Self-confidence is an essential ingredient in life, but it can be hard to come by in the teen years. Teens are susceptible to insecurities and peer pressure – a combination that can lead them to experiment with risky behaviors such as substance use. If your son is jeopardizing his future with drugs and alcohol, an adolescent recovery program can help your family get back on a healthy, happy track. At ARCH Academy, we offer a well-rounded treatment program for young men aged 14 to 18, including adventure therapy.
What Is Adventure Therapy?
Adventure therapy is an experiential treatment approach that’s been around for decades. It challenges participants to break out of their comfort zones with activities that help promote self-confidence, teamwork skills and a positive, can-do attitude.
In an adventure therapy program, students get the opportunity to explore new activities and environments while forging healthy peer relationships. Beyond the benefits of physical activity, adventure therapy is developmentally advantageous for young men because of its problem-solving aspect. The abilities they hone in adventure therapy will serve ARCH Academy alumni well into their future.
Advantages of Adventure Therapy
Sustaining lifelong sobriety requires acceptance of new, healthy coping mechanisms, including making friends and admitting your shortcomings. Here are some of the many ways we have seen adventure therapy benefit ARCH Academy students.
- Being outdoors: While some of our adventure therapy activities take place indoors, many of them involve exploring our 177-acre Tennessee campus. Spending time in nature brings a range of mental and physical health benefits.
- Forming new relationships: Many ARCH Academy students bond over shared experiences like adventure therapy, and stay in touch after completing our program.
- Building confidence: Successfully solving challenges such as high and low ropes courses can boost teens’ self-esteem and leadership skills.
- Asking for help: For teens who tend to keep to themselves or refuse to admit when they have problems, adventure therapy can help by putting them in situations that force them to place their trust in others.
Adventure as Part of the ARCH Academy Experience
Adolescence is a uniquely vulnerable time for many reasons. Teens are gaining more independence while navigating a complex social hierarchy and undergoing the physical changes associated with puberty.
Successful adolescent recovery programs hinge upon reaching teens where they are. The rational, decision-making part of a young man’s brain does not finish developing until age 25, which means your son is likely to make choices based solely on emotion. He may be unwilling to explore his feelings or even lack the vocabulary to accurately articulate his experiences. Adventure therapy provides teens with an outlet to develop self-awareness and understanding.
Participating in adventure therapy may also give your son a new, exciting hobby to replace substance use. As we’ve witnessed firsthand, doing something exhilarating like completing a ropes course can make people feel truly alive in a way drugs and alcohol can never match.
Adolescent Substance Abuse Recovery in Tennessee
ARCH Academy’s inclusive programming addresses addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders in a single-gender environment. While enrolled in our fully accredited private school, students in grades 8 through 12 can advance to the next grade level. We focus on providing academic excellence alongside dual-diagnosis treatment, allowing your son to maximize his time with us. Reach out today to learn more.
