June 22, 2024
What is Outdoor Recreation and Adventure Therapy?
Outdoor Recreation and Adventure Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that utilizes outdoor activities to promote physical, social, and psychological well-being. It encompasses a wide range of activities such as hiking, gardening, animal therapy, and other physical endeavors. Adventure therapy often incorporates elements of adventure, including uncertainty, perceived risk, or actual risk.
- Outdoor Recreation: This involves engaging in physical activities in an outdoor environment. It is used in therapy to promote physical health, social interaction, and psychological well-being.
- Adventure Therapy: This therapy involves activities that have an element of adventure, such as uncertainty, perceived risk, or actual risk. It is used to help individuals overcome personal challenges and develop resilience.
- Animal Therapy: This is a type of therapy that involves interaction with animals to improve mental and physical health for example Equine Therapy.
What are the Therapeutic Benefits of Adventure Therapy?
Adventure therapy offers numerous therapeutic benefits. It can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, enhance self-efficacy, improve executive functioning, and bolster interpersonal skills. Additionally, it can foster trauma resilience and teach individuals to self-advocate for their needs.
- Decreased Anxiety and Depression: Adventure therapy can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression by providing a natural environment for relaxation and stress relief.
- Improved Executive Functioning: This refers to the mental skills that help us get things done. Adventure therapy can help improve these skills through problem-solving activities and challenges.
- Improved Interpersonal Skills: Adventure therapy often involves group activities, which can help improve social skills and foster better relationships.
How Does Spending Time Outdoors Improve Cognitive Performance?
Studies have demonstrated that spending time outdoors can enhance working memory, cognitive performance, emotional wellbeing, and cooperative behavior. The natural environment can stimulate the senses, promote relaxation, and provide opportunities for physical activity, all of which can contribute to improved cognitive function.
- Enhanced Working Memory: Outdoor activities often require concentration and focus, which can help improve working memory.
- Improved Cognitive Performance: The natural environment can stimulate the brain, leading to improved cognitive performance.
- Emotional Wellbeing: Spending time outdoors can promote relaxation and reduce stress, contributing to improved emotional wellbeing.
What is Wilderness Therapy?
Wilderness therapy is a type of experiential therapy that combines outdoor activities with therapy sessions. It is particularly effective in addressing mental health conditions such as anxiety, Asperger’s syndrome, attention deficit disorder, depression, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and substance use. Wilderness therapy programs were pioneered by Kurt Hahn, a German educator who founded Outward Bound in the early 1940s.
- Experiential Therapy: This is a therapeutic approach that encourages patients to identify and address hidden or subconscious issues through activities or experiences.
- Outward Bound: Founded by Kurt Hahn, Outward Bound is an educational program that uses outdoor activities to teach survival skills and personal development.
- Kurt Hahn: A German educator who founded Outward Bound and is considered a pioneer in the field of adventure and wilderness therapy.
How is Outdoor and Wilderness Therapy Integrated into Recovery Programs?
Treatment centers like Choice House in Boulder, Colorado integrate outdoor and wilderness therapy into their recovery programs. Activities such as hiking, rock climbing, and skiing are incorporated into the therapy sessions. These activities provide therapeutic benefits and help individuals in their recovery journey.
- Choice House: A treatment center located in Boulder, Colorado that integrates outdoor and wilderness therapy into its recovery programs.
- Recovery Programs: These are structured programs designed to help individuals overcome substance abuse or mental health disorders.
- Therapeutic Activities: Activities such as hiking, rock climbing, and skiing that are used in therapy to promote physical, social, and psychological well-being.
Britney Elyse has over 15 years experience in mental health and addiction treatment. Britney completed her undergraduate work at San Francisco State University and her M.A. in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University. Britney worked in the music industry for several years prior to discovering her calling as a therapist. Britney’s background in music management, gave her first hand experience working with musicians impacted by addiction. Britney specializes in treating trauma using Somatic Experiencing and evidence based practices. Britney’s work begins with forming a strong therapeutic alliance to gain trust and promote change. Britney has given many presentations on somatic therapy in the treatment setting to increase awareness and decrease the stigma of mental health issues. A few years ago, Britney moved into the role of Clinical Director and found her passion in supervising the clinical team. Britney’s unique approach to client care, allows us to access and heal, our most severe cases with compassion and love. Prior to join the Carrara team, Britney was the Clinical Director of a premier luxury treatment facility with 6 residential houses and an outpatient program
