Date of Award

Fall 12-2018

Document Type

Technical Report

Degree Name

Master of Social Work (MSW)

Department

Social Work

First Advisor

Stephanie Homstad

Abstract

Children who struggle during the school year will continue to do so through the summer months. As such, it is important to have therapeutic opportunities and programming available for those children. Addressing the therapeutic needs of children with serious emotional disturbances and/or social deficits can take many forms. Adventure therapy and experiential activities are supported by a variety of theoretical perspectives including Experiential Learning Theory, Systems Theory, Existential Theory, Behavioral/Cognitive Behavioral Theory, and Psychodynamic Theory. Through the use of adventure type activities, participants are able to address and reach therapeutic goals in a different manner than the traditional office setting. Experiential activities proven to provide therapeutic opportunities include ice-breakers, games and problem-solving initiatives, and trust exercises. Expressive activities are those focusing more on mindfulness and allowing participants to increase their social and emotional learning. Specific expressive activities promoting positive gains include yoga, mindful arts and crafts, drama, and expressive writing. The inclusion of a parent component is also extremely beneficial within a therapeutic program because it allows for additional opportunities to make an impactful difference. After a thorough literature review, a therapeutic summer program was developed and designed to meet the needs of children through a variety of activities.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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