Critical and Emerging Issues for Therapeutic Adventure

Abstract

This issue represents the third special issue of the Journal of Experiential Education devoted to adventure therapy. The first [Wood, 1983) focused on applications of experiential education to special pop­ ulations, presenting articles on such innovative pro­ grams as the Outward Bound Mental Health Project. Interestingly, it also included an article that is germane to a current discussion on the AEE List—working with clients who are hearing impaired. The second special issue on adventure therapy (Berman, 1995) contained articles that targeted more sophisticated clinical topics. These articles focused on the providers of adventure therapy rather than on the populations, as compared to the first special issue. Thus, articles discussed our theoretical perspectives as providers, advanced topics in group work, and risk management strategies. These articles conceptually focused on clinical processes and techniques utilized in adventure therapy. The current special issue is a collection of nine arti­ cles that raise a number of important issues in the adventure therapy field, all of which can be seen to help define the field. The first section of articles focuses on reaching consensus concerning how we are to define the scope of the field, both as practitioners and researchers. The lead article in this issue, by Keith Russell, asks What is Wilderness Therapy? and he proposes a uni­ fying definition for the field. Russell then goes on to summarize the seemingly salutary effects of this approach on self-esteem, social skills, and recidivism. Christian Itin's article challenges us to look both