pleasing, physically invigorating, stimulating of the imagination, even spiritually profound. There is plenty of evidence that human nature and Mother Nature resonate to a common order that is physically, psychologically and spiritually wholesome. Reconnecting with nature reawakens us to pleasure and beauty that feed us in body, mind, and soul."
Edward Osborne Wilson, a renowned American biologist, researcher, theorist, and naturalist, coined the term "biophilia" to describe our innate need to interact with the living world. Teenagers and young adults, particularly those struggling with anger, defiance, substance abuse, low self-esteem, and other behavioral issues, share an even more acute craving for belonging and connection than adults. For many, this void can be filled through wilderness therapy.
Some wilderness therapy programs specialize in holistic addiction treatment and recovery. For example, Four Circles Recovery Center and Phoenix Outdoor, both located in North Carolina, cater specifically to adolescents and young adults who are struggling with substance abuse. In addition to 12-Step work, individual and group counseling, and educational seminars, wilderness therapy treats the whole person, improving social, mental, physical, and spiritual functioning.
A number of wilderness programs also incorporate holistic expressive therapies such as art therapy, music therapy, drama therapy, and other creative arts into the wilderness experience. For example, Aspen Achievement Academy in Loa, Utah, employs a full-time art therapist to work with young people on nonverbal communication and self-expression through painting, sculpting, and drawing. Lone Star Expeditions, a wilderness program for adolescents ages 13 to 17 in Groveton, Texas, recently introduced music therapy into the field, encouraging students to build natural instruments, express themselves through song lyrics, and compose music as a group.
Mind
Wilderness therapy programs exist all over the country to remove young people from their toxic environments with negative peers, hours in front of the television or playing video games, or a difficult family situation at home. Once removed from their high-stress daily lives, nature invites them to slow down, reflect on their choices and goals, and make a choice: Who do I want to be, and how do I get there?
By stimulating the mind through experiential, hands-on education in history, earth sciences, environmental studies, and related subjects, and by assisting teens in overcoming challenges found in nature (such as hiking to the top of mountains, crossing streams with a heavy pack, and sleeping outdoors), wilderness therapy programs provide growth experiences that build confidence and a sense of personal accomplishment.
Students of wilderness therapy also learn the importance the parts play in the whole. As a group, each member must complete his chores and fulfill his daily responsibilities to ensure the success of the group. Students rely on each other for physical and emotional support, building a sense of trust and personal responsibility. As students learn to deal with difficult situations, resolve conflicts, and respect others, they can draw upon these experiences later in life and in the recovery process.
Body
A change in environment invites a change in lifestyle. Young people in wilderness programs learn primitive survival skills, such as creating fire with a bow drill, navigating hiking routes, cooking food over a campfire, and putting up and taking down tents. Eating three healthy meals a day, getting at least eight hours of sleep, staying hydrated, and clearing the body of toxins like drugs and alcohol, teens learn what it means to take care of themselves and live a healthy lifestyle.
By their nature, adventure activities promote physical fitness and offer young people the opportunity to step outside their preconceived limitations and push their bodies to accomplish tasks they didn't think were possible. For many students of wilderness therapy, hiking 10 miles was out of the question; sleeping in a tent without a shower is a completely foreign concept. Once they realize they can do it - they can survive without the comforts of home they've come to rely on - they tap into their potential and begin to contemplate a new range of possibilities for the future.
Spirit
Nature is one of the most direct paths to a connection with the broader forces at work in the universe. When you take in the beauty and diversity of the landscapes, plant and animal life, and weather systems in the U.S. alone, it's difficult to observe without questioning where did all of this come from? What role do I play in such a vast, complex world?
Participants in wilderness therapy programs often discover that 12-Step work, bonds with field instructors and peers, and the majesty of nature nurture the spirit. The therapeutic value of nature is then supplemented by individual, group, and family therapy sessions with master's and doctoral level therapists, maximizing the effectiveness of the wilderness experience.
Wilderness therapy is the ultimate holistic treatment. It is about providing young people with memorable, life-changing experiences in awe-inspiring places and achieving remarkable results. As the students return home or move on to the next stage of treatment, they leave with the mindset and skills they need to approach every aspect of life with a sense of adventure and a sense of belonging on this earth.