Basic principles of the nature therapy model are described, integrating the author's personal journey and examples from fieldwork and theory. Four aspects are nature as "sacred space"; nature as therapeutic setting; healing potential of nature's physical and aesthetic elements and connections to "universal truths"; and…

Two case studies illustrate the differences between two perspectives on adventure activities and therapy: in "adventure therapy," adventure activities were a tool within a psychotherapeutic intervention with a disturbed delinquent, while in "therapeutic adventure," adventure activities offered opportunities for a group of…

Describes two meetings on youth development in the new millennium, held in Oxford (England) in November 1998: a workshop to plan youth conferences and trainer training courses related to the contributions of adventure and outdoor experiences to young people's cultural, moral, and spiritual development; and an international conference, sponsored by…

Outward Bound Czech Republic developed a course for international participants in which everybody is simultaneously an actor and viewer in a 2-week theater play. A five-stage process of developing "dramaturgy" allows instructors to adapt the scenario to participant needs and thus enhance the likelihood of challenge and transfer of…

Views experiential learning as metaphor development. If a participant's enactment of a personal metaphor leads to an impasse during an adventure activity, this moment of "stuckness" is an opportunity to develop new images that generate new options for action. Facilitators must be sensitive to such situations and assist in widening…

Describes an adventure activity in which a group achieved a seemingly impossible goal by changing the way it imagined the task. Discusses the sequence of steps in metaphor development that led to the triggering of a generative metaphor: a new image of the task that allowed reframing of the problem and its eventual solution. (SV)

Outward Bound Czech Republic offers a personal development program for international participants that goes beyond the physical outdoor activities traditionally associated with adventure education. Dramaturgy uses "scenarios" in course design, allowing instructors to integrate a range of social, physical, creative, and reflection…

A week-long residential program in the United Kingdom combines ritual with psychotherapy to assist men in coming to terms with the meaning of masculinity. The program recognizes no fixed notion of manhood, but aims to support each man as he finds within himself, and marks with ritual, the next step in his unique journey. (TD)

Discusses the importance of rites of passage to traditional cultures, especially the vision quest of Native Americans. Suggests that the absence of such rites in materialistic cultures has led to a separation from nature, which underlies many modern problems. Describes Wendl-Berry's vision quest and a center that offers vision quests of various…

Describes the current situation of adventure education in Germany. Discusses sites in schools and youth clubs, important carriers of adventure education in Germany, popular methods and activities, the concept of "metaphorical learning" as a means of transferring learning to everyday life, publications, principles of experiential…

Third Wave is a Christian charity based in Derby (England) that offers training in vocational skills, preindustrial crafts, horticultural and agricultural skills, environmental education, and woodland survival skills to disadvantaged people at city and farm locations. Third Wave employs a holistic approach to personal development in a community…

Walk and Talk Experiences combine challenging outdoor experiences, group living, and opportunities for reflection and discussion to promote self-exploration and personal development. The British program has served various client groups, such as adolescents and people with disabilities or special needs. Activities on several weekends are described.…

The recently revised national curriculum for England and Wales includes changes that emphasize the importance of personal, social, and environmental education; citizenship and learning across the curriculum; and education for sustainable development. Outdoor education can make significant contributions to areas of the curriculum that address…