Bush/Adventure Therapy listings

[Designed]

Have been looking for somewhere to possibly send our son to get away from his stumbling blocks here, so it is easier for his brain pathways to change AND get help when he goes on medication etc.; Have found a few places, but stumbled upon this directory for Australian Association For Bush Therapy Inc.; The list includes all ages and health status's, but thinking others might find it helpful to pick through it for their teens.; Also if people find others NOT listed on this directory, had any success, then to let other parents know.; I am certainly interested in what you have experienced with bush/outback/adventure therapy.  Thanks ;

One is very expensive 3months+ commitment.

[Orbit64]

What a great resource. We simply found True North doing searches. Very few came up on a straight Google search. I guess as it is all new territory, what key words you even use to find these services and organizations are alien at first. 

True North Expeditions is listed.

Our experience in leading up to sending our son to True North was excellent.

Will Dobud was very down to earth and easy to talk to. 

His focus is on building a link with the child and working out solutions and strategies to achieve this. He tends to stay away from diagnosis of a "dis-order" as he believes the evidence shows a diagnosis does not help the outcome. I say this in the context of my sons behaviour and our experience. It is the approach to treatment that achieves the outcome. This is my description and my understanding. So I may be a little off the mark and acknowledge that Will may approach different behaviour in completely different ways. 

This does however fit with my value system. I guess it also fits my temperament. I am an Engineer. So my natural inclination is to always look at the problem as a opportunity to find a solution. 

One of of my great mentors and friends expression when immobilised by a problem is:

"Turn your stumbling blocks into stepping stones".

So when I am faced with what seems to be a problem that is immobilising thought, I "flip" the issue and turn it upside down by putting the problem at the bottom and look for the solution at the top of my thinking. 

[Designed]

That sounds really good. Though from experience, no diagnosis has hindered us for the last 18 months...and to be honest, there are few people like Will, who have the ideas, experience, motivation, time to treat people out-of-the-box. If only there were more....like schools that taught how boys really learn. Hens teeth. Flying porkers. etc. And we have tried everything out of the box we could think of...but we seem to always be in a place of just having to deal, without spare time/energy or $36,000+ for 3 months+ to send him to the NT. Yes lemons to lemonade is a good motto, and you gotta believe that what you taught them, how you loved and nurtured them, for the first 14 years has got to count for something...eventually. So interested to see the results of your son's trip. Like I said, hadn't seen this crowd before. Wish they did month long stints. Appreciate the info & time you've offered.

[Orbit64]

Hi Designed

I agree, no diagnosis where mental health has gone haywire I'm sure is essential. 

[Orbit64]

A month would be heaven. True North says 2 weeks with follow up works well.

[Orbit64]

I have just had a look at what is available in WA. Not a lot. However the tall sailing ship Leeuwin does offer sailing programs for 14 year olds up. This might be good as a respite option and to build on what True North will hopefully kick off.

[Designed]

Yes saw the ship thing. I think you are right...follow up therapy activities are good. And nature and physical activity help anyone, don't they. Do you hike/camp? Considered going bush with him regulary?

[Jammy]

Hi, has your son already been on this adventure? If so, how was it?
A while ago, I read about a teen who went on a 3 month nature therapy camp. Apparently it was wonderful but, sadly, she fell back in to her same patterns when she returned home. I wonder how the benefits can be maintained?

[Orbit64]

Jammy,

He is currently away on the trip, 1 week out of 2. At the end, apparently we get a report and a follow up plan. We will need to have our strategies in place to support him, but also not let him step straight back in where he started from. 

I'll post what our experience post wilderness therapy is. The first focus they have is getting the children to establish a normal sleep pattern. Then eating. They have to do everything. Cook, pitch camp, fires etc. all consequences they suffer are only through their own inaction. They are kept 101% busy throughout. Keep a written diary. 

So the first thing I will put in place is effective control to internet and devices. Removing devices from the room at night no longer works. So I have found an Australian parental control device. I installed a more sophisticated router recently with access control for all devices. However it's access control is rudimentary at best. I have to manually turn off devices each night and it's filtering is pathetic. We want to eliminate blue screen usage in the evening. The trick is to put them on the lowest phone plan so that they use up their phone  data within a few days of a recharge. Then they have to use wifi at home. Then their access via phone to internet and social media can then be limited. 

Food and a better balanced diet will be next thing on the hit list. He has general eaten fairly well. However part of his defiant approach is to refuse to eat with us and often not eat what we have cooked at all in recent months. Hopefully we can get him take a multivitamin with his breakfast and start eating regular meals. His skin has gone to the pack with all this. So hopefully an appeal to improve his eating to improve his skin condition will provide some incentive. 

Have to cover the basics first. 

[Orbit64]

We also have friends only a short way from Perth 1 1/4 hr drive. They have a stream and area to camp. So dropping him there to chill out on his own or with a mate may also be an idea so he has some space to chill out.