Are All Wilderness Programs the Same?

At first glance, it may appear as though all wilderness programs are the same - small groups of teens hiking, backpacking, and camping outdoors while learning important life lessons. Although it is true that most wilderness programs share certain similarities, outdoor experiential therapy is becoming increasingly differentiated and specialized as more families turn to these programs for help. Below are a number of distinguishing factors to consider when choosing the wilderness program that is right for your teen.

Location

In the real estate business, the number-one consideration is location, location, location! In the wilderness, it's hard to find a "bad" location, but your child may have a preference for mountains, desert, woods, plains, or canyons, or hot, cold, rainy, or snowy weather. Since nature is one of the most important teachers in a wilderness program, a location that inspires awe or respect in a child may provide additional therapeutic benefits.

Sometimes the best camp for your child is located many states away, or across the country from your home town. Many families have had great success with programs that are far removed from any negative peer influences, family conflicts, or school pressures that exist in the home community. There are excellent outdoor programs located throughout the United States, so don't limit yourself to the handful of camps in your region.

Length of Stay

Wilderness programs vary in duration anywhere from a couple of weeks to two months or more. The length of stay you choose should be based on the needs of your teenager. A short-term intervention can provide a helpful break from the self-defeating behaviors that may be occurring at home. A longer intervention is generally preferred, however, because it provides a greater opportunity to disrupt entrenched behaviors and thought processes, and also gives the family more time to regroup. Whatever duration you choose, keep in mind that many therapists recommend that campers with significant behavioral issues go on to a residential facility or therapeutic boarding school after camp ends.

Therapeutic Approach

Therapeutic wilderness programs are effective because they emphasize behavioral change through therapy and teaching new skills. Although the campers spend many hours a day exploring, hiking, and setting up camp, a key element of the experience is the individual and group therapy sessions that occur in the field. Most therapists and field instructors will help a camper assess the behaviors that led him to this point, and identify and practice skills to modify those behaviors, but different programs may utilize distinct therapeutic approaches.

For example, some wilderness programs use talk therapy while others employ a cognitive-behavioral approach. Some programs stress spiritual development; some focus on self-esteem and self-care; some emphasize cooperation, teamwork, and conflict resolution - and some combine all of these approaches. In addition, some wilderness programs use "rites of passage" that represent each child's progress on the wilderness journey, while others feature "solo" journeys, or 2 to 3 days of quiet, introspective solitude, prior to a child's return home.

It's also important to consider who is providing the therapy. Ask questions about how long the therapists and field instructors have worked for the program and what kinds of backgrounds and qualifications they have. Other important considerations may include: Do the counselors and field guides relate well to young people? Will they be supportive and nurturing, yet challenging? Do the therapists handle the kinds of issues you're worried about? The program staff will be directing your child's wilderness journey, so their effectiveness is vital to your teen's success.

Full Wilderness vs. Partial Wilderness

Another important factor to consider is how much time your teen will spend "roughing it" in the wilderness. While some wilderness programs venture out in the field 80 or 90 percent of the time, others offer a unique blend of wilderness expeditions and life at base camp.

Some teens thrive when they immerse themselves full-time into the wilderness experience, using nature as a metaphor for life and learning new skills and lessons in the field, while others learn best from spending a few days or weeks in the wilderness and then returning to base camp for a few days to a few weeks. At base camp, teens can shower and practice the skills they learned in the wilderness in a "real life" setting, where they have to abide by a daily schedule, do chores, live with roommates, and adapt to new surroundings. Both options have benefits, so the choice will boil down to your child's clinical needs and how much she enjoys the great outdoors.

Specialized Groups

Most wilderness programs accept students ranging from 13 to 17 years of age, though some camps accept children as young as 9 and as old as 28. Many camps also offer single-sex groups for male and female campers. Of course, not all 13- to 17-year-olds are the same, and some kids may be most successful in a specialized camp geared toward their particular needs. From ropes courses to rock climbing and white water rafting and even horses and llamas, there truly is a wilderness program out there for youth of all interests and backgrounds.

For example, young people struggling with learning differences like ADD/ADHD, nonverbal learning disorder, high-functioning autism, or Asperger's syndrome can participate in wilderness programs like those offered by Talisman Camps, which specialize in social skills development, interpersonal interactions, and helping children feel less isolated and "different" from their peers.

Other wilderness programs, like Four Circles Recovery Center in North Carolina, offer specialized treatment tracks in addiction, substance abuse, and co-occurring mental health disorders for adolescents and young adults. In addition to individual and group therapy, students in these addiction programs participate in 12-step meetings, educational lessons, and sessions with a certified alcohol and drug counselor in the field. For many teens, the wilderness is an ideal place to get clean and sober because they are highly supervised and far removed from their friends and the drug culture they created at home.

When choosing a wilderness program, it is important to evaluate your child's particular needs and preferences so that your family is certain to get the most out of the wilderness experience. Does he love trekking through the outdoors for days or weeks on end, or would he fare better in an environment that is more similar to home? Is she struggling with a range of behavioral issues, or is her primary goal recovery from substance abuse? Once you have answered these questions and others, you can narrow down your search to a handful of programs that suit your child, and take heart knowing your child is in the best possible place to get the treatment he needs.

No matter what type of wilderness program you choose, outdoor therapy is a powerful, life-changing experience for teens with behavioral issues. Whether your child's wilderness experience is north, south, east, or west, last two weeks or eight, your child will learn valuable communication, teamwork, distress tolerance, and coping skills that are essential to a fulfilling personal and social life at home.