Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New profile posts
Latest activity
Internet Search
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Forums
Parent Support Forums
Substance Abuse
He's agreed to try wilderness....
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="dadside" data-source="post: 220797" data-attributes="member: 5707"><p>My son attended a wilderness program - voluntarily. He hit a point in his life when he asked for help, and wilderness was a key part of what we offered. It unquestionably helped him change his life for the better. His experience was not like the sort of "picture" others may present. He was with the assigned group in the "field" (at this program, it was a desert) the same day he arrived.</p><p> </p><p>A lot of things happen at good wilderness programs. There is a fairly low staff-student ratio, perhaps around 1:3 and at commonly at least two staff per group. Food is balanced and nutritious. While hiking, they may stop to discuss any issues that arise during the day. My son had journals to keep, and a number of therapeutic assignments to work on each week. Also, an experienced psychologist met with each participant in the field weekly. (At least one program has (had?) a trained therapist always with each group.)</p><p> </p><p>The experience does a lot of things. It removes participants from "old familiar" environments and associated distractions, letting them focus on themselves. The time away from drugs lets the body clean itself - helped by the food provided. Self esteem grows simply from the physical accomplishments -- such as when my son "three peaked", climbing three mountain peaks in a day (or was it two days? - I wasn't there), and better self-esteem helps them resist less-desirable activities to "escape". Also, cause-and-effect is clearly seen as he had to prepare his own sleeping area, cook his own meals, or be uncomfortable and have cold (even uncooked) food, including granola, etc.</p><p> </p><p>As a side note - his "gear" from wilderness later served him on weekends when he was away at college, where got friends into hiking, camping etc.</p><p> </p><p>Most of the wilderness programs are expensive, and they may not be for everybody. The program didn't change my son. Rather, he changed himself. What he learned and realized from the guided experience in the wilderness program he chose to attend (I gave him a short list) gave him greater knowledge and understanding of life and himself, and reason to change. Neither he nor I will say his life has been exemplary since then, but he is doing "OK" and keeps moving in the right direction.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="dadside, post: 220797, member: 5707"] My son attended a wilderness program - voluntarily. He hit a point in his life when he asked for help, and wilderness was a key part of what we offered. It unquestionably helped him change his life for the better. His experience was not like the sort of "picture" others may present. He was with the assigned group in the "field" (at this program, it was a desert) the same day he arrived. A lot of things happen at good wilderness programs. There is a fairly low staff-student ratio, perhaps around 1:3 and at commonly at least two staff per group. Food is balanced and nutritious. While hiking, they may stop to discuss any issues that arise during the day. My son had journals to keep, and a number of therapeutic assignments to work on each week. Also, an experienced psychologist met with each participant in the field weekly. (At least one program has (had?) a trained therapist always with each group.) The experience does a lot of things. It removes participants from "old familiar" environments and associated distractions, letting them focus on themselves. The time away from drugs lets the body clean itself - helped by the food provided. Self esteem grows simply from the physical accomplishments -- such as when my son "three peaked", climbing three mountain peaks in a day (or was it two days? - I wasn't there), and better self-esteem helps them resist less-desirable activities to "escape". Also, cause-and-effect is clearly seen as he had to prepare his own sleeping area, cook his own meals, or be uncomfortable and have cold (even uncooked) food, including granola, etc. As a side note - his "gear" from wilderness later served him on weekends when he was away at college, where got friends into hiking, camping etc. Most of the wilderness programs are expensive, and they may not be for everybody. The program didn't change my son. Rather, he changed himself. What he learned and realized from the guided experience in the wilderness program he chose to attend (I gave him a short list) gave him greater knowledge and understanding of life and himself, and reason to change. Neither he nor I will say his life has been exemplary since then, but he is doing "OK" and keeps moving in the right direction. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Parent Support Forums
Substance Abuse
He's agreed to try wilderness....
Top