One of the most rewarding experiences teens have in a therapeutic summer program is when they learn how to start a fire without matches. The bow drill becomes a symbol of their ability to achieve something new, something that takes them beyond their self-imposed limitations and shows them that when they set their minds to a positive goal, they can indeed achieve it.

By acquiring primitive wilderness skills, adolescents learn how to creatively and effectively adapt to their environment, in this case the Great Outdoors. Their new-found self-confidence follows them home, where they tend to achieve better in school and often show dramatic improvement in attitudes and behaviors in the home.

Many of the programs also have a variety of recreational activities, such as hiking, mountain climbing, rafting, and sports. Please contact the individual programs to find out more about the types of activities in which students participate.

The therapeutic wilderness program challenges students and teaches them the values of responsibility, cooperation, participation, and the relationship between actions and consequences.