Adventure Therapy in the Lives of Adolescents and Men

In America, adolescent drug use, violent crime, and behavioral problems are on the rise while their academic performance, stability at home, opportunities for employment, and community health are all on the decline. Adventure therapy is a relatively new and unique approach to providing therapy for these individuals. Adventure Therapy can be defined as “the prescriptive use of adventure experiences provided by mental health professionals, often conducted in natural settings that kinesthetically engage clients on cognitive, affective, and behavioral levels” (Gass, Gillis, and Russell, 2012). Researchers are finding that adventure therapy produces several benefits and is gaining popularity around the nation