Wilderness Therapy: Is It Right For Your Teen?

Is Wilderness Therapy Right for Your Kid?

Wilderness therapy is where at-risk teens spend a few months in a program with other at-risk youth and counselors learning in a “nature” environment. Usually it involves developing survival skills and having adventures outdoors. The idea is that hopefully teens will gain some self reflection and maturity. Lots of kids start out hating it, but come to recognize the benefits and grow.

Have A Good Plan For When They Come Back

This kind of approach can be very effective, but it’s not for everyone. The key to success if you’re considering a wilderness therapy program is to have a plan to transition your kid back into daily life. For kids who thrive in wilderness therapy, everything can be great while they’re in the program. But once they come back, it’s easy for your kid to fall back into the same habits.

If you have activities and a positive structure for them to come back to, you’re more likely to reap the rewards of wilderness therapy. We recommend you work with a professional to help set you on the right path. There’s more to say, and we talk about it on this Tips on Teens:

“I’m considering sending my 15 year old son to Adolescent Wilderness Therapy. He has a lot of trouble controlling his anger and is lashing out  a lot. It’s been getting worse over the last couple years. We found out recently that he’s been experimenting with drugs too The idea of Wilderness Therapy really appeals to me. I don’t want to do it though  if it’s not going to help, or if he’ll just resent me for it. How do I decide if it’s a good fit for my son?“