What is Adventure Therapy?

Foster Progress’s Traverse programs utilize an innovative model called Adventure Therapy to help young people from foster care move from a mindset of victimhood to one of self-empowerment.

Many youth in care have been through extensive therapy services. They are often required to participate and may feel forced to retell their story over and over, with several different therapists.

Other creative approaches can be more effective; such as Adventure Therapy (AT), a therapeutic intervention which uses planned and structured activities of an experiential, risk taking, and challenging nature.

AT fosters adolescents’ personal development, including enhanced self-concept, self-competence, self-efficacy, and sense of accomplishment.  It has also been shown to improve interpersonal development and appropriate and adaptive social skills.

In addition, current brain research suggests that skill acquisition and an increase in self-concept help to restore neural networks damaged by the experience of trauma.  AT activities create a pause as participants engage in problem-solving or team-building activities.  This also allows for safe and trusting relationships, balance moderate levels of stress with periods of calm and safety, for integration outside of therapy.

The MAPS model provides the road map necessary for all those involved in the foster care system to traverse together and move forward successfully.    

 Source: Chicago Adventure Therapy