Adventure therapy: A supplementary group therapy approach for men.

Abstract

This exploratory study investigated the use of adventure therapy (AT) as a supplementary group therapy approach to enrich the therapeutic experience for 11 middle-aged men seeking therapy in an office setting. Results from a semistructured group interview suggested participants found AT encouraged deeper therapeutic processing compared with their accounts of traditional group therapy. Participants noted the wilderness context, retreat length, and shared adventure activities as critical factors for reflection and therapeutic processing. Involvement in AT provided opportunities for gaining new perspectives, developing trust rapidly, and sharing personal issues more readily. The single-gendered nature of the group seemed to enhance a sense of camaraderie and empathy. Clinical implications are discussed within the context of AT and therapeutic interventions for men.

Why Do You Ride?: A Characterization of Mountain Bikers, Their Engagement Methods, and Perceived Links to Mental Health and Well-Being

“…Regular exercise is known to be integral to health and well-being, and outdoor environments are consistently found to be more therapeutic than indoor environments (Hug et al, 2009 ; Ryan et al, 2010 ; Scheinfeld et al, 2011 ; Mitchell, 2013 ; Martyn and Brymer, 2016 ; Yeh et al, 2016 ). Evidence suggests that maintenance of a positive mood requires adherence to long term physical activity (Mead et al, 2009 ).…”

“…Depression is now the leading cause of disability and ill health worldwide, increasing the risk of substance misuse and suicide (World Health Organization, 2018 ). The evidence supporting positive physical and psychosocial health outcomes in relation to nature-based activities and experiences is substantial (Brymer et al, 2010 ; Ryan et al, 2010 ; Scheinfeld et al, 2011 ; Mitchell, 2013 ; Martyn and Brymer, 2016 ; Yeh et al, 2016 ; Lawton et al, 2017 ). The natural environment is an integral part of the mountain biking experience, offering participants a unique way to connect with nature (Siderelis et al, 2010 ), and acts as an important motivational factor (Taylor, 2010 ; Davidson and Stebbins, 2011 ; Lynch and Dibben, 2016 ).…”

Men's help seeking: Examination of differences across community size, education, and income.

“…Utilizing a structured strengths-based, problem-solving approach may better facilitate their comfort in therapy (Hammer & Good, 2010). Furthermore, nontraditional therapeutic approaches, such as adventure therapy (Scheinfeld, Rochlen, & Buser, 2011) and online counseling (Rochlen, Land, & Wong, 2004), may be especially useful in circumventing rural men's stigma around seeking help. In contrast, focusing on the influence of masculine role conformity on graduate-educated men's self-stigma may be less productive, due to the lesser relationship between these two constructs found in the current study.…”

Relational Health and Masculine Gender-Role Conflict in the Friendships and Community Relationships of Bisexual, Gay, and Straight Men

“…For example, clients participating in shared therapeutic wilderness experiences (i.e., adventure therapy; Scheinfeld, Rochlen, & Buser, 2011) reported increased interdependence, mutual empathy, increased vulnerability via emotional disclosure, and increased trust. Additional modalities of clinical intervention for use with sexual minority men in either individual or group formats include the use of expressive writing in psychotherapy in decreasing perceived stress (Pachankis & Goldfried, 2010).…”