 Wilderness treatment programs sometimes referred to as outdoor education, have proved themselves to be unusual catalysts for change in troubled teens. Counselors guide teens toward self-respect and self-reliance. Wilderness programs deal with such behavioral problems as poor school performance, low self-esteem, defiance of authority, and drug or alcohol abuse.
Many wilderness programs include an element of perceived risk that emboldens teenagers to move beyond their comfort zones and face their fears. Moving out of the habitual environment helps to reduce defensiveness and change relationships with adult leaders.
Wilderness rograms are also comparatively free from external influences, such as school, peers, family, TV, computer, and many others. They perform the opportunity to discover new responses and develop new patterns of thought and behavior.
Wilderness programs provide teenagers an opportunity to go beyond their self-imposed limitations. Group activities promote personal abilities, teamwork, good communication, and leadership skills. Individual and group success is reached through peer support and encouragement, not physical strength. There is no place for such defense mechanisms as denial, blame, or others.
To achieve their goals, wilderness programs teach students necessary skills and how to work together to successfully finish their journey in the mountains. To enhance the experience, these programs incorporate group and individual challenges that spark significant individual growth, develop self awareness, and build confidence.
Most wilderness programs embolden interdependence and cooperation among children and use a small-group format. In expedition programs, where teenagers and counselors get into natural settings for long periods of time, the 24-hour-a-day group experience becomes very strong.
The wilderness program staff strongly believes that the experience must be fun to be successful. They make sure to give teens the chance to spend quality time outdoors, away from their usual lives, and to have a good time.
In general, wilderness programs develop and improve self-esteem, leadership, academics, personality, and interpersonal relations, with self-esteem change being more significant.
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