Many Paths To Becoming an Adventure Therapist
by Christian M. Itin, MSW, Ph.D.
Many who become attracted to adventure-based practice do so with some interest in its therapeutic application. How to develop this interest into the professional qualifications to call oneself an adventure therapist will be the subject of this article. This article will introduce and define some of the terminology of the field, discuss some of the starting points and ending points in professional preparation, and discuss some of the pros and cons of the various pathways. This article will not advocate for any one path over another, will not lay out the competencies required [the reader should be aware that the Therapeutic Adventure Professional Group (TAPG) of the Association for Experiential Education (AEE) has undertaken the task of defining the competencies], nor will it discuss all the specific training programs in detail or provide contact information.
The field of adventure-based practice in therapeutic contexts is relatively young. While evidence of the use of outdoors, challenge, and adventure as a part of a healing process can be found dating back thousands of years (Davis-Berman and Berman, 1995) it has not existed as any form of professional discipline until about 20 years ago. In about 1976 the first group of professionals met at an AEE International Conference to discuss the therapeutic application of adventure. This group represented practitioners from many different academic disciplines, non-academic sources of experience, and practitioners serving many different client populations. This interdisciplinary practice centered body (TAPG) has continued to meet, develop materials including a code of ethics, and support the development of the profession. There is growing evidence that a unique body of knowledge exists (Davis-Berman & Berman, 1995; Gass, 1993; Cole et. al., 1994). However, what is lacking from the traditional criteria to be considered a professional discipline is a specific and specialized training program. For some this would challenge any contention that there is a professional discipline called adventure therapy. This article will not seek to answer the debate as to whether or not there is a professional discipline concerned with the therapeutic application of adventure-based practice.
Lee Gillis (personal communication, October 1997) has made a firm and impassioned plea for the profession to remain interdisciplinary and for us to resist the temptation to become situated in any one academic discipline. Christian Itin and Lee Gillis along with many others (personal communication, November, 1997) have made the same impassioned plea that we do not loose the experiential path into the field, that we honor the philosophy of experiential education. It is for this reason that in this article several different pathways into the profession will be presented.
Before proceeding it is important to define some terminology so that the reader clearly understands the domain of this article. There is a distinction for this writer between adventure therapy and the therapeutic adventure. The former involves the use of adventure in a meta change process (working with the client on the processes that contribute to their current change efforts), the latter involves using adventure to change behavior in a direction that supports health (Itin, 1993). Inherent in these distinct areas is a delineation in skill and experience necessary to conduct activities. To conduct activities in a therapeutic way does not require the same level of skill as conducting them with the intent of therapy. Therapeutic work is more closely associated with the term adventure-based counseling. While the use of language is often imprecise in this field (as is true throughout most of adventure based work and the larger are of experiential education) this paper will focus primarily on adventure therapy. Adventure therapy is the true blending of the competent therapist and the competent adventure professional. Though this article will primarily consider adventure therapy and the professional training required to practice at this level; the reader should appreciate that there are many other levels then this complete blending. It is possible for someone to use adventure therapeutically (to do adventure-based counseling) and not be doing adventure therapy, or for someone to be using adventure as a therapist and not be an adventure therapist. These distinctions will be made more explicit throughout this article.
There are three primary pathways into the field of adventure therapy. The first is the outdoor adventure professional who has worked in a wilderness or adventure program (e.g. rock climbing, ropes course, initiatives, etc.) and wants to/or is working in therapeutic contexts. The second path is the mental health/health/human services professional who has recently discovered adventure work and wants to bring this into their practice. The third path is the student who may have some exposure to both but is an expert in neither. Each of these paths are different and require different training pathways. There are no fully developed and fully recognized degree programs in adventure therapy. The discussion will therefore discuss how to integrate and develop ones own program to meet one's specific developmental path
The Adventure Professional
For the outdoor adventure professional, the person usually has a well developed set of skills in the area of adventure activities, and may have a good grounding in the philosophy of adventure and underlying philosophy of experiential education. The person may have been working within a therapeutic context and experienced psychological, family, or interpersonal demands that they felt unskilled to handle. This person may have accepted new job responsibilities which have brought them more into a therapeutic context or they may be desiring to develop a new realm of practice. This person is needing to develop the theoretical and therapeutic skills necessary to engage in therapy. For the person considering developing these skills there are two primary ways of doing this. The traditional route of academics and the non-traditional route of guided study. A persons choice of route will be directed by their needs and desires. If the person is working for an agency and the agency does not require an advanced degree, and likely won't require an advanced degree, and the person plans on only working for this agency (or a very similar one) there may not be a need to get a traditional degree. If however the person wants to have the freedom to move and change with the changing job market a more traditional degree is required.
The non-traditional approach can involve guided study through reading, attendance at workshops, and mentorship. This had been the approach within the drug and alcohol field for many years. A critical component of this type of approach is appropriate supervision and mentorship. With these this person will certainly improve their therapeutic skills, and may develop the ability to engage in therapy. For the adult learner who does not need to go on for an advanced degree, this might be an appropriate path. However, for most the lack of externalized validation (in terms of a degree or certification) will make this an impractical route. The human services are increasingly managed and run from a managed care bureaucratic perspective which requires externalized validation. Those hoping to operate within this environment will find it easier to go via a more traditional approach, especially given the alternative nature of adventure therapy.
It is well beyond the scope of this paper to discuss all the various degrees that might be relevant or appropriate. However there are some general things to look for in any degree program and there are some specific degrees worth considering (Ph.D./Psy.D., MSW, MA). This article will only consider graduate degrees, though it should be noted that many of the degrees areas have corresponding Bachelor level programs. For the practitioner with only a high school degree the information here might be helpful in setting a longer term course. The adventure practitioner is going to look for a degree program that will allow for elective and independent study credits that will help facilitate the integration of the existing knowledge of adventure-based practice with the new knowledge about therapeutic or human change processes. The more ridged the program and the less supportive the faculty the more difficult this will be.
The Ph.D. or Psy.D. in psychology is the most advanced degree that is directly relevant to the adventure therapist (other Ph.D.'s may be appropriate especially the Ed.D. in education). The Psy.D. has most of the advantages of the Ph.D. but is a strictly clinical degree. The Ph.D. has the most "status" connected to it and affords the recipient with a great deal of flexibility. However, the Ph.D. in psychology programs are often the most regimented and may afford the least flexibility. It may be possible to focus dissertation research in this area, though it may be difficult to find support for it in terms of faculty. It is also the most lengthy process taking a minimum of five years post Bachelors and usually 6-8 years.
The Masters in Social Work (MSW) has often been seen as the next most advantageous degree because of its flexibility and marketability. The degree leads easily into licenser and third party billability. The degree usually requires two separate internships, ensuring practical experience. Many social work programs have supported course work and independent study hours in the area of adventure-based practice (Smith College, University of Michigan, and University of Denver in the experience of the author). Social work programs tend to be more broadly defined then simple clinical practice. This is both and advantage and disadvantage. For the practitioner seeking a social justice, mult-system (individual, family, group, community), multi-focus (clinical and administration) perspective, the MSW might fit. For the person seeking a more strict clinical program the MSW might not match the practitioners intent. If a person has an interest in both the clinical side and program development side of adventure therapy the MSW does provide a pathway with training in both these areas.
The MA in psychology, counseling, or one of the related disciplines (family therapy, art therapy, movement/dance therapy, etc.) is the next most marketable degree. The recent advent of the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) has helped develop the portability of these degrees. While they were previously seen as stepping stones to the Ph.D., many now practice comfortably with only an MA. The variety of programs with degrees in this area are immense. Because of the variety of degrees here it is more likely that the practitioner will find one that fits their personal world view, academic needs, and location requirements. As with all other programs exploring the openness of the program to adventure-based practice ideas will be important. The biggest drawback to any of these degrees is the narrow focus can limit the portability of the degree.
The final degree worthy of consideration is the MA in Recreational Therapy or Therapeutic Recreation. This discipline may be the most developed in offering adventure-based programming within academic courses. While the adventure-based professional may find these courses repetitive depending on their skill level, the environment will none-the-less be supportive. This degree can be very helpful in locating work in hospital or residential programs. The degree has some portability problems in terms of shifting focus away from the recreation side of therapeutic work. The recreation focus is also only a small part of the adventure therapy field and this may not fit all practitioners interests.
The Therapist
For the therapist who has gotten a graduate degree in one of the areas mentioned or some other related area and has discovered adventure therapy has a different path then the outdoor adventure professional. The therapist is often well grounded in their theoretical discipline and the populations they have worked with. This person needs to develop technical skills to conduct the activity and a theoretical understanding of adventure and the integration of this into their existing paradigm. Some have argued in the past that the therapist does not need these skills and can work with a technically competent adventure practitioner. In reality this becomes a therapist who used adventure techniques rather then an adventure therapist. For the purpose of this article the assumption is this person is seeking to become a fully competent adventure therapist. However, it is worth noting that a person does not need to become an expert in every form of adventure work, but only those within which they work.
One of the first questions that must be answered is does this person have any adventure-based skills. The Ph.D. level psychologist who is an avid rock climber, kayaker, or backpacker is in a different position then the person who did a ropes course once and saw the potential. The person who has an avocation for an adventure skill, needs to add some group and safety management skills to their personal expertise. Often volunteering with an existing organization is a great way to get these skills. Taking some courses in wilderness first aid or an instructors course with an organization like Outward Bound or the National Outdoor Leadership School can also be helpful. The skill being added at this level is the distinction between personal adventure and professional adventure. Taking a course with one of the original wilderness adventure programs is also a good way to experience the philosophy which invariably informs much of the thinking in adventure-based practice.
For the therapist with limited adventure skills and experience some honest self appraisal will be the first step. This appraisal should include an exploration of the skills possessed, what level they are possessed at (beginner to expert), and what environments will clients be taken into. A critical question in this self appraisal is the degree of comfort leading and teaching others in the environment considered. There are two levels that require development personal skill and comfort and professional skill and comfort. These can be developed simultaneously. If the intent is to conduct wilderness expeditions utilizing backpacking in New England the therapist might take a course through one of the wilderness organizations previously mentioned. Furthermore the therapist might take personal expeditions with fiends and with increased comfort lead trips for friends or with an organization like the Sierra Club. For the therapist who wants to utilize ropes courses and initiatives in their practice taking a course with an organization like Project Adventure is an excellent way to experience the process and begin to develop the skills. Taking a course in outdoor leadership, ropes course management or related areas can be very helpful and these may be offered within a recreational therapy or outdoor education program. In developing personal and professional skills in adventure programming simultaneously the learning builds upon itself, the knowledge is self-reinforcing and becomes more integrated.
The most difficult task is the integration of the previous therapy knowledge within the context of adventure therapy. The best method of developing this integration is though involvement with others doing this type of work. Identifying a mentor or engaging in dialog with others in the field is the best way to develop the integration. The TAPG group in AEE or the adventure therapy list discussion on the internet are excellent resources for dialogue. It also makes sense to get into the literature and read, critique, and incorporate the knowledge of others. The sources cited in this article are an appropriate starting point. Some form of supervision (from someone knowledgeable in adventure therapy) is critical to move from knowledge to integration and incorporation.
The Student
For the person who is considering entering a degree program or is currently in a degree program and is seeking to bring adventure therapy into that program, much of what has previously been stated applies. The degrees mentioned and the process for the adventure-based professional are important to follow as are the ideas for developing technical skills. Depending on personal experience with adventure the student will be developing both technical skills and therapy skills. The more this can integrate this into the program of study the better. Utilizing internships, independent study, and research papers will enhance ones ability to achieve this integration. Again supervision or mentorship is a critical component in this integration. If the supervision can not be found in the program or an internship, the student must look for a source outside of their program. Those sources of professional communication previously mentioned are available to students.
Conclusion
While it might be easier if there was a masters in adventure therapy and that this was what is required for practice as an adventure therapist, it does not currently exist, and some might question if it should exist. Currently there are no real programs that have an adventure therapy track as part of an existing discipline (though there are courses within existing programs). For the person seeking to become an adventure therapist it is a bit of an adventure, as perhaps it should be. This article rather then being a topographical map is meant to provide some general bearings and orientation to get you started. The lack of structure and ridged programs means that the profession can continue to incorporate a rich diversity of ideas and forms of practice that exist in the world. I wish you luck in your journey, Bon Voyage!
References
Cole, E., Rothblum, E. D. & Erdman, E. (1994). Wilderness therapy for women: The power of adventure. Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press.
Davis-Berman, J. & Berman, D. S. (1994). Wilderness therapy: Foundations, theory & research. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt
Gass, M. A. (1993). Adventure therapy: Therapeutic applications of adventure programming. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt.
Itin, C. (1993, Spring). A common Understanding: Therapy vs. Therapeutic. Insight, 1(2), 2
Original publication information: Itin, C. M. (1998). Insight, 6(1), 1, 4-5.