ABSTRACT

While there are several reasons where adventure therapy differs from other forms of therapy, there are several critical foundational structures as well as other factors that show adventure therapy professionals must excel in certain areas, usually in the same areas as its partners. Critical foundation structures are usually associated with (a) understanding change concepts, (b) developing an appropriate therapeutic stance based on these concepts, (c) applying appropriate facilitation techniques, (d) establishing operating principles and ground rules, (e) listening effectively, (f) providing appropriate feedback, and (g) gathering critical information by observing client behaviors.

Therapists also they need to understand:

There are no constant rules of change

Client assessment is critical

Types of change differ

Valuing changed behavior

Clients’ best interests

Internalized change processes – e-processes.

Client-centered change

Develop an appropriate therapeutic stance.