Summer is what all teenagers look forward to–but it’s not always what parents look forward to. Instead of being in school, supervised, parents now have to figure out a way to keep their teen out of trouble while they’re not around; this can be particularly distressing for the parent of a struggling teen. This is why adventure therapy programs exist.
Adventure therapy offers a teen the chance to experience fun, outdoor opportunities while also gaining important lessons and life skills.
How it could benefit your child this summer
Over the summer, many parents simply don’t have the resources to keep their struggling teens out of trouble. With a lack of supervision and a higher level of boredom, many teens turn to unsavory means of amusement–such as drugs and alcohol.
An adventure therapy program not only gives those teens supervision, but it gives them something exciting and enriching to partake in. They actually get to reap the benefits of a therapeutic program while having the opportunity to do things they may have never gotten to do otherwise.
Adventure therapy at Seven Stars
Adventure therapy is all about getting out of your comfort zone, overcoming challenges, and working together to reach a common goal. It’s about learning lessons about yourself and others.
At Seven Stars, we create our adventures to be fun and challenging, but not stressful in a bad way. We want to encourage teens to get out of their box, but we understand you can’t force it. These hands-on experiences are meant to help teens gain confidence by trying new things and realizing they can succeed.
Types of activities we use in adventure therapy at Seven Stars may include:
- Hiking
- Mountain biking
- Backpacking
- Rock climbing
- Skiing
- Canyoneering
- Various water activities
These activities offer adolescents the chance to learn lessons in a way that’s unparalleled. Inside a classroom or therapy session, there’s much you can accomplish, but adventure activities allow for a different type of learning and development that just aren’t possible inside those rooms.
Your child’s summer can be used for actual inner growth and social skill building instead of just goofing around. Fun doesn’t have to mean you learn nothing–it can be combined with experiences that inspire recovery and success.
If you believe your child is struggling, it’s important to reach out to a professional for further guidance.
Seven Stars is here for your family
Seven Stars is one of the leading schools for children with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. We combine residential treatment with adventure therapy to create a multifaceted, effective program for adolescents, ages 13 to 18, struggling with emotional and behavioral issues as a result of their neurodevelopmental disorder.
We embed the objectives we have for each student into daily activities and teach emotional wellness skills such as conflict resolution, problem solving, social skills, academic skills, self-efficacy and prosocial behaviors. At Seven Stars, we strive to help our students develop the skills necessary to live full, productive lives.
For more information about adventure therapy at Seven Stars, contact us today at 844-601-1167.
Since 2003, Dr. Gordon Day has passionately helped young people with a wide range of family, emotional, social, neurodevelopmental and behavioral problems. Gordon’s mission has been to help people find their strengths and their own passion for living a full and rewarding life. He is particularly sensitive to the pressures, frustrations and disappointments that adolescents face that can sometimes cause them and their loved ones to want to withdraw and throw their hands up in despair.
Dr. Day knows that you really have to understand where a student is coming from and understand their patterns of strengths and needs. When we truly know an individual and their struggles, only then can we truly help.
Dr. Day has pioneered the use of outdoor therapy activities and outdoor living as a dynamic and effective therapeutic tool for learning, confidence building and skill building. His programs provide effective, supportive and encouraging environments that help students find their strengths and power.
