The Future of Adventure Therapy

This chapter discusses several possibilities on the future of adventure therapy. Part of this chapter is informed by an online survey conducted in April 2011 with 53 respondents who shared their thoughts on the current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of adventure therapy. This chapter also includes issues related to access: access of clients to adventure therapy programs, access of programs to federal land, and access of programs to external fiscal support to participate in such treatment programs (e.g., Medicaid). This chapter also builds on the training competencies in Chapter 10 of this book, suggesting training paths for becoming an adventure therapist along with the trials and triumphs of working in the field. The increasing use of technology in the field is discussed, along with some thoughts about what the adventure therapy field might look like in the near future and what factors may impact this viewpoint.