The Ecology of Adventure Therapy: An Integral Systems Approach to Therapeutic Change

Abstract

Currently, a fragmentation in ideas exists regarding understanding psychological wellness and preferred routes to healing. This is evident in current adventure therapy (AT) literature, where unique combinations of experiential learning, challenge activities, novel experiences, group work, and other psychological theories are often used to account for positive outcomes and to explain mechanisms for change. Rarely is contact with wilderness environments included as an important variable associated with positive outcomes and change. AT has been rightly criticized for not recognizing the ecological paradigm of therapy conducted in wild nature. By including principles from integral systems theory, we offer adventure therapists a map, allowing for these seemingly disparate parts to fit together into a coherent whole. In addition, we propose that wilderness is a crucial cofacilitator in the change process. If seriously considered, these ideas pose a number of important questions for AT theory and practice.

Exploring the experiences of non‐statutory homeless individuals who engaged in an adventure therapy intervention

“…Relationships with nature also seemed to contribute to the holding environment, supporting previous research outlining nature's capacity to provide a healing environment, where improved emotional well-being, physical health and mental health issues, and reductions in stress, are facilitated (Beringer, 2004;Jordan, 2016;Summers & Vivian, 2018;Taylor et al, 2010). It further appears that contact with nature seemed to provide a space for reflection for participants, hence highlighting the importance of the natural environment when designing psychological interventions for IEH.…”

“…Nature connection can facilitate emotional well-being, stressreduction, and improvements in mental and physical health issues via provision of a healing environment (Summers & Vivian, 2018;Taylor et al, 2010). Therapeutic use of nature is beneficial to individuals with negative early relational experiences (Jordan, 2016), such as IEH (Fitzpatrick et al, 2013;McNaughton, 2008), indicating suitability of outdoor AT for the needs of IEH.…”

The role of wilderness therapy for adolescents in the face of global trends of urbanization and technification

“…Theorists and researchers of outdoor therapies have been challenged for rarely exploring the human-environmental relationship in the reporting of outcomes and change (Berger & McLeod, 2006;Beringer, 2004). Without recognition of the 'ecology' of the treatment milieu, success of these interventions has been contributed to conventional psychotherapeutic practice and ignores the deeper integral approach to treatment built through decades of practice (Taylor, Segal, & Harper, 2010). Wilderness therapy borrows its theoretical and philosophical rationale from ecophilosophy (e.g.…”

Adventure Therapy With Youth

“…For example, the role of nature has been gaining attention as an important healing component of therapy (Bowler, Buyung-Ali, Knight, & Pullin; 2010; Russell, 2012). Taylor, Segal, and Harper (2010) argue that nature can be an essential “co-facilitator” of change.…”