The cathartic, transformative and restorative powers resulting from immersion in nature are well documented. Furthermore, they are regarded as the key characteristics that differentiate bush and adventure therapy from more traditional forms of therapy/counselling. But how does adventure therapy access the healing powers of nature? Drawing upon…

As an outdoor educator, the author loves the immediacy of her work and the sense of living fully in every moment. She values seeing the change in students as they step out of the complex framework of their home lives and experience themselves and their surroundings from a new perspective. An ongoing challenge for her as an outdoor educator is to…

In this article, the author uses his own personal experiences to illustrate how many backcountry expeditions emphasize quantity rather than quality of experience. He discusses why this is counter-productive to the goals of outdoor education in many settings, and how this leads to the gap that he often encounters between what is practiced and what…

Many outdoor organizations integrate whitewater rafting into their programmes. Often this is accomplished by contracting with a whitewater outfitter. This paper analyses rafting accident data collected by the American Canoe Association in an effort to suggest ways in which programmes can better manage risk while contracting with outfitters for…

Campbell Loughmiller (1906-1993) is widely recognized as a leader in therapeutic work with troubled youngsters in outdoor settings. Rejecting punitive or institutional models of intervention, Loughmiller set out to demonstrate that every young person has strengths, desires to make positive changes, can grow in responsibility, and contribute to…

The fields of environmental education, outdoor education, adventure education, and experiential education are linked by shared goals, objectives, and characteristics. National standards connect these fields to secondary education. In this preliminary study, the authors describe how aspects of the 4 fields are used by environmental educators in…

The Wilderness Education Association (WEA) helps people enjoy and protect the nation's most precious resource: the wilderness areas. The WEA has been training and certifying outdoor leaders around the world for nearly 30 years, teaching students safely and effectively to lead groups in the outdoors without harming the environment. This document…

A study of outdoor adventure risk management education was conducted in the fall of 2003 following the devastating avalanche season of winter 2002-2003, which took close to 50 lives in North America. The study was guided by the desire to better understand effective risk management training of outdoor adventure leaders in postsecondary…

Graduating with a Bachelor of Physical and Health Education (BPHE) degree with a specialty in Outdoor Adventure Leadership (ADVL) is a unique reality in Canada offered by Sudbury's Laurentian University. Developed over 20 years ago, the ADVL program has been one of Laurentian's six landmark Human Kinetics programs. From a scholastic perspective…

Designed for primary and junior students, the Drama Hike is a real walk into the woods: smelling, feeling and seeing Nature. It is also an imaginative search for ancient civilizations, in this case the "Hully Gullies." The purpose of the trip is to discover what these people might have looked like, their social habits, religion, sports and so on.…

This paper presents research on participant learning processes in challenge course workshops using the framework known as Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT). CHAT views learning as a shared, social process rather than as an individual event. Participants' experiencing and learning was mediated by the physical and social conditions of the…

"Coming of Age" brings together a group of articles arising from the third International Adventure Therapy Conference held in Victoria, British Columbia, in April 2003. Together, they offer an overview of the field of Adventure Therapy in the new millennium, boasting a strong collection from the field's leading international figures:…

The purpose of this paper is to examine the existing evidence about the impact of sport/physical activity programmes on positive youth development in the context of education. The issue of youth disaffection is topical and a number of authors and policy makers have acknowledged that physical activity/sport may be an effective way of helping to…

One of the foundations of New Zealand's representation of itself to the world has been as a premier place of adventure. New Zealanders who have gained world recognition in outdoor leisure pursuits are used to promote this adventurous depiction of New Zealand. They are the focus of and contribute to the discourse which guides the New Zealand…

Proper nutrition and eating habits are critical components when facilitating safe, enjoyable expeditions. The author asserts that outdoor leaders must be diligent in overseeing the health of their participants through proper nutrition. Leaders in training with a history of eating issues face a special challenge. The author discusses how these…