their clients on the trail, on the river, or on the side of a mountain, new perspectives arise. Having in-the-moment opportunities to guide a student through challenges, seemingly unrelated to their presenting problems, creates a powerful therapeutic alliance. And, as students refine their skills and increase their confidence, the whole team is able to celebrate the victories along the way. It’s important for all of us – especially students working through issues in residential care – to fill the emotional tank, and focus on the positive.

On the surface, implementing an adventure program may seem like nothing more than a glorified “summer camp.” However, at Kaizen the key to our successful Adventure Therapy program is that it is purposeful. It IS true that one of the purposes of our outdoor adventures is, in fact, to have FUN. In the midst of this challenging work, we believe it’s important for our guys to have some time to simply “be a kid.”

But a tremendously powerful element of adventure is the opportunity it provides for connection. On some level, our students typically struggle to connect with others in healthy ways. The interactive elem