What is Wilderness Therapy?

Abstract

Despite a growing number of programs operating in the United States under the guise of “wilderness therapy,” a consistent and accepted definition is lacking. Rehabilitative, outdoor-based approaches, such as “challenge courses,” “adventure-based therapy,” or “wilderness experience programs,” are often used interchangeably to describe “wilderness therapy.” This paper attempts to shed light on this issue by presenting an integrated and consistent definition of wilderness therapy to guide program design and future research efforts. Three trends in the industry are also explored which support the notion that wilderness therapy programs are searching for recognition by state agencies, national accreditation agencies, insurance companies and mental health professionals. These trends support the idea that consistent wilderness therapy practices may be emerging which support the use of a consistent definition.