Wilderness Therapy Assists International Students

Guest Blogger: Steven DeMille, LCMHC, PhD
Executive Director – RedCliff Ascent

Wilderness therapy provides many opportunities for teens and young adults to have life-altering experiences. With an increase in international students attending school in the U.S., RedCliff Ascent has seen a rise in international enrollments over the years. These students come to RedCliff because they are struggling in their current academic settings or suffering from emotional concerns that are becoming unmanageable.

Below are some helpful points associated with international students and RedCliff Ascent:

Wilderness therapy has a strong history as a character-building intervention, which supports academic success.
Emotional distress is a major contributor to academic failure.
Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare (OBH) originally emerged as an intervention for struggling university students. It assists in the development of students' emotional growth, resilience, and self-discipline.
Wilderness therapy is also an effective intervention for mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, self-harm, and substance use.
OBH can be an effective intervention for struggling students, helping them avoid academic failure or withdrawal from school.
RedCliff Ascent has a long history of working with international students. Up to 18% of the RedCliff student population has been internationally referred.

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