Emotional Growth Outdoor Wilderness Programs

Therapeutic outdoor programs use the wilderness as a tool to
quickly and effectively impact students/youth at risk. Experiential in nature, emotional growth programs provide struggling adolescents
an opportunity to challenge themselves physically and emotionally while exploring the unhealthy behaviors that have prevented them
from making progress in their lives. The outdoor environment provides a supportive, non-judgmental arena in which students can process their limiting beliefs and core issues, and begin to view themselves and their abilities from a different perspective. The challenges inherent in a wilderness setting provide daily success experiences which
serve to challenge old, negative beliefs and lead to new, more positive self-perceptions.

Trained counselors work with students to help them recognize
the long-term value of their wilderness experiences, and to assist in the development of strategies for applying its unique lessons to their daily lives. Students begin to learn to accept responsibility
for their actions, and to better understand the correlation between cause and effect, action and reaction. By taking advantage of the heightened sense of awareness that an outdoor setting produces, students are guided to a clearer sense of self, self-awareness,
and self-confidence.

The majority of therapeutic programs' staffs include licensed clinical counselors responsible for screening applicants, and developing and overseeing treatment plans for each student. Daily individual and group therapy, and the opportunity for psychological testing are standard within the therapeutically oriented environment, and activities are specifically geared to facilitate personal growth and development.

Students exhibiting at-risk behaviors, including defiance, rebellion, running away, experimentation with drugs and/or alcohol, sexual promiscuity, poor performance in school, etc., are ideal candidates for therapeutic outdoor programs. Proven successful in impacting and helping students who have not responded to more traditional treatment programs, these experiential environments provide students a solid foundation on which develop the values of responsibility, hard work, and respect of self and others. Additionally, such programs serve as an excellent transitional step for children moving on to long-term therapeutic placements.