Welcome to the first edition of the Trailhead blog! This blog is an interactive and educational tool aimed at furthering Trailhead’s mission of helping individuals work through past trauma by building trust, safety, and connection. This blog will be updated monthly and can be a resource for clients, families, and providers.
In this first edition of the blog, we would like to provide insight and education on an intervention that we hold in high regard: Outdoor adventure therapy. Outdoor adventure therapy has a rich history, yet it lacks clarity due to its common association with other specific types of interventions such as wilderness therapy, bush therapy, and adventure-based counseling. According to Gass et al. (2012), adventure therapy is “the prescriptive use of adventure experiences provided by mental health professionals, often conducted in natural settings that kinaesthetically engage clients on cognitive, affective, and behavioral levels.”
While many of these interventions draw from the same theories, it is important to note that Trailhead providers use the following key elements in their sessions:
– The positive influence of nature
– The use of eustress or the positive use of stress
– The active and direct use of client participation and responsibility
– Meaningful involvement in adventure experiences
– The focus on positive change (present and future functional behavior)
– Holistic effects on client learning
– The strong ethic of care and support
Trailhead providers offer a diverse array of outdoor adventures, including hiking, fire-crafting, fishing, tandem canoeing, orienteering, climbing, tracking, archery, swimming, biking, skiing, carving/carpentry, wilderness exploration, and more.
If you’re still not quite sure if this therapy could be for you, let’s walk through the multitude of positive benefits of a popular Trailhead intervention: paddleboarding/canoeing/kayaking.
These paddle sport-based activities are accessible on lakes, rivers, and ponds. Our favorite bodies of water include Devils Lake, Mirror Lake, the Baraboo River, the Wisconsin River, Lake Redstone, and many others.
Here are just some of the positive benefits of paddle-based water sports.
– It may connect you with a body of water in your community that you have never had the chance to explore.
– Immersing yourself in water increases blood flow to the brain, improving memory, mood, concentration, and cognitive function. (Vasegowda, 2019)
– They require physical exercise, causing the release of endorphins. These endorphins bring about a sense of happiness, positivity, and well-being.
– Paddling promotes bilateral movement, a desensitization technique to help heal trauma. (Parnell 2008)
– Collaboration and teamwork through tandem paddleboarding or canoeing help build systems of support, trust, and connection with others.
– It is a great workout for your lungs, as it forces you to inhale and exhale evenly. This can help lower blood pressure, eliminate toxins from the body, and assist in relaxation.
– It promotes mindfulness, concentration, and balance.
– Learning a new skill can promote confidence and help you work through trust and fear.
– You can meet other community members with similar interests,
– Trying something new can bring about a sense of satisfaction.
If you are interested in learning more about the positive impacts of water-based activities read here..https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9714032/
A trailhead provider Kayaking on Cherokee Marsh!
Finally, if you’re looking for an easy way to get outdoors, check out our outdoor mindful scavenger hunt, an excellent opportunity to promote physical exercise, adventure, and mindfulness.
Resources:
Tang, Z., Wang, Y., Liu, J., & Liu, Y. (2022). Effects of aquatic exercise on mood and anxiety symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1051551
Gass, M. A., Gillis, H. L., & Russell, K. C. (2012). Adventure therapy: Theory, research, and practice. New York: Routledge.
Vasegowda, S. (2019). Swimming Helps Elderly Population to Improve Mental Speed and Attention. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Physiology, 5(4), 200-202. https://doi.org/10.5530/ijcep.2018.5.4.22
Parnell, L. (2008). Tapping in: A step-by-step guide to activating your healing resources through bilateral stimulation. Sounds True.