Wilderness Provides Therapy for Troubled Teens

By Gary Ferguson

Teen-agers with alcohol, drug or behavioral problems may find answers in the calm wilderness.

So says Gary Ferguson, author of "Shouting at the Sky: Troubled Teens and the Promise of the Wild." In his book, Ferguson, a nature writer and journalist, chronicles three months he spent with a group of troubled suburban teen-agers -- wrestling with drugs, depression, eating disorders and academic stress -- sent on a wilderness program by their parents as a last-chance effort. Ferguson said the majority of the teen-agers he met are still thriving two years later as a result of the program.

"This is not magic therapy and it's not unique," Ferguson said, explaining that the program is not "boot camp" but blends Outward Bound challenges with mentoring and guidance. "The program lets kids see the consequences of their actions," he said. Ferguson, who underwent the program's counselor training as well, met about 50 teen-agers during the program's staggered admissions, over the course of his three-month stay.

While the program is not "magic," the lessons the wilderness taught these teens often had a magical effect on the way they looked at themselves and the world. "When these kids first started the program, they would be very me-centered. For example, when it would rain, I heard many of them say, 'It's raining because I'm a jerk.' They had such a negative view of themselves that even something as benign as rain would somehow be a slap against who they were."

But within three weeks, that changed, he said. "It was like a lightbulb went off: The rain had nothing to do with them. They may not like it, but it was just a random event." Most importantly, this concept began to get translated into what was going on back home in these teen-agers' lives. "They began to think, 'Maybe the stuff going on at home -- such as a divorce or a parent's drinking problem -- is also random and has nothing to do with me,'" he said. "I could see, before my eyes, that these kids were re-weaving the events that shaped their lives. That was very powerful."

Small groups of teen-agers, led by the program's counselors, became a tribe of sorts, Ferguson added, with each member being an important part of the community. "They began to realize, over time, that what they did out there affected the well-being of everyone, that this small tribe needed everyone doing their part."

 This was an entirely new concept for many of them, who felt, after years of therapy, they were a burden to society. "These kids never had the sense that the larger community depends on them."

While not all teen-agers left the wilderness program empowered, it left an imprint that resurfaced months later, Ferguson said. One girl, who first said she didn't get anything out of it and went back to drug use after the program, said nine months later that the wilderness had ruined her high, he reported. "She said drugs didn't provide the same level of escape as they used to," he said.

 Many of the young people went back to very dysfunctional family lives, he added. While the program required parents to undergo therapy while their children were in the wilderness, some parents refused or made excuses not to go. "This made it harder for the teens to do well," he said.

And the importance of family can't be underestimated, Ferguson said.

When asked, these troubled teen-agers said the primary element missing from their lives was time with their families, he said. "At first when I asked this question I thought they were saying what I wanted to hear. But they said this over and over again."

Another important element that surfaced was the positive effect of having creative outlets. "Every day these kids had one hour of journaling or art. … It was amazing how they gravitated toward it," Ferguson said. One boy who struggled with feelings of rage was able to write angry poems and read them to his peers in the group.

"The problem with these kids is, sometimes they don't know there's another way to express rage than to be violent. These kids started a fireside session every night and started reading their poetry to one another. These were kids who during the day could be cruel to each other. But during that poetry session, they gave each other encouragement and respect."

Parents also need to hone their communicating skills and talk to their teen-agers, even if it's only for a half-hour a week, said Ferguson. "Parents, and teens, need to use 'I feel' statements to talk about how they feel. It sounds simple and trite, but it is very powerful," he said.

Rituals are also important, Ferguson said. "We all get so darn busy," he said. "But rituals, simple things like celebrating your child's accomplishments, are important."

Lastly, Ferguson said, parents have to realize that the job of the teen-ager is to break away from the parents. "This is not an easy thing to accept, but the presence of mentors who will really listen to them, like an aunt or uncle, can make it easier for teens."