Wilderness Therapy: Experiential and Contemplative Approaches to Clinical Practice

Wilderness Therapy uses the natural world as a container for therapeutic intervention. What are the tenets of the natural world that are beneficial to our mental health? In this course we will examine the fundamentals of Wilderness Therapy while also exploring how the experiential and contemplative aspects of Wilderness Therapy can enhance clinical practice in any setting. We will explore topics such as ecopsychology, contemplative psychology, existential therapy as well as family systems theory, and parenting. In this course we will engage in experiential activities including outings in nature, meditation, and therapeutic role-plays. This course counts as elective credit towards the Psychology major.