ABSTRACT
Adventure therapy (AT), as it is defined in this book, is the prescriptive use of adventure experiences provided by mental health professionals, often conducted in natural settings that kinesthetically engage clients on cognitive, affective, and behavioral levels. Arriving at this definition was not easy, and it reflects the challenges faced by researchers, practitioners, and licensing and accrediting bodies in understanding a mental health approach that has largely been misunderstood and misinterpreted. On the one hand, AT is grounded in the Outward Bound model, which was developed in the United Kingdom by the legendary Kurt Hahn. Outward Bound uses wilderness expeditions designed to challenge participants to overcome their perceived limitations and develop an enhanced sense of self. On the other hand, AT could also use a challenge course as a tool to help families struggling with interpersonal dynamics develop new strategies to help them communicate with each other more effectively. It is for these and other reasons that multiple definitions of AT exist in the literature, leading to confusion on the part of researchers, educators, mental health practitioners, and others as to exactly what AT is and how it works to effectuate changes in individuals, groups, families, and organizations. The goal of this book is to address this ambiguity and to clearly and succinctly explore the history, evolution, theoretical foundations, current practices, and research on AT. In this way, the authors hope to incite discussion and dialogue that will strengthen and improve the design, delivery, and evaluation of AT as a viable and credible mental health approach.
