How effective is wilderness therapy?

Over 80\% of parents contacted perceived wilderness therapy as effective. Over 90\% of adolescents contacted perceived wilderness therapy as effective. 83\% of adolescents were doing better. Of the 83\%, 58\% were doing well or very well.

How long does wilderness therapy last?

“There’s a lot of peer mentoring and peer modeling,” DeBois says. Once the teens are properly assessed, the wilderness setting, the tailored therapy and the lengthy stay — which averages eight to 10 weeks — provide a crucible for growth, says DeBois.

Is wilderness therapy still a thing?

Limited and biased research. Although the wilderness therapy industry has tried for several decades to fill research gaps to bolster its case of effectiveness and reduce the need for legislative intervention, critics say that science still does not support wilderness therapy.

Who benefits from wilderness therapy?

Wilderness therapy helps teenagers develop new skills that translate to every area of their life. If your son or daughter is struggling with emotional or behavioral issues, the benefits of wilderness therapy can help turn their life around.

What happens at wilderness therapy?

Wilderness therapy is a mental health treatment strategy for adolescents with maladaptive behaviors. Wilderness programs combine therapy with challenge experiences in an outdoor wilderness environment to “kinetically engage clients on cognitive, affective, and behavioral levels.”

Why do kids go to wilderness therapy?

Wilderness therapy gives a struggling kid the opportunity to build friendships with other kids in similar emotional states. These friendships involve honest communication, shared experiences and connections that are usually much deeper than the child is getting on the outside.

What happens in wilderness therapy?

Why is wilderness therapy important?

Instill responsibility: Wilderness therapy can teach you survival skills and increase your sense of responsibility. Build confidence: Wilderness therapy involves overcoming physical challenges as well as negative thoughts and beliefs, which can improve your self-esteem and make you more confident.

Are wilderness programs safe?

This study shows there is actually less risk to participate in a wilderness therapy program, when they are conducted correctly, than to adolescents in their normal everyday activities,” He found that wilderness therapy is safer than activities like backpacking, downhill skiing, and playing football.

How effective are wilderness programs for juveniles?

Wilson and Lipsey’s meta-analysis (2000) of 29 different studies of wilderness programs, involving more than 3,000 juvenile offenders, indicates that program participants experience recidivism rates that are about 8 percentage Page 3 Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention www.ojjdp.gov 3 points lower …

Should I send my kid to wilderness therapy?

There is no doubt that wilderness therapy programs can be beneficial to a teen going through a troubling chapter of their life. There is no need for shame or guilt in a parent that has made the decision to send a child into the woods. In the end, a child’s mental health is vitally important now and for their future.

How do you become a wilderness therapist?

If you’re an aspiring wilderness therapist, it’s best to earn a master’s degree in psychology or recreational therapy and to develop the wilderness leadership skills to safely lead a group in a backcountry environment.

What is “wilderness therapy”?

“Wilderness therapy” programs like Katherine’s add an additional component, pairing psychological counseling with a variety of outdoor activities, from simple hiking, backpacking, and camping, to more adventurous fare like rock climbing and skiing. They are frequently marketed as a way to get a child ready to be receptive to a residential program.

What happens during a wilderness program?

In addition to receiving therapy, patients take part in activities such as backpacking, white-water rafting, building shelters, starting fires, and navigating through the wilderness using a compass. Periods of alone time for introspection are an important part of many wilderness programs.

Should my son or daughter get a wilderness therapist assessment?

If your son or daughter will continue healing at a residential treatment center, therapeutic boarding school, or an aftercare or transition program, then psychological testing and a wilderness therapist assessment are important data points that educational consultants consider when recommending next steps.

How long did Katherine spend in wilderness treatment?

Katherine would spend the next 10 months in therapeutic treatment, including just over three months in wilderness treatment. At Evoke, she lived out of a backpack with a small group of other teen girls and staff. Her days consisted of hiking, group and individual therapeutic exercises, cooking her own food, and sleeping outside under a tarp.