Affordable Wilderness Therapy Programs - Drug Recovery for Young Adults

By Curtis Reed

Wilderness therapy programs involve the use of challenges found in nature (such as rock climbing and backpacking) to provide growth experiences that can help troubled young adults make fundamental changes in their lives. Wilderness therapy programs have been used for many years as an aid to addiction treatment. The therapeutic benefits of wilderness therapy programs include the establishment of a deeper connection with the natural world, nurturing the ability to trust others through the experience of teamwork, developing a healthier relationship with the issues of control, taking responsibility for one’s actions and how those actions affect others, and increasing feelings of self-esteem, joy and pleasure. The goal of these programs is to provide troubled young adults with opportunities and the skill sets they will need to deal with difficult situations so that they can draw upon these experiences in the recovery process.

The Effectiveness of a Wilderness Therapy Program 

Recent studies done on a large number of wilderness therapy participants have shown that at-risk young adults do very well in wilderness therapy programs, especially when compared to other forms of residential substance abuse treatment. Wilderness therapy has proven to be particularly effective at helping young adults improve self-worth, reduce aggressive behaviors, improve interpersonal skills, and increase their ability to form healthy relationships. This is remarkable when one considers that most young adults have taken part in other forms of treatment, with little or no success.

Some wilderness therapy programs can put a dent in your pocket. The truth is, you can't ever be sure that you're getting what you pay for. Our professionals at Therapy Insider are here to make sure that you get every ounce of what you've paid for. At Therapy Insider we are dedicated to finding a treatment option that best suits the spiritual, mental, physical, and financial needs of the young adult and the loved ones involved. Our Therapy Insider professionals have flown all over the country to visit and research programs and boarding schools of various sorts.