Wilderness therapy is founded on the basic principle that nature serves as the ultimate teacher, unable to be manipulated by defiant teens. Therapeutic wilderness programs have been helping troubled teens get back on track for almost three decades. One of the oldest and most respected are the SUWS wilderness programs.

When struggling teens are removed from the home environment and find themselves among their peers in the wilderness, they quickly learn that cooperation and responsibility for their behaviors will make the wilderness experience a rewarding one.

The additional presence of therapists gives teens the opportunity to discuss their concerns and problems, not only with a qualified adult, but with their fellow adolescents who area struggling with similar issues.