The wilderness is a setting that is rich with life metaphors that can be used to great effect by a skilled therapist. Living in the wilderness with a small group for a period of time also provides opportunities to develop concrete skills such as cooking, camp set up and orienteering, as well as the social skills necessary for cooperative, intimate camp life. These factors create natural opportunities to build self confidence in a short period of time. The intensity of wilderness life provides constant opportunities to experiment with new and healthier ways of coping with social and emotional stressors.
Our program relies on four key elements to leverage the wilderness setting and promote awareness and growth. Those elements are: Community, Nature, Wellbeing, and Therapy.
When a small group of staff and students live together in the wilderness, they automatically experience a greatly heightened level of interdependence. Every student must depend on every other student and staff member for camp life to go smoothly. Eating, orienteering, staying safe, staying dry, getting along and maintaining a level of comfort are all group concerns requiring everyone’s participation and cooperation.
As a result of this constant interdependence, the group becomes an emotionally safe environment where students are able to become more honest and accountable for feelings and behavior patterns. Students tend to replicate the relationship patterns from home within the group, creating opportunities to explore and re-engineer those patterns.
While living together, students learn about their respective behaviors and relationship patterns. Through enhanced awareness, students practice and refine new and healthier skills for interacting and cooperating with others. Specifically:
The simplicity and austerity of nature intrinsically provides opportunities for students to understand the impact their behaviors have on themselves and others. Rather, nature rewards effort, perseverance, and patience and discourages impulsive problem solving. Students naturally gain confidence and self esteem as they master various outdoor living skills.
While living in the outdoors, students:
Nature provides a setting free of distractions where students can easily gain insight and clarity into themselves and others. Living in nature often inspires students to define and connect with the spiritual aspects of their recovery.
*Elements is not a survival-based program
Physical wellbeing is an integral part of a student’s success and recovery. Many emotional and psychological disorders have a correlative relationship to imbalances of physical wellbeing. Prior to arriving at Elements Wilderness Program, most students have neglected their physical health which contributes significantly to their emotional and behavioral unrest.
At Elements, we’re passionate about restoring a student’s physical wellbeing, knowing that it paves the way for sustainable emotional healing.
*Elements does not operate from deprivation model
Traditional therapeutic principles and techniques are also a vital part of the Elements program. Parents are appraised of their son’s behaviors and progress in treatment. The therapist also collaborates with parents and other professionals in aftercare planning.
A therapist is the head of each student’s treatment team and guides students, field mentors, and parents in developing and implementing an individualized treatment plan. The therapist helps students and parents understand and engage the wilderness treatment process.
The therapist also collaborates with parents and other professionals in aftercare planning. Important parts of the therapy element include:
*Elements is a Utah state licensed outdoor therapeutic program and the clinical staff are appropriately licensed by the state of Utah in their respective fields
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