Background: The intense nature of the camp experience and the unique role of camp counselors can be a rewarding experience for camp counselors and campers alike. However, to experience compassion satisfaction necessitates evaluation of a number of factors that may enhance or decrease compassion satisfaction. Purpose: To better understand the camp…

Outdoor practitioners widely embed reflective practice (RP) into the delivery of experiential education, but its contribution to their continued professional development remains under developed; by default, claims of its worth to the experiential education, they deliver must be approached with caution. Although the value of RP has been established…

Emphasizes the importance of leader awareness of the discomfort and need for emotional safety that may surface for women survivors of sexual abuse during an outdoor experience. Discusses survivor's self-perception and how this affects the outdoor experience; the impact of natural elements on survivors; and how to help survivors develop coping…

The novelty and challenge of the wilderness, often cited as the basis for growth, can also precipitate emotional crises. Leaders should help the participant restore equilibrium through empathic listening and emotional support. If that fails, a model is presented for inhibiting the escalation of aggression or violence. Defusing and debriefing after…