Wilderness Therapy Stands the Test of Time

Wilderness therapy, in its modern form, has only existed for about 20 to 30 years. In that time, some of the nation's top programs have opened their doors for researchers, parents, students, and skeptics to assess the therapeutic value of the wilderness and the way nature has been utilized to serve at-risk adolescents. While some wilderness programs have since closed their doors, a select few have stood the test of time, growing in reputation and popularity with each year that passes.

One of those time-tested wilderness therapy programs is Aspen Achievement Academy, one of the oldest, most reputable programs in the country. Located in the high desert of southern Utah, Aspen provides troubled teens ages 13 to 17 with experiences that promote the development of self-discipline, confidence, problem-solving skills, and a healthy lifestyle. Using insight-oriented individual, group, and family therapy and modern rites of passage, Aspen's students identify healthy ways to bridge the gap between adolescence and adulthood.

The Early Origins of Wilderness Therapy

"The concept of wilderness treatment grew out of experiences in the 1930s and 40s, when visionary leaders realized that if they took at-risk teenagers out into wild and put them together with competent, caring adults, good things happened," says Gil Hallows, MS, executive director of Aspen Achievement Academy.

The academy's pioneering model was born out of a wilderness course at Brigham Young University that reinvigorated college freshman on the verge of academic expulsion or probation. The organizers of that program then set their sights on introducing adolescents into the wilderness to achieve the same therapeutic effect, and thus founded Aspen Achievement Academy in 1988.

Since that time, the Aspen model has served as a prototype for wilderness programs throughout the country. While some programs have compromised the wilderness component of wilderness therapy, Aspen has artfully preserved the integrity of the authentic wilderness experience while making a few significant enhancements.

A Sophisticated Approach to Risk Management

One major advance at Aspen has been an uncompromising dedication to safety and risk management. Rather than diluting the wilderness experience, Aspen has perfected the ability to balance the lessons that can be learned from nature with the latest advances in safety.

"Since the days of our early founders, we've taken leaps and bounds in managing risk," says Hallows. "We've gone to great lengths to ensure the safety of our students through extensive staff training, preparedness exercises, and constant vigilance."

Aspen Achievement Academy employs a rigid safety program including ongoing radio communication, highly trained instructors, and an emergency response team to ensure the safety of students and staff at all times. While being in nature carries some degree of risk, in a well-managed, reputable wilderness program, the risk is extremely low - lower, in fact, than many common activities young people engage in every day at home, especially struggling teens who lead high-risk lifestyles.

"For many, wilderness therapy is truly a life-saving experience," explains Hallows. "We've collected hundreds of testimonials over the years that use the exact words, 'Thank you for saving my child's life.'"

Proving the Efficacy of Wilderness Therapy

Another enhancement has been the ever-increasing sophistication of Aspen's therapeutic interventions. Hallows takes immense pride in the quality of services and depth of interaction with Aspen students and their families, as well as the level of professionalism and training Aspen staff members at all levels receive. In addition to thorough and ongoing formal training, the field instructors develop therapeutic skills through hands-on training and observing the therapists, and the therapists develop wilderness skills through their interaction with the students and staff in the field.

"A theme that runs through everything we do at Aspen is 'Built to Last,'" states Hallows. "We've created a culture that draws the best talent, where people are inclined to stay long-term, and that sincerely values the relationships we've built over time. We're confident in our ability to continue to attract long-term, high-quality employees who love working with adolescents and believe passionately in the power of the wilderness."

According to Hallows, an advantage of being one of the oldest and most respected programs in the country is having two decades of history, experience, and data to draw upon that demonstrates the effectiveness of wilderness therapy. Aspen has documented its long-standing commitment to improving the lives of troubled teens and their families through its extensive involvement in outcome and research studies and ongoing satisfaction surveys. The academy is one of the only wilderness programs to have monitored the efficacy of its interventions for over a decade.

According to these studies, more than 80 percent of adolescents treated at Aspen Achievement Academy have improved family relations, fewer legal problems, reduced abuse of drugs, and improved performance in school.

Although students who leave Aspen are certain to make some mistakes when they go home, longitudinal studies conducted two years post-graduation show that the vast majority of students come back to the basic skills and confidence they found at Aspen. "They're able to lift themselves out of it," states Hallows, "and that's real progress."

A Future Full of Promise

At Aspen, students live, sleep, and explore across hundreds of square miles of stunning land in southern Utah. Far removed from city life and noise, teens get a rare opportunity to stop and learn about plant and animal life, and touch and see the different geographical areas they can only read about in school.

"It's remarkable the kind of change you can see in just seven weeks in the wilderness," says Hallows. "These kids arrive at Aspen angry, confused, unhappy, and rebellious. They don't know who they really are or what gifts they have to give. But somewhere in the middle of those seven weeks, they catch a glimpse of who they are and what they're capable of doing."

Over the years, Aspen Achievement Academy has received many accolades from national media and has been featured in the award-winning book Shouting at the Sky. Rising above most other programs of its kind, Aspen also earned the distinguished JCAHO Gold Seal of Approval, reflecting the program's commitment to the highest standards of quality, safety, and care.

As Aspen continues to reach out to families in crisis, it will also carry on monitoring its effectiveness in order to assure the continued quality and success of the program.

"We just celebrated our 20-year anniversary, and we couldn't be happier," states Hallows. "Some of the programs that were established shortly after Aspen have since disappeared, so we're proud of our track record and our commitment to the continued pursuit of excellence. In all these years, we have never reached a point where we were just content with the program as is. In the coming years, we will continue to refine our approach and strive to exceed expectations, providing the best possible wilderness experience to the families we serve."