The Collegiate Adventure Therapy Program

In the last decade, mental health has become an increasing issue on college campuses. According to the 2018 annual Collegiate Mental Health Report from Penn State University, an increasing number of students are seeking services for concerns ranging from depression and anxiety to suicidal ideation and self harm. Treatment outcomes for these concerns are improved when a student is able to regularly see a clinician - an opportunity that diminishes as demand for services increases. The model pioneered by the Adventure Therapy Collegiate Program provides a group setting for students, allowing clinicians to serve more students, and uses adventure therapy principles to directly address the issues of resilience, problem solving, social isolation and academic overwhelm. 

Susan Denny, MS, LPC-S created one of the first collegiate adventure therapy programs at the University of Texas, San Antonio Campus. The program model combines college counseling services with outdoor recreation programming to create a sustainable and effective way to reach students.

This unique collaboration makes use of the "soft" skills of the counseling staff and the "hard" skills of the outdoor recreation staff. As the group learns mindfulness and emotion regulation skills, they are able to apply what they lean in a novel and experiential environment, culminating in a "peak experience." Students may engage in rock climbing, backpacking, camping or overland navigation.  

The ATC had chosen to support Susan's innovative program because of it's unique approach to expanding the field of Adventure Therapy. In January, 2019 the Collegiate program was chosen as a featured project for the Future Leadership Academy, a professional development program sponsored by the Outdoor Industry Association. 

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Susan Denny, MS, LPC-S

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