Outdoor, Adventure and Experiential Programming for Substance Use Prevention and Treatment benefits substance abuse recovery efforts by providing a unique, immersive environment that fosters personal growth and emotional healing with aims to support sustained sobriety.
Through outdoor activities and group challenges, participants build resilience, self-awareness, and coping skills while developing meaningful connections with peers. This therapeutic approach encourages individuals to confront and process their challenges in a supportive, nature-rich setting, enhancing their overall recovery experience.
Publications
Bettmann, J. E., Kouris, G. M., Anderson, I. M., & Cassleman, B. (2021). Wilderness as healing environment: Treating adolescent substance misuse in wilderness therapy. Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 74(1), 249-264. https://doi.org/10.1080/00797308.2020.1859270
Russell, K. C., Gillis, H. L., & Hayes, M. (2020). Adventure therapy treatment for young adult males struggling with addictions. Journal of Health Service Psychology, 46(1), 13-20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42843-020-00003-4
Gass, M. A., Wilson, T., Talbot, B., Tucker, A. R., Ugianskis, M. & Brennan, N. (2019). The value of outdoor behavioral healthcare for adolescent substance users with comorbid conditions. Journal of Substance Abuse: Treatment and Research, 13, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1177/1178221819870768
Mandas, P., Argo, K., Rose, H., Zelenik, T., Wetherington, A., Cook, G., Brogden, M. C., Gillis, H. L., & Russell, K. C. (2019). Differences between opioid and non-opioid users during and after outdoor behavioral treatment. Journal of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, 11, 105-119.
Mills, L., Dionne, A., Bingley, J., & Watson, S. L. (2019). Stumbling along, walking on eggshells, and vicious circles: What happens while families wait for youth substance use treatment. Canadian Journal of Family and Youth, 11(1), 56-83. https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/cjfy/index.php/cjfy/article/view/29471/21457
Uliaszek, A. A., Al-Dajani, N., & Mills, L. (2019). Predictors of attrition from residential treatment for youths with addictive behaviors. Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, 28(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1080/1067828X.2018.1561574
Uliaszek, A. A., Hamdullahpur, K., & Mills, L. (2019): Examining the effectiveness of residential treatment among adolescents with problem substance use. Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, 28(4), 221–228. https://doi.org/10.1080/1067828X.2019.1682736
Lewis, S. (2018). A novel investigation of substance use outcomes in substance-specific Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare programs. Journal of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, 10, 106-126.
Chapman, J., Groark, S., Beale, M. M., Mandas, P., Argos, K., & Gillis, H. L. (2018). The relationship between self-reported prior drug use and treatment effectiveness in substance use disorder during outdoor behavioral healthcare treatment for young adult males. Journal of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, 10, 92-105.
Russell, K. C., Gillis, H. L., Law, L., & Couillard, J. (2018). A pilot study examining outcomes associated with the implementation of progress monitoring at a substance use disorder treatment program for adolescents. Child and Youth Care Forum, 47(3), 403-419. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-018-9437-2
Russell, K. C., Gillis, H. L., & Heppner, W. (2016). An examination of mindfulness-based experiences through adventure in substance use disorder treatment for young adult males: A pilot study. Mindfulness, 7, 320-328. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-015-0441-4
Lewis, S. F. (2013). Examining changes in substance use and conduct problems among treatment‐seeking adolescents. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 18(1), 33-38. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-3588.2012.00657.x
Bettmann, J. E., Russell, K. C., & Parry, K. J. (2012). How substance abuse recovery skills, readiness to change and symptom reduction impact change processes in wilderness therapy participants. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 22(8), 1039-1050. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-012-9665-2.
Russell, K. C. (2008). Adolescent substance-use treatment: Service delivery, research on effectiveness, and emerging treatment alternatives. Journal of Groups in Addiction & Recovery, 2(2-4), 68-96. https://doi.org/10.1080/15560350802081264
