Wilderness therapy jobs require a love and knowledge of the outdoors and a desire to help others. Most programs aim at at-risk teens and require employees with related degrees or certifications. Common jobs include counselors, leaders, field guides, and instructors.
People in wilderness therapy jobs are, for the most part, not licensed psychologists, although many may have a bachelor’s or even a master’s degree in psychology. Rather, these are people who have a combined love and extensive knowledge of the outdoors, as well as a desire to work and help others. Since most desert therapy programs require participants to live in residence, the most common positions are counselors and leaders who will live in and plan the programs with participants every step of the way. Field guides and instructors are also common wilderness therapy jobs, as these people teach participants field skills for activities such as camping, hiking, or boating.
Most wilderness therapy programs are aimed at older children and teens who are at risk or who have had problems. They are not the same thing as a boot camp, but they are also sometimes referred to as adventure therapy. In general, they place teens in a group setting and teach them outdoor and nature skills. These can be simple things like hiking and camping, or more advanced things like rock climbing or activities designed to build confidence like ropes courses. Each program can be a little different and, as a result, may require employees with certain skills.
Usually, wilderness therapy jobs are offered to people who have a college degree in a related field, from psychology to a specific certification in adventure therapy. Program managers may be required to be licensed psychologists, but the rest of the staff may or may not have such a degree. Counsellors, mentors, and group leaders or directors are some of the most common jobs in desert therapy, and they involve living on the property with participants, fostering positive relationships, and planning the programs that will take place each day. It is important that these people are professionals and also maintain control in situations, as children are often difficult to work with.
The other most common types of desert therapy jobs are guides and field instructors. These people usually have backgrounds in environmental education and desert survival skills, and will take program participants on actual trips and desert tours to teach outdoor and survival skills. In addition to these people who interact directly with program participants, people who help with day-to-day operations may also work in wilderness therapy programs, such as people who act as office administrators, property maintenance, or cleaners.
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