Get Outside and heal
Wilderness therapy, sometimes called adventure therapy, is a form of experiential therapy. Experiential therapies are a specific type of therapeutic model designed to create certain kinds of experiences that elicit and bring to the surface attitudes, feelings, and beliefs that are generally not part of the participant’s immediate awareness.
There are several types of experiential therapies, all of which have roots in specific fields of psychology that focus on the experiential healing model. Examples of these include humanistic and gestalt therapies. These models encourage change and healing through examining emotions, feelings, and intuitions when faced with certain situations or challenges.
Our wilderness therapy activities include hiking, skiing, snowboarding, camping, fishing, and more. The type of wilderness therapy that works best for you will depend on several factors unique to your treatment needs, including the type and severity of your condition, your history with addiction or mental health treatment, and your comfort level with the particular therapy model. For example, not everyone is comfortable hiking or working with animals; therefore, those therapy models may not be ideal for their treatment program. Using wilderness therapy models to achieve healing requires choosing a model that meets your needs and allows for comfort in the treatment process.
Treatment in the Mountains of Utah
Wilderness therapy is not new. The concept of using nature as a healing model has been around since the early 1900s. In 1961, Kurt Hahn, a German educator, founded the first formal wilderness therapy program, Outward Bound. The Outward Bound program encouraged personal growth and self-discovery through challenging expeditions into the wilderness. Outward Bound also served as the precursor to other wilderness experience programs throughout the 70s and 80s.
Today’s wilderness therapy programs use expeditions into the wilderness (nature) or other surroundings unfamiliar to the participants as a way to address certain mental health and behavioral challenges.
Our men’s drug rehab is located in the wilderness of Utah, and is surrounded by nature- gorgeous forests and mountains. This allows us to have easy access to hiking, backpacking, snowboarding, skiing, etc. We ensure that our clients are outside as often as possible. We truly believe that nature can help with long-term reocvery. Contact our Utah addiction treatment center directly to learn more about the available options.
Treatment in the Mountains of Utah
Studies suggest wilderness therapy can treat or help treat various conditions, including:
While wilderness therapy is beneficial for many treatment needs, there are some conditions or circumstances where the experiential or adventure-style treatment model may not be ideal. These include:
Our Unique Wilderness Therapies
Wilderness therapy aims to get people involved in self-discovery and a deeper understanding of their capabilities. Because there are so many potential options for wilderness therapy models, this treatment model is ideal for a wide variety of people and treatment needs. Many people find the outdoor element of adventure therapy preferable to that of a treatment program or provider’s office.
Wilderness therapies are an effective treatment option for substance use disorders and mental health conditions alike. Activities in the wilderness allow participants to open up and express themselves in ways that might be difficult or impossible in a traditional group or individual therapy environment. Some of the different types of activities that are used in Utah wilderness therapy programs for addiction include:
These activities are sometimes called adventure therapies and include activities like rock climbing, hiking, zip line courses, and rope courses. When individuals are engaged in these activities, the goal is to instill confidence by having them overcome some challenging obstacles that they may find to be complicated or taxing.
Activities sometimes called expeditions to include survival expeditions and exploratory or discovery expeditions. These activities are performed in groups, and participants are challenged to overcome obstacles or tasks. This fosters communication and the development of trust and self-esteem.
These interventions often consist of games or activities that require group cooperation. They are designed to develop a sense of teamwork, trust, and collaboration in individuals.
These interventions consist of recreational activities that instill a sense of leadership or group cooperation.
These interventions may include farming, gardening, and horticulture activities.
After each activity, each wilderness therapy participant meets with their treatment provider. These sessions may occur in an individual or group setting. During these sessions, they will discuss various aspects of the wilderness therapy experience and the excursion or activity itself. Each element of the experience is discussed as it relates to the reason the person seeks help from a wilderness therapy program in Utah. These reasons can include being suspicious of others and working through trust issues. These conversations aim to provide a therapeutic experience at the end of each wilderness therapy activity. Without the therapeutic component and the ability to reflect on how the experience relates to your treatment need, wilderness therapy would be difficult or impossible to qualify as a formal therapeutic model.
Wilderness therapy in Utah aims to mimic the challenges and difficulties experienced at home or in various social environments. However, it does so by providing an atmosphere free from negative or toxic influences. Participants of all ages are encouraged to develop healthy relationships, rely on inner strength, and forge alliances with others. By doing so, they can improve communication skills, and cooperation skills, build trust and enhance self-confidence.
Welcome To Spirit Mountain Recovery
Treatment in the Mountains of Utah
Wilderness therapy is a therapeutic model used to address many conditions, including challenges with addiction. Wilderness therapy provides an opportunity to seek help in a setting outside of a traditional inpatient or outpatient treatment program. Experiential therapies like our wilderness therapy program in Utah open the door to a different type of addiction and mental health treatment.
Spirit Mountain Recovery is a men’s inpatient rehab program in Utah. If you would like to learn more about how wilderness therapy might help you or a loved one overcome the challenges of addiction, contact us at Spirit Mountain today to learn more about Utah experiential therapy.
Testimonials
Get In Touch
We work with most major insurance insurance providers to help cover the costs associated with treatment at Spirit Mountain Recovery.
We are also in-network with the following providers including Cigna, TRICARE, and First Health Network.
Drug and Alcohol Treatment in a luxurious facility nestled in Eden Valley, Utah for a healthy, outdoors treatment experience.
They have the best team of staff and doctors on this planet. I am proud to say I am a recovering addict because of their amazing skills and treatment. They have changed my life completely and I could not have done it without them! Thank you for guiding me and paving the path for me to find my true self, and what I am capable of. You are all my family and friends.J.T.