One of the things I was surprised to learn is that continuing education credit is available for many different health professionals who choose to attend the symposium including psychologists, counselors, social workers, and nurses from numerous states across the U.S.
This looks like an amazing opportunity for health professionals to gain more first hand experience in Wilderness Therapy practices!
http://obhic.com/symposium.html
The event also included presentations by Richard Louv. As a student in Nature Heals: An Introduction to Nature-Based Therapies and to honor Earth Day, I wanted to hear Mr. Louv. It was definitely worth the effort. In an engaging and relaxed manner (and without power point), Mr. Louv well described the benefits of being in nature, referred to the research we have studied in class and urged each of us to act for ourselves and our children for sustainable connections to the natural world.
A core principle he advoctes is "the more high tech we become, the more nature we need." He described the growing reliance in education on electronic technology without balance in the arts and exposure to nature. He advocates for "every dollar spent for the virtual there should be an equal dollar spent for the real (nature)". I think that's a great idea, but it will take a lot of motivated people of all ages to bring that principle to fruition. When it comes to money allocation, its a tough road to travel. Fortunately, we don't have to travel alone and without inspiration.
Initial steps on the road should include reading Richard Louv's books, visiting his website and looking around to see what you could do in your own community. That's where I'm starting.
http://www.foxcitiesreads.org/
http://www.richardlouv.com
This organization, Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Research Cooperative, seems to be a clearinghouse of sorts for Wilderness Therapy research. It is put out by the University of New Hampshire. I noticed that two of the organizations that have already been mentioned in other posts--Soltreks and Open Sky- are members of this organization and help report and collect data. They also have links to researchers and publications.
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Here is an excerpt from an article from the Utne Reader about ecotherapy, Ecotherapy for the Ecosoul, from Larry Robinson, who was also featured in the book Ecotherapy.
Ecopsychology seeks to address the sources of our cultural madness and to reestablish the lost connection with the more-than-human world. Its intention is to reanimate the world, to restore its soul. To do this we must remember that we are not simply imperfect machines but beings in a world that is alive with mystery.Ecopsychological therapy--instead of dwelling on the questions What do I need? and How can I get it?--asks What is my place in the world? Rather than deriving machinelike standards for optimal functioning, it asks: What human qualities does a healthy ecosystem require? Sustainability is a key concept, in the sense of both how we, as a species, can live sustainably on the earth, and how we, as individuals, can create sustainable lives and relationships. (Robinson, n.d.)
This is the program link:
http://www.openskywilderness.com/clinical
And this is the You Tube documentary (about 7 min) that first caught my attention:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7igTBf0nk0
Here's what I like about the program:
- I like the pictures of where and how it takes place - the vibe was good.
- I love that there is an emphasis on clinical practice and research, which made the staff sound focused, knowledgeable, and patient-focused.
- I liked that it was geared towards teens, young adults, and families
- Their mission statement totally hooked me: "At Open Sky, we assist teens, young adults and families struggling with difficult challenges and life circumstances. We provide a life-changing opportunity to discover and create a healthy life that is an intelligent and authentic expression of one's true nature as capable, worthy, honorable people. We invite you to explore our comprehensive website to learn more about the Open Sky experience."
There is a research section that follows students closely for a year after they leave - it is a heck of a system.
I searched for complaints or negative reviews of the program, and only found positive comments. They might also have an amazing marketing team, but I genuinely liked the program. From what I could see, alumni have only positive things to say and the research honestly reflected the findings.
My questions going forward would have to do with going further down the epidemiology path. I would want to see if this program could help think about some of the measurement issues we've talked about earlier this year (like how much "green" is the right amount of green). There are some issues with the Open Sky population, because in a mental health setting, you'll have differences with what people are willing to participate in. Still, I think that this program might be able to lend insight because it has already covered the science proving that the program is having measurable and sustained positive outcomes for alumni. They have an opportunity to go deeper from justifying their existence to engaging with the field in a broader way!
What a program!
]]>In a few posts last week, I read about the concern for making sure a program is truly wilderness therapy and not boot-camp. Utilizing information provided by this organization can help! The organization provides accreditation for programs and information about programs that have been accredited by them. This provides people with additional information so they can be more confident in the type of program that they or their loved ones will be involved in.
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This article is very interesting! It touches on a lot of different points when considering wilderness therapy for youth. I found it extremely alarming that the article pointed out quite a few deaths. "Five teens died in Utah wilderness programs between 1990 and 2002, and a Utah teenager died in a Colorado program in 2007" (Whitehurst & Maffly, 2008). The article goes on to talk about reforms in the programs (making them less boot-camp like), but many still use survival skills as a main part of the program. They have to make fires the hard way, catch their food, etc... I'm not so sure if I agree with this type of hardcore wilderness therapy. Although I do definitely think that survival skills are essential, I'm not so sure if wilderness therapy is the place to learn them... but then again it could make sense for certain youth that are there for more serious problems perhaps...
]]>From this website I found Pacific Quest, an organization that provides wilderness therapy in Hawaii! They have programs for young adults and adolescents. Here is a video of their philosophy. I think they do a good job of nurturing their students in a way that both helps them with whatever they may be dealing with and providing them with a safe and adventurous environment.
]]>I mentioned in our discussion last week that when I stayed in Montpellier, France this past summer there was an outdoor gym at the dorm I stayed in. I thought this was so amazing because I had never seen one before. Has anybody ever seen any around Minnesota? Just curious. Anyways, the link I posted above brings you to an article about the first outdoor gym in Soweto, South Africa. It is absolutely free and the machines are weather resistant. Apparently the company that made this first one plans to make 1,000 more in South Africa over the next two years. Many people are now exercising that did not before, especially because it's free and surrounded by the outdoors. I absolutely love this idea- especially the free part! Talk about a great incentive.
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