7 Ways Wilderness Therapy Benefits Some Young Adults
Before all the haters attack this article and say all wilderness therapy programs are abusive and traumatic, I want you to read what I wrote with an open mind. Key word in the title is “some.” What does that mean? We can assume “not all.” Set down your pitchfork and let’s dive into how it is helpful for some young adults.
The first benefit is that it gives you an opportunity to reset your sleep cycle. A lot of young adults are doom scrolling on their phones as they’re lying in beds at night. Getting that midnight dopamine hit, and then being shocked when they look at the time and realize it’s 2:00am and they’ve got an 8:00am class/work in the morning. When they wake up with barely six hours of sleep, they’re dragging. We all know how important sleep hygiene is. Being in a program in a natural environment where you can get a lot of sleep sometimes really helps you recalibrate!
The second benefit is that it gives you a break from technology. A lot of young adults that I speak with are asking begging for this. They are constantly feeling low about themselves because they’re comparing themselves to their peers based on what they see on social media. Or they’re following certain influencers who are selling an unrealistic expectation of how life is and what they’re supposed to be doing. By taking a break from tech (even for just the day!), it can give you the space to identify what’s important to you. There’s a values assessment in this. If your tech use include violent video games, excessive porn use, gambling, or even excessive shopping, taking a break gives you the space to identify the root of what was causing you to self-soothe with tech. Then you can game-plan while you’re in the program on what a healthy reintroduction to tech looks like.
The third benefit is that it reinforces physical fitness into your daily routine. If you found yourself very fearful of going to the gym while at home because that was the only way you thought you could be “working out,” then participating in a wilderness program that exposes you to new interests can be an opportunity for you. Especially if you were an athlete in high school and then stopped it all when you went to college, this is for you. Have you ever tried fly fishing or canyoneering? You might love it! What about paddleboarding, canoeing, surfing, deep sea fishing, kayaking, hiking, horseback riding, or mountain biking? Those are just some of the adventure or outdoor activities you can be introduced to. Not to mention nowadays, the wilderness programs that still exist, typically include a lot of volunteer or community or cultural immersion, or introductions to other somatic therapies that young adults can do (or find locally) when they leave like yoga, meditation, or breathwork. Basically, you can try on for a size several new activities to find what you might like and continue with that when you have graduated from the program.
The fourth benefit is targeted family therapy. Gone is the idea that wilderness therapy is a break from your parents (or you being a break for them). I’m finding wilderness therapy programs are getting young adults on Zoom (yes, even out in the field!) with their parents sometimes as early as the first week that they arrive. If the young adult is enrolls themselves, the family has to be involved. In fact, some programs will even refuse a client enroll because they require family programming. If the parents refuse, then the program won’t admit the young adult. Depending on the program, you may still find letter writing, but that’s in-addition to weekly family calls and videos. Truthfully, sometimes it’s not even family therapy, it can just be an opportunity for the young adult to directly speak with their parents. A majority of programs do this now, not all. When you’re searching for programs if this is something you’ll want or need, seek out the programs that prioritize this.
The fifth benefit is that you can learn about better nutrition, eat healthy meals, and learn to cook. No, not all programs are operating on the rice & lentils menu where you eat the same meal every day. In fact, most are providing meals based on menus the young adults are putting together and requesting. Fresh veggies, fruits, and meats even, are making it out into the field to be prepared. This, in tandem with good sleep and exercise can really see a physical transformation for some of the young adults while they’re in the program. Building strength and a passion for eating healthy can be something they can carry over into their personal life outside of the program.
The sixth benefit is exposure to other young adults who are also hitting pause on their life to get the help they need in their life. That could be to get sober, it could be to work through social anxiety, it could be to heal from grief, loss, or trauma. No matter the reason, it’s good to not feel alone. Often, that’s why most young adults I work with get stuck at home. They think they’re the only one struggling like they are when in reality there are thousands of young adults who are adrift just like them. Taking a semester off and enrolling in a program is equivalent to participating in an intentional gap experience.
The seventh and final benefit is to take space from life, be in a safe community to “figure it out,” and then let your future path for life materialize in front of you. Sometimes that happens when you’ve got the time to sit and think. Figure out what you’re interested in. Build up the confidence to say it out loud, and then get the support to pursue it. So many times young adults are afraid to not return to college because they think (or know) that’s what their parents want from them, yet secretly they don’t want a college degree but instead want to WOOFF. Or, they are interested in pursuing a trade certification and owning their own business. Truly, there’s a million things they could pursue, so just having the space to get clear on what the path is, that can truly be the biggest gift a young adult can get by choosing to participate in a wilderness therapy program.
Are there other benefits? Absolutely? What could they possibly include? Depending on the program you could be earning a GED or finishing your high school diploma remotely, earning college credit, meeting with a Psychiatrist weekly for med changes and adding supplements, or learning primitive skills like bow drilling, just to name a few.
Is it an appropriate experience for everyone? No. Some programs have rule-outs for why a client wouldn’t be a fit. Could most young adults benefit from the list above? In today’s economic, academic, and political environment - most definitely.
For questions or comments contact Joanna.
