Therapeutic Wilderness Programs for Adolescents, Troubled Teens, and Struggling Young Adults

These programs are outdoor, clinically oriented and experientially based.

Students are assigned to a small peer group, usually 4 to 8 students. 

For the adolescent groups, most are single sex peer groups. 

In the young adult groups, most are co-ed peer groups.

Participants most often spend 4 to 12 weeks at the program, depending on individual need and potential next steps.

Each peer group has at least one Master’s or PhD level clinician who provides individual treatment planning, individual and group therapy, and weekly consultation with the student’s family over the phone.

The student and family communicate primarily through a weekly letter writing exchange, which is guided by the therapist.

In addition to the clinical services, the student also works on an outdoor-based curriculum intended to challenge the student and allow them, over time, to develop competency and self-esteem, among other objectives.

These programs provide 24/7 structure, supervision and observation, and can also provide psychological testing. Therapists at these programs can provide professionals with excellent assessment and treatment recommendations.

Because of this capability, wilderness programs are often used as a stepping-stone to longer-term residential treatment.

High quality therapeutic wilderness programs tend to be compassionate and nurturing environments and are not behavioral boot camps, though some media attention has lead to confusion about this in recent years.