Using Adventure Therapy
Whether you're having a bad week or just can't get out of a funk, use the principles of adventure therapy to give yourself a much-needed boost. Here are the many ways you'll benefit.
Note: A licensed therapist is the only person who can practice adventure therapy—never take a dangerous mental situation into your own hands.
More: 10 Free Things to Do at National Parks
Think Freely: Don't run away from your problems. Instead, go for a hike. You can better sort through thoughts, concerns or feelings when you're given the opportunity to think without distractions.
Problem Solve: Adventure experiences introduce eustress, or the healthy use of stress, into the group member's system in a manageable yet challenging manner. This type of stress places individuals into situations where the use of certain positive problem-solving abilities is necessary to reach a desired state of equilibrium, according to Adventure Therapy With Groups.
Try starting a fire when the wind is blowing or setting up a tent with missing pieces. When you complete a task, whether it's trivial or difficult, you feel a sense of accomplishment, which also provides a mental boost.
Physical Activity: Take the opportunity to improve your strength and mental wellness with hiking, fishing, kayaking, and rock climbing. Or reserve your spot at a campground with a ropes course to reap even more physical and mental adventure therapy benefits. Try Tuckahoe State Park, in Maryland or Amicalola Falls State Park, in Georgia.
More: 7 Ways to Enhance Your Everyday Hike
Self-esteem: When you remove your makeup (hair gel, nice clothes, expensive shoes) and swap it out for practical items like sunblock and bug spray, you lose sight of the many pressures you feel every day.
Improved well-being: Most of the top 10 states on Gallup's 2013 well-being list have one thing in common: they're all known for excellent outdoor opportunities. The top 10 includes North Dakota, Vermont, Colorado and Montana. While the results are based on a variety of questions that rank things like emotional health, work environment and access to basic necessities, it's impossible to ignore that quick and easy access to outdoor activities likely plays a role as well.
Reconnect With Others: When you remove electronics and technology from your life, even for an hour or two, you start to connect with your loved ones. It forces you to listen and communicate with others, which often has a positive effect on your relationship.
Resources:
Therapeutic Adventure Professional Group
Facilitation Techniques in Therapeutic Recreation, Dattilo, J., & Groff, D. (2000)
American Psychological Association
Decisionpointcenter.com
More: Reconnect With Your Parks Through Volunteering
Find a Campground at ReserveAmerica.com.
