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Engaging Families in Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare

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Family Therapy with Adolescents in Residential Treatment

Part of the book series: Focused Issues in Family Therapy ((FIFT))

Abstract

This chapter highlights the role of the family in the treatment of youth who attend Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare (OBH) programs. Family involvement can take many forms across the stages of wilderness treatment that are highlighted in this chapter. For example, when an adolescent is in the expedition phase of treatment-specific letter writing assignments may be used to encourage dialog between the parents/guardians and child. During the phase of the program where parents/guardians participate alongside their child there may be family therapy sessions, family adventure activities, family sculptures , and family group sessions. In addition to reviewing some ways families can be involved, the role of the family therapist at home is discussed in relation to the OBH clinician and how they can work together collaboratively. To highlight how family involvement may look within an OBH program, a case study is provided and suggestions concerning the role of family are presented.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare (OBH) Research Center, College of Health and Human Services, University of New Hampshire, 55 College Road, Durham, NH, 03824, USA

    Anita Tucker & Michael Gass

  2. Marriott School of Management, Brigham Young University, W433 Tanner Building, Provo, UT, 84602, USA

    Mark Widmer

  3. Legacy Outdoor Adventures, P.O. Box 400, Loa, UT, 84747, USA

    Troy J. Faddis

  4. Mountain Valley Treatment Center, 2274 Mt. Moosilauke Hwy, Pike, NH, 03780, USA

    Bryan Randolph

Authors
  1. Anita Tucker
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  2. Mark Widmer
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  3. Troy J. Faddis
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  4. Bryan Randolph
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  5. Michael Gass
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anita Tucker .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Mount Mercy University , Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA

    Jacob D. Christenson

  2. Mount Mercy University, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA

    Ashley N. Merritts

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Tucker, A., Widmer, M., Faddis, T.J., Randolph, B., Gass, M. (2017). Engaging Families in Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare. In: Christenson, J., Merritts, A. (eds) Family Therapy with Adolescents in Residential Treatment. Focused Issues in Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51747-6_15

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