Outdoor, Nature-Based & Adventure Counseling

Catalog description

This course is designed as an overview and introduction to the theory and practice of adventure-based counseling, experiential, and nature-based counseling interventions. Students will learn about the counseling applications utilizing adventure-based and nature-based methodology through a combination of experiential learning, scholarly research, and clinical application components. In addition to the experiential nature of the class, students will be expected to research a relevant selected topic in more depth and engage in an applied project. (For example, students may research the efficacy of adventure-based counseling modalities in treatment of with adolescents diagnosed with Anxiety Disorders and visit a program that works with that clinical population.) The modalities explored include experiential learning pedagogy in group settings and, thus, students are required to participate in two experiential projects to gain a solid practical knowledge of group dynamics, group development, and group leadership styles. Students will learn to systematically debrief experiences to help clients develop pro-social behaviors and achieve personal growth and behavior change.