How adolescents view the role of the wilderness in wilderness therapy: “I am in the middle of nowhere and that is okay”

Abstract

Wilderness therapy (WT) has become recognized as an innovative treatment option for struggling adolescents. Several WT studies identify the unique elements of WT programs, examining how they contribute to outcomes. What has not been clearly determined is the role of the wilderness in a WT program. The current study was conducted at a wilderness therapy program in southern Utah and explores the role of the wilderness for adolescents who completed the program. Participants graduating from this program were recruited to participate in phenomenological focus group interviews to gather data. An inductive thematic analysis found four themes related to the wilderness setting including: being removed from prior distractions, the novel environment, challenging experiences, and feelings of awe in the wilderness. These findings support previous research by Russell and Gillis (2017) while also highlighting young participant’s perspectives of the role of wilderness in their treatment process.