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History of international adventure therapy conferences
The International Adventure Therapy Conference (IATC) has been hosted in different international locations every 3 years for over ten years. It has seen a truly diverse representation of practices and perspectives from across the globe. There is a strong community of professionals who regularly attend the conference and have a commitment to developing theory, research and practice in the field. The vision of the international events was born out of the convenor for the first international conference, Martin Ringer (Australia). Having successfully bought together over 300 delegates to the first conference in 1997, an international community in adventure therapy was formed and it continues to build upon these initial foundations with a growing network of professionals and related adventure therapy activities across the world. And 2009 sees the 5th IATC being hosted by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy in Edinburgh in the UK.
The First International Adventure Therapy Conference (IATC) Australia, 1997
The 1st IATC titled ‘Exploring the boundaries of adventure therapy: International Perspectives” was held in Perth, Australia in July 1997. Martin Ringer, the international conference founder and convener, stated that the original vision for the conference was “to build an international network of relationships between people through the exchange of ideas and the growth of purposeful and friendly relationships” (Ringer: in Itin,1998:2). This vision has continued to guide the development and implementation of subsequent conferences and gatherings, which has more recently lead to the formation of the Adventure Therapy International Committee
The initial keynote by Lee Gillis in 1997 asked delegates to identify task that would enable the field of adventure therapy to move forward. The responses were to:
• Develop and document a body of theory
• Implement research that supports practice and the development of the field
• Document practice along with the development of standards and ethics of care
• Advocate for the legitimacy of adventure therapy, and finally to
• Develop and expand adventure therapy networks.
Other keynotes included:
• Jenny Bunce: A question of identity
• Gunter Amesberger: Sociological, environmental and systemic contributions to the therapy of change through adventure therapy.
• Ray Handley: Adventure therapy – solid in different, fluid in practice, implosive in effect.
• Martin Ringer: Boundaries, barriers and networks: Where to now for adventure therapy?
Conference Proceedings:
Itin, C. (Ed.) (1998). Exploring the boundaries of adventure therapy: Proceedings of the first international adventure therapy conference Perth Australia. AEE:
The Second International Adventure Therapy Conference (2IATC) Germany, 2000
The 2nd IATC, titled ‘Therapy within Adventure’ was held three years later in Augsburg, Germany in March 2000, and was convened by Mike Rehm of Zeil Verag. As the proceedings documented, “it was decided that insights into the therapeutic perspectives and processes emergent in adventure therapy required more detailed attention, thus the conference sought to examine the therapy within adventure” (Richards & Smith, 2003:11). The professional background of practitioners strongly influences their perceptions of whether adventure therapy should be framed by professional therapy guidelines or experiential or adventure standards of practice. This is an aspect of the international collaboration that is continually revisited as the identity of this organisation and the work of adventure therapy develops.
Keynotes included:
• Claudio Neri: What to observe in a group
• Lee Gillis and Simon Priest: Adventure therapy: Past, present and future
• Rudiger Gisldorf: Experience-adventure-therapy: An inquiry into professional identity
• Ural Burek: Dance and ritual in the therapeutic process
• Martin Ringer: Tribal wisdom: Reflections on adventure therapy and its social context
Conference proceedings:
Richards, K., & Smith, B. (Ed.) (2003). Therapy within Adventure. Proceedings of the second international adventure therapy conference, Augsburg, Germany. Augsburg: Zeil Verlag.
The Third International Adventure Therapy Conference (3IATC) Canada, 2003
The 3rd IATC , titled ‘Defining commonality while honouring diversity’ was held on Vancouver Island in Canada in 2003, and was convened by Tim Cormode of ‘Power 2 Be’. This conference continued to build the international community of practitioners and academics. The conference aimed to highlight the different approaches and ways in which programs and practitioners work whilst simultaneously encouraging the profession to focus on building a sense of unity.
Keynotes:
• Dr Michael Gass (USA): International experiences of adventure therapy
• Julie Burne & Kataraina Le Valliant (New Zealand): Honouring Diversity: An Aotearoa (New Zealand Bicultural Perspective
• Thom Henley (Canada): Rediscovery Program
• Denise Mitten (USA): Adventure therapy as complementary and alternative medicine
• Chris Loynes, Francoise Ringer and Kaye Richards (UK/Australia): ‘Seeking the Flower of the Trillium: Building an identity for adventure therapy: A conversation’
• Martin Ringer (Australia): A gathering on the commons: Finding commonalities, building connections and forming collectives among conference participants
• Warren McDonald (Australia): Steeping out: On Earth’s Terms
Conference Proceedings:
Bandroff, S., & Newes, S. (Eds.) (2005). Coming of age: The Evolving field of adventure therapy. Boulder, Colorodo: Association for Experiential Education.
The Fourth International Adventure Therapy Conference (4IATC), New Zealand 2006
The most recent conference, 4IATC ‘Connecting with Essence’ was hosted near Rotorua, New Zealand February 2006. This conference was convened by the Rotorua Adventure Aotearoa Collective. The conference continued to build on the international network of relationships and connections across the adventure therapy profession. The keynotes and workshops were offered as a celebration of diversity to be shared and reflected upon to enhance our collective learning and knowledge.
Keynotes:
• Ranginatrie Turuki, Rose Marei Lambert & Rangi Per: A Maori model of total wellbeing
• Colin Goldthorpe (New Zealand): A practitioner’s reflections on 13 years of wilderness therapy: a view from a gully
• Takako Takano ( Japan): The power of place and practices: Contemporary attempts in bonding with the land among ‘traditional’ societies
• Jennifer Davis-Berman and Dene Berman (USA): Wilderness therapy: perspectives and practice
• Anita Pryor (Australia): Does adventure therapy have wings?
Conference Proceedings:
Mitten, D., & Itin, C. M. (Eds). (In press). Connecting with the essence of adventure therapy. Association of Experiential Education (AEE): Boulder, Colorado.
The Fifth International Adventure Therapy Conference (5IATC), UK 2009
This is being hosted by BACP in Edinburgh, UK in September 2009.
The Sixth International Adventure Therapy Conference (6IATC), 2012
Applications to host 6IATC are currently being accepted, please see 6IATC call for proposals.
Full List Proceedings of the International Adventure Therapy Conferences:
1IATC: Itin, C. (1998). Exploring the boundaries of adventure therapy: International Perspectives. Proceedings of the First International Adventure Therapy Conference, Perth, Australia. Association for Experiential Education: Boulder, Colorado.
2IATC: Richards, K, & Smith, B. (Eds.) (2003). Therapy within adventure. Proceedings of the Second International Adventure Therapy Conference, Augsburg, Germany. Zeil: Augsburg.
3IATC: Bandoroff, S., & Newes, S. (Eds.). (2005). Coming of age: The evolving field of adventure therapy. Proceedings of the Third International Adventure Therapy Conference, Vancouver Island, Canada. Association for Experiential Education: Boulder, Colorado.
4IATC: Mitten, D., & Itin, C. (in press). Connecting with the essence: Proceedings of the Fourth International Adventure Therapy Conference, New Zealand. Association for Experiential Education: Boulder, Colorado.