Abstract
Stress and coping skills are among the most essential components of the mental health counseling field. The use of coping skills (e.g., meditation, physical activities, appropriate uses of leisure) has been identified as an effective strategy for stress management. Adventure therapy has emerged as a modality that can positively augment other therapeutic approaches by improving coping skills and assisting clients in managing stress. As with all therapies, a positive working alliance has been found to be important toward achieving clinical outcomes. This study explored how adventure therapy enhanced learned coping strategies for stress and improved therapeutic alliance. Outcomes from this exploratory research highlighted the potential of adventure therapy to decrease stress, increase coping skills, and build therapeutic rapport with the therapist.
Department
Social Work
Publication Date
2015
Journal Title
The Practitioner Scholar: Journal of Counseling and Professional Psychology
Publisher
Argosy University
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Koperski, H.; Tucker, A.; Lung, M.; & Gass, M. A. (2015). The Impact of Community Based Adventure Therapy on Stress and Coping Skills in Adults. The Practitioner Scholar: Journal of Counseling and Professional Psychology 4(1), 1-16.