Nature: Central to Wilderness Therapy
Wilderness therapy programs are, by definition, outdoors in natural environments. But with the evolution of wilderness therapy into a research-based therapeutic model that includes more sophisticated techniques and approaches than just hiking and busting* (although these remain important!), the relevance and value to humans of being in nature can be forgotten. I want to emphasize that wilderness therapy started because of the inherent value of being in a natural environment. And that is still, in my opinion, one of the main reasons it is so effective.
Anxiety is a feeling. A common emotion. It basically is the warning signal of a threat. That perceived threat can be physical or emotional or both. When excessive, anxiety can become problematic. Once anxiety reaches a high level and causes personal distress or interferes with an individual’s ability to function adequately, it is termed an anxiety “disorder.”