When evaluating wilderness therapy as a treatment option for children or teens, parents often wonder about the safety factor. In short, yes, most wilderness therapy programs are safe. The most prudent factor regarding your child’s safety is the level of risk they pose to themselves. If your child doesn’t plan to run away into the woods or plan to physically hurt themselves, they are 100% safe. Rest assured, if they do pose a risk to themselves, they are almost certain to be safe as well, yet there are additional risks. They will come into the program under safety or run watch and be under field staff supervision 100% of the day and night within arm’s reach of the staff. Staff are trained in evidence based emotional and physical de-escalation techniques. Your child’s safety is under the care of their therapist, who dictate how much supervision is needed and are in consistent communication with staff about how your child is doing. I am happy to discuss more about the risk management measures programs take to keep clients physically safe. You can register for a free 15-minute consultation with me to learn about my parent consulting services.
What Is The Success Rate Of Wilderness Therapy Programs?
Discussing the success rate of wilderness therapy programs isn’t a simple answer, so it is worth elaborating. You may have heard some horror stories about wilderness therapy in the news or social media. I have read on the news and the discussion platform, Reddit, that some clients report that their experiences induced additional trauma. It is worth validating those experiences, as some clients may feel as though field staff are not trained enough to help them, many feel trapped against their will, and some report that their transport experience was traumatizing. No wilderness program is perfect. Problems can arise and sometimes teenagers have additional struggles to work through because of their wilderness or transport experiences. I would argue that if you choose the right program, you will learn from consultants, program directors, and program therapists that there are more success stories than failures. I would make that same argument as a former wilderness client, field staff, and mentor at transitional living programs. It can be difficult to objectively measure success in mental health since there are many factors to evaluate. Every client has a different story, unique needs, and their own process of recovery. I have seen at least 75% of clients graduate from wilderness and express gratitude for the experience. Most clients make significant progress while in the field. The general audience likely isn’t as interested in reading an article discussing a wilderness success story, which might be why it is more challenging to learn about all of the positives.
Here’s another consideration I hear from parents consistently: “If there is a likelihood my child will face additional adversity in the wilderness, how do I know if it is worth sending them to a program?” Let me ask you this: are you at your breaking point? Are you desperate for help but don’t know where to turn? How would you measure the risk of allowing their suffering to progress versus the risk of sending them to a program? You are likely in a place of wanting to get some solid answers about this process if you are reading this post.
What if a Child is a Danger to Themself?
Your child may be a danger to themselves or others in their current environment, and they will very likely be safer at a treatment program. Every teenager who goes to a wilderness program will struggle with new challenges, but working through those challenges without the distraction of outside forces is the point of wilderness treatment. When a teenager is out of control with heavy substance use, self-harm or harm to others, behavioral opposition, lack of motivation, or persistent isolation, it might be necessary to take a drastic intervention. Wilderness offers clients a chance to develop awareness around their problematic behavior and develop coping tools to get out of their cycle of substance or behavioral addiction. This can be a unique opportunity for your child to take a pause from their lives, reset, and build confidence through a resiliency building experience.
Concluding Thoughts
Ultimately, you will need to do your own cost benefit analysis and determine which is more harmful, their current path or the anger, resentment, and potential pain your child might need to work through in wilderness? I am here to help you, and I will listen and validate whichever decision you make. I am trained to help you work through the anger your child might hold against you for sending them to wilderness, if that is the route you go. I hope to hear about your presenting concerns during a free consultation.
Also, stay tuned and revisit my website to read my next blog post titled, “These are the key services and approaches to consider when choosing a wilderness therapy program”. This blog entry will provide a high-level overview of the evidence-based treatment interventions your child could benefit from in the wilderness.