Incorporating Experiential Education into Therapeutic Programs

Todd Weatherly, M.Ed. Executive Director

www.fourcirclesrecovery.com

If you want to build a ship, then don’t drum up men to gather wood, give orders, and divide the work. Rather, teach them to yearn for the far and endless sea.

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

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Experientially based methods are now being widely used by addictions and mental health professionals and programs. Why are they used in therapeutic settings and why have they become increasingly popular components of treatment approaches? In this Webinar we will explore the principals of experiential methods and what's involved in the practice that cause professionals to incorporate and advocate for its use.

1. Define Experiential Education and explore the theory and methodology behind it.

2. Define Adventure Based Counseling (ABC) and explore how it is used therapeutically as a core experiential methodology.

3. Take away some experiential techniques for use as tools in any group work.

Description & Objectives

Experiential Ed / Learning The Association for Experiential Education (AEE) defines experiential education as “a philosophy and methodology in which educators purposefully engage with learners in direct experience and focused reflection in order to increase knowledge, develop skills and clarify values.”

People learn through direct experience.

Learning is enhanced when people are placed outside of their comfort zones and into a state of dissonance.

Through experimentation with different behaviors in a novel environment where one is receiving immediate and realistic feedback, people learn and grow.

Individual is a participant rather than a spectator in therapy..

Reflection is a critical element of the process, therapeutic or otherwise.

One definition of adventure therapy: Adventure (psycho) therapy is an active, experiential approach to group (and family) psychotherapy or counseling: • utilizing an activity base, (cooperative group games, ropes

courses, outdoor pursuits or wilderness expeditions) • employing real and or perceived risk (physical and psychological

+ distress/eustress) as a clinically significant agent to bring about desired change

• making meaning(s) (through insights that are expressed verbally, nonverbally, or unconsciously that lead to behavioral change) from both verbal and nonverbal introductions prior to (e.g. frontloadings) and discussions following (e.g., debriefings) the activity experience

• punctuating isomorphic connection(s) (how the structure of the activity matches the resolution of the problem) that significantly contribute to the transfer of lessons learned into changed behavior.

• http://leegillis.com/AT/ Gillis & Thomsen, 1996

Adventure Based Counseling (ABC)

Experiential programming employs the use of perceived risk (physical and emotional) to help individuals stretch out of comfort zones and optimize learning potential to elicit learning and growth.

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Risk…

How it Works Inspires social and personal responsibility

Metaphorical Teaching & Isomorphic Transfer

Increased self-awareness

Transformation of Self-Concept People who make new behavioral choices in order to complete a novel challenge perceived as high in risk, view themselves differently.

Facilitates a Developmental Transition Rite of Passage into Adulthood fostering Internal Locus of Control and Increased levels of confidence, skill, and self-awareness encouraging individuals to view uncertainty as a challenge not a threat.

Cultivates Connection & Appreciation

Increased Coping Ability

Exposure to uncertainty or ambiguity accompanied by increases in confidence and skill facilitate healthier coping responses. In this new environment, people have no familiar template from which to draw their reactions. They must rely on new ways of being in the world while the group will reinforce new behaviors.

How it’s done…

Frontloading & Metaphor Development Frontloading is what you do to establish the purpose and relevancy of an activity or course of activities. This is done through discussion about goals, creating analogies that draw parallels between the activity and real life, and allowing the group to establish behavioral expectations of one another. You can frontload an activity or project with another activity, visual or verbal cues, discussion, key phrases, quotes, or reflection on previous experiences that have bearing on the upcoming experience. Metaphors arise are developed by the group and serve to carry the learning theme across activities and into daily life.

Full Value Agreements

The Full Value Agreement is a form of behavior contracting where a group agrees to find positive value in the efforts of it’s members. It is usually expressed through: encouragement, goal setting, group discussion, a spirit of acceptance and useful feedback. It is most effective when the group creates this for themselves.

Engaging them in an activity that allows them to witness how they behave with one another creates the space for discussion about how they think they should treat one another. Taking steps to hear and guide this discussion and have them record what they come up with gives them ownership of the agreement and by default makes it relevant to their world.

Sample Agreements

Be present

Be prepared

Be on time

Ask your question

Value differences

End on time

Contribute

Stay focused

Take Breaks

Turn off cell phones

One speaker at a time

Keep comments on point

Keep it constructive

Respect diverse opinions

Strive for consensus

Honor time frames

Allow others to speak

Agree to disagree

Experiential Processing Cycle

Observations & Reflections (Processing)

Formation of Abstract Concepts and

Generalizations (Generalizing)

Testing Concepts in New

Situations (Applying)

Concrete Experiences

(Experiencing)

What?

So What? What Now?

Let us show you!

Dewey

Sequential Stage Model for Adventure Based Activities or…

I II

III

IV

Perceived Risk

The Adventure Wave Hirsh

Turning Over a New Leaf

Turning over a New Leaf… trust and group agreements

Get a transparent shower curtain and ask your group to write down an important value with permanent marker on the curtain. Once the group has finished, ask people to share a little about their value, why they chose to write it and why it’s important to them as they begin to participate in the group experience about to happen for the day.

Once having processed the values, take the shower curtain and flip it over with the writing to the ground and ask the group to stand on top. The challenge is to turn the sheet over without getting off. Once they get the task done, process how the values emerged for them while they navigated the challenge.

Helium Stick Activity • Line up two rows of more or less equal numbers facing each other.

• Introduce the Helium Stick- a long, thin, lightweight dowel or tent pole

• Ask participants to point their index fingers and hold their arms out.

• Lay the stick down on their fingers. Get the group to adjust their finger heights until it is horizontal and everyone's index fingers are touching; keep light pressure on the stick while they line up.

• The groups challenge is to lower the stick to the ground while each person's finger remains in contact with it at all times. Pinching or grabbing the pole in not allowed - it must rest on top of everyone's index finger.

• Reiterate to the group that if anyone's finger is caught not touching the Helium Stick, the task will be restarted then let go of it giving them full responsibility and watch it rise to the ceiling.

• Participants become excited and loud when the stick begins to rise off the ground seemingly without any aid though it is it’s light weight that causes this.

• Some groups or individuals after 5 to 10 minutes of trying may be inclined to give up, claiming it’s impossible or too hard.

• The group has to calm down, concentrate, and patiently lower the “Helium Stick”; a practice in mindfulness if there ever was one.

Processing “The Helium Stick”

• What was the initial reaction of the group?

• How well did the group cope with this challenge?

• What skills did it take to be successful as a group?

• What creative solutions were suggested and how were they received?

• What would an outside observer have seen as the strengths and weaknesses of the group?

• What roles did people play?

• What did each group member learn about him/her self as an individual?

• What other situations (e.g., at school, home or work) are like the Helium Stick?

Four Circles Recovery Center is engaged with other targeted treatment programs in a research study through the University of Arkansas & CReATE to measure the effectiveness of wilderness therapy for young adults for treating substance abuse and co-occurring disorders when compared to treatment as usual sites.

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Efficacy of Wilderness Therapy

Outcomes

Outcomes – Distress Tolerance

An examination of relapse rates for participants at Four Circles Recovery Center suggest that participants are maintaining therapeutic gains following program completion. Approximately 11% of participants reported increases in substance use problems from treatment termination to 3 moths post treatment. An additional 18% of participants reported a relapse to substance use, in the month preceding their assessment. This indicates that 71% of study participants are reporting persistent and positive treatment effects.

At the 12-month assessment, approximately 13% of participants reported increases in substance use problems from treatment termination. An additional 25% of participants reported a relapse to substance use. This suggests that approximately 62% of participants are maintaining treatment gains, one year following program completion. These relapse rates for FCRC participants are much improved , compared to rates of relapse in the overall treatment-seeking adult population. In general, abstinence rates are between 25-40% (for alcohol) and 20-30% (for illicit drugs) in the first 12 months after treatment.

Outcomes Overview

tweatherly@fourcirclesrecovery.com Mobile: (828) 606-7199

Office: (828) 894-2221 x 933200

www.fourcirclesrecovery.com

Thank

You!

References • Bandoroff, S. & Newes, S. (2004). What is Adventure Therapy?

• Bandoroff, S. & Newes, S. (Eds.), Coming of age: The evolving field of adventure therapy. Boulder, CO. AEE.

• Gass, M. A. (1993). Adventure therapy: Therapeutic applications of adventure programming. Dubuque; Iowa: Kendall Hunt.

• Russell, K. C. (2001). What is Wilderness Therapy? The Journal of Experiential Education., 24, 70-79.

• Russell, K.C., Hendee, J. C., & Phillips-Miller, D. (2000). How wilderness therapy works: An examination of the wilderness therapy process to treat adolescents with behavioral problems and addictions. USDA Forest Service Proceedings RMRS-P-15-VOL-3.

• Sarah (“Salli”) Lewis, Ph.D., FCRC Outcome Study, Center for Research, Assessment, and Treatment Efficacy, Research Division (CReATE), email: slewis@createnc.com

References (continued) • Cavert, Chris, & Frank, Laurie. 1999. Games (& other stuff) for

Teachers: Classroom Activities that Promote Pro-Social Learning. Wood ‘N’ Barnes Publishing and Distribution.

• Dewey, John.1938. Experience and Education. New York: Macmillian

• Draft, R.J., & Kielsmeier, J. (Eds.). 1995. Experiential Learning in Schools and Higher Education. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt

• Henton, Mary. 1996. Adventure in the Classroom: Using Adventure to Strengthen Learning and Build a Community of Life-Long Learners. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt

• Johnson, David W. and Johnson, Frank P. 1991. Group Theory and Group Skills, 6th ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

• Johnson, David W. and Johnson, Frank P. 1991. Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills (11th Edition) Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

References (continued)

• Adventure Therapy Web, http://leegillis.com/AT/, Gillis & Thomsen, 1996

• Kolb, David. 1985. Learning-Style Inventory, rev.ed. Boston: McBer & Company

• Maslow, Abraham. 1962. Toward a Psychology of Being. Princeton, NC: C. Van Norstrand.

• Nadler, R.S. & Luckner, J.L. 1997. Processing the Experience: Strategies to Enhance and Generalize Learning, 2nd ed. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt

• Rohnke, Karl E.1994. Bottomless Bag Again, 2nd ed. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt

• Rohnke, Karl E.1984. Silver Bullets. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt