Skip to main content

Outdoor Behavioral Health Heals The World


Guest Blogger
Steven M. DeMille, PhD, LCMHC
Program Therapist/Research Director
RedCliff Ascent



I hope things are going well. I wanted to send you an update on the presentation that Mark Burdick and I did at the World Psychological Forum. The World Psychological Forum (WPF) is an interdisciplinary conference that explores the intersection of psychology and other fields such as economics, politics, and cross cultural studies. The WPF was hosted in the Czech Republic, with participants coming from all over the world.




The presentation that Mark and I conducted was an e-poster that focused on cross cultural treatment in an Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare program. The presentation was titled:

Nature as a stage for change: A case study examination of the treatment process in an Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare program. 

For this presentation we provided a case study example of how an outdoor environment can be used to facilitate change with a struggling adolescent who has significant and chronic inter-personal and intra-personal distress. The e-poster format allowed for a highly interactive presentation with the integration of audiovisual material. The presentation provided the theoretical foundations for using the outdoors with struggling adolescents and then described the practical application through the use of a case study. Included was a short 90 second video with an interview of an Australian father who described his experience treating their son in an Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare program. See what the father had to say on this short video.



During the presentation there was great interest and good turnout. The Wilderness Advisor was provided as a handout to all participants and none were left behind. Everyone was fascinated with the research. The Wilderness Advisor has now gone global. The positive response to the presentation was further validated at the closing ceremonies when we received an award for the highest rated cross-cultural presentation at the conference. However, in the end the most validating feedback came after the conference when a struggling adolescent was referred from a boarding school in the Czech Republic for treatment in an Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare program

Comments

Definitely a very interesting and different approach, one that has not been tried before. Parents everywhere highly appreciate work of researchers and sociologists such as yourself!

Thank you very much for this wonderful site. well written and informative content you have.
Well, it’s a nice one, I have been looking for. Thanks for sharing such informative stuff.
That suggestions should appear more often.

Popular posts from this blog

The Young Boy and the Rattlesnake

By Stephen C. Schultz (Editors note: This is a story used in a Wilderness Treatment Program. Many come to this program having struggled with depression, anxiety and substance use.)   Many years ago there was a young Native American who lived in the very land you are residing in. He decided to seek wisdom by journeying to the top of Indian Peak. As he approached the base of the mountain he came across a rattlesnake that slithered beside him. The snake coiled as if to strike and the young boy moved back quickly in fear of being struck by the snake’s deadly venom. At that instant the snake spoke to the boy saying, “Don’t be afraid of me, I mean you no harm. I come to you to ask a favor. I see that you are about to traverse to the top of Indian Peak and was hoping that you may be willing to place me in your satchel so that I don’t have to make the long journey alone.” The young boy surprised by the snake’s request quickly responded by turning down the offer, stating, ...

Measuring What Matters: Oxbow’s Edge in Predicting Progress

By Stephen C. Schultz Therapists are highly trained to guide, support, and assess progress. Yet, research continues to show that even experienced clinicians have mixed results at predicting which clients will improve, drop out, or struggle in therapy. This isn’t a critique of therapists—it’s a reality supported by data. And for those who place trust in residential treatment programs—families, school districts, educational consultants, and Managed Care Organizations (MCOs)—this insight is critical. At Oxbow Academy , we take this seriously. That’s why we use validated, research-backed tools to supplement clinical intuition and track meaningful progress in real time. Research Shows: Intuition Isn’t Enough In a foundational study by Hannan et al. (2005), therapists failed to recognize which of their clients were likely to experience treatment failure—even when objective outcome data pointed to risks. Similarly, Hatfield et al. (2010) demonstrated that therapists tend to overestima...

When Emotional Pain Looks Like Manipulation: Oxbow Academy

By Stephen C. Schultz The teenage years are often full of complexity—especially for young people who struggle with impulse control, social understanding, or emotional regulation in relation to Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB). For some, this difficulty is compounded by co-occurring conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, or Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD) . These teens may unintentionally find themselves caught in compulsive, confusing, or embarrassing situations—sometimes involving inappropriate behavior with siblings, neighbors and friends or accessing dark corners of the internet. As these patterns continue, parents are often left feeling overwhelmed, frightened, and unsure of what to do next. Some worry that law enforcement or government agencies might get involved. Others have already experienced the fear of having electronics confiscated or home environments scrutinized. In the midst of this chaos, many parents recognize that their child’s behavior isn’t just a...