Toward an Ecological Paradigm in Adventure Programming

Abstract

Many forms of adventure therapy, in particular wilderness therapy, rely on challenges in the outdoors to achieve objectives of client change. While nature is drawn on as a medium for therapy and healing, some adventure therapists give nature little i f any mention when it comes to explaining therapeutic success. The dominant paradigm in psychology and psychotherapy provides insights as to why the contributions of nature in the curative relationship are, at times, marginalized. To more fully understand why and how adventure therapy works, the role of nature as a force in human development needs to be considered. It is proposed that ecotherapy and nature-guided therapy are viable alternative theoretical frameworks for adventure therapy. Ecotherapy and nature-guided therapy provide a critical perspective on adventure and wilderness therapy in that they recognize a social, cultural, and environmental/ecological context to human well-being and behavior. Furthermore, they explicitly acknowledge the potential healing power of natural environments and natural features. Adventure therapy and wilderness therapy m a y be revisioned in light of ecotherapy and nature-guided healing.

Living Stories of the Landscape: Perception of Place through Canoeing in Canada's North

“…Moreover, many scholars have been critical of the ability of outdoor recreation and education based on concepts of 'wilderness' to promote 'pro-environmental' attitudes and social justice among participants and society at large (Cronon 1996;Cajete 1999;Hull 2000;Beringer 2004). These critiques call for re-conceptualizing the human-environment relationship dominant in Western naturebased recreation (Cajete 1999;Fox 2000;Godbey 2000;Hull 2000;Beringer 2004).…”

“…Despite the tendency in outdoor recreation research to frame landscape and environment as detached from activities (Beringer 2004;Baker 2005), the mutability of land and the fluidity of wind and water are shown to be important factors shaping canoeing. The interweaving of humans and their environment is shown to result in narratives of places and Downloaded by [University Library Utrecht] at 17:16 16 March 2015 paths, senses of biographically significant landscapes, and landscapes storied over time.…”

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

“…The main prerequisite is that nature in and of itself facilitates and strengthens intra-and inter-psychological processes that may lead to increased psychological robustness, as well as a reduction of mental health and behavioural problems (Hoyer, 2012). 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).…”

Adventure based counselling, individual counselling and object relations: a critical evaluation of a qualitative study

“…Gillis & Priest, 2003;Schoel & Maizell, 2002) advocate that it is through adventurous outdoor experiences that psycho-emotional growth is facilitated. Hence, in order for isomorphic connections to achieve their desired outcome the therapeutic endeavour needs to occur within natural environments (Beringer, 2004). According to Fletcher and Hinkle (2002) the physical challenges that clients encounter whilst engaging in natural activities do not only promote physical fitness but also psycho-emotional catharsis since they provide an opportunity to allow the expression of frustration and anxiety.…”