Adventure Therapy Groups
Adventure Works offers a unique opportunity to youth in DeKalb County to engage in group services to meet the social-emotional and behavioral needs in the outdoors. Groups are facilitated by mental health staff with specific training in facilitating outdoor experiences, and offer the opportunity for individuals to receive support and feedback from their peers.
Costs per participant are based on a sliding scale. All youth in DeKalb County are welcome, regardless of ability to pay.
Limited availability, click below or give us a call to start the registration process!
Winter 2023 Groups
Elementary Fast & Flurries
Ages: 6 - 8
Dates: Mondays | January 9 - March 20 (11 weeks)
Time: 4pm - 5:30pm
Location: Adventure Works grounds (Prairie / Hopkins Park / Little John Park) and off-site nature preserves
Ages: 9-11
Dates: Mondays | January 9 - March 20 (11 Weeks)
Time: 6pm - 7:30pm
Location: Adventure Works grounds (Prairie / Hopkins Park / Little John Park) and off-site nature preserves
Our elementary groups focus on connection, fun, exploration, and adventure. We utilize developmentally matched experiential activities to promote problem-solving, collaboration, emotional intelligence, and self-regulation. We practice the principle of challenge by choice and work to help each participant increase their self-efficacy and self-esteem by focusing on strengths, and framing challenges as opportunities for growth. Some activities include nature hikes, outdoor skills, team building initiatives, and utilizing our challenge course.
Tween Trailblazers
Ages: 12 - 14
Dates: Tuesdays | January 10 - March 21 (11 weeks)
Time: 6pm - 7:30pm
Location: Adventure Works grounds, potential for off-site intensives
Our Tween group will focus on building self-confidence and resilience through the intentional use of experiential activities in an outdoor setting. The group will focus on collaboration, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and establishing and maintaining healthy peer relationships as well as the importance of healthy boundaries. We will stay warm by building fires and build confidence by recognizing the fire within ourselves and each other. Other initiatives include team building exercises, nature walks, and mindfulness activities.
Trailblazers
Ages: 15 - 18
Dates: Tuesdays | January 10 - March 21 (11 weeks)
Time: 4pm - 5:30pm
Location: Adventure Works grounds (Prairie / Hopkins Park / Little John Park)
This group will focus, fundamentally, on building strong therapeutic and social interactions in an active, experiential, and outdoor environment. Group facilitators focus on challenging, and caring for, participants through a “challenge-by-choice” model while focusing on specifically-designed, and developmentally-appropriate, interventions to explore topics such as self-efficacy, distress tolerance, communication and coping skills, while increasing resilience and grit. Examples of activities include nature walks, team building initiatives, outdoor survival skills, and creative art projects. Mindfulness activities will also be emphasized throughout the program.
Interested in Group?
Provide your details here and a staff member will contact you as soon as possible
We're accredited.
Our Adventure Therapy Groups are accredited by the Association of Experiential Education's Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Standards.
