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Definitions of adventure therapy
A brief working description (*adapted from Ringer, 2002)
Adventure therapy is a field that is about 40 years old, it grew out of the outdoor and wilderness adventure movement of the early 1960’s and has quickly evolved into a mode of practice that occurs in outdoors, in remote natural settings and sometimes indoors. Adventure therapy involves the combination of physically and psychologically demanding activities, usually (but not always) conducted in a group setting. Adventure therapy is usually based on the principles of experiential education, but draws on traditions from counselling, psychology, social work, and education.
Gillis and Thomsen (1996: 10) offered a broad definition of adventure therapy:
“A global view of adventure therapy as one aspect of the larger field of experiential therapies is included in the following definition points:
- An active, experiential approach to group [family and individual] psychotherapy or counselling; although it is acknowledged that much work goes on in one-to-one conversations between therapist and client while involved in an activity such as a ropes course element;
- utilising an activity base, (cooperative group games, problem solving initiatives, trust building activities, high adventure (ropes courses, white water, rock climbing, etc.), outdoor pursuits and/or wilderness expeditions);
- employing real and or perceived (physical and psychological) risk as a significant clinically significant agent to bring about desired change;
- making meaning(s) (through insights that are expressed verbally, non-verbal, or unconsciously that lead to behavioural change) from both verbal and non-verbal introductions prior to (eg, front-loadings) and discussions following (eg de-briefings) the activity experience;
- punctuating isomorphic connection(s) (how the structure of the activity matches the resolution of the problem) that significantly contribute to the transfer of lessons learned into changed behaviour.
The nature of the adventure activities that are conducted as part of adventure therapy programmes vary widely and included: expeditions walking, cycling, rock climbing abseiling (rappelling), group initiatives, cooperative games, ropes courses, caving, canoeing, rafting, sailing, surfing, swimming, scuba diving, snorkelling, wind surfing or other activities.
The outdoor and adventure activities and associated human interactions are usually conducted in groups (Kimball and Bacon, 1993) where the intervention is based on an integration of principles derived from psychology, sociology, education and other disciplines that form the process of human change and learning (Bandoroff 1992a). The goals of each adventure therapy intervention are developed in response to client needs and each activity is conducted in ways to maximise therapeutic outcomes for clients. Common goals include re-socialisation, treating substance abuse, providing remedy for dysfunctional interaction with others, and improving clients’ management of their own emotional and social lives (Gerstein, 1991).
Relationships with nature are a central aspect of the outdoor experience. This relationship has always been considered a key component of outdoor education and can be seen in environmental education provisions that are often a key aspect of outdoor education programmes (see Martin, 2007). A focus on the relationship with nature within therapeutic applications of the outdoor experience has meant that more recently terms such as nature therapy and eco-therapy have been coined (see Clinebell 1996; Burns 1998; Beringer, 2003; Berger, 2006;). These terms are often underpinned by eco-psychology concepts and recognise how relationships with nature have healing possibilities and applications range from example, nature guided therapy (Burns, 1998) through to horticultural gardening (Simson & Straus, 1998). It could be argued, therefore, that a more inclusive term for practices would be outdoor adventure therapy, as relationships with nature are a key aspect of any outdoor experience and the emphasis can be placed on these interactions. A debate on whether the term should be expanded upon for future work of the ATIC will continue at 5IATC.
Adventure therapy is not a coherent field of endeavour that is recognised by the general public or by people in the helping professions (Berman, 1995). Considerable diversity of opinion also exists among practitioners as to the nature of adventure therapy. The central tenets of the practice of adventure therapy are that it involves the application of ‘adventure is potentially open to a wide range of interpretations A further ambiguity lies in the way that adventure is integrated with therapy to form a unique field of endeavour.
Please note this defintion is only provided as an intial guide and should not be seen as a definitive defintion.
A wide range of perspectives impact upon any defintion and outdoor and adventure therapy is open to different interpretations, especially as such an approach continues to evolve. However, the above defintion should offer an intial framework to understanding current ideas and perspectives.