The Self-Concept Model
An approach to wilderness-therapy programs
By Dave Stant
Any life is empty without good memories. Past successes tend to represent an individual’s happiest times. On the other hand, sadness lingers and incites emotional unpredictability and uncertainty. However, the good news is that anyone can reshape his or her existence and state of mind by shifting the balance of memories from negative to positive.
Photo: © Can Stock Photo / donyanedomam
In many ways, memories are an individual’s strength; although we have little control of experiences while we are very young, adolescence presents many unique and interesting opportunities. Therefore, the question becomes: What do I like to do, and how does it make me feel? This seems simple, but being thrilled about an experience is about as unpredictable as our own minds. The two go hand in hand. To an extent, state of mind dictates how much we will enjoy something.
A New Tool
In this vein, I have developed a model for recreation programming that is particularly useful in the development and implementation of wilderness-therapy programs. Called the self-concept model, the premise is that activities can be used to improve a person’s view of self. This, in turn, leads to the individual building self-confidence and becoming happier with life in general.
The purpose of this program is to separate youth from negative influences and place them in environments that are safe and support growth. Students are not merely thrown into the wilderness and made to suffer hardships; rather, they are encouraged, challenged, and given every opportunity to succeed in activities that are necessary, natural, or reasonable. Adolescents form bonds with each other, field staff members, and therapists while they endure adversity in overcoming natural challenges.
A Closer Look
The self-concept model rests on three variables of a person’s identity:
Personality
Character
Self-confidence.
Sources of self-worth are as individual as the personality one is born with. The self-worth received from participating in an activity is a byproduct of one’s identity. Let’s look at an example of an individual who is unhappy with himself and his life. He is introverted (personality), believes in doing the right thing (character), and has a low self-confidence level. Because this individual is introverted, he may pursue activities that do not involve interacting with many people or working as part of a team, and may obtain great satisfaction from knowing he can achieve goals that contribute to the well-being of others. As a result from participation, his state of mind and self-confidence level will improve.
Shift The Focus
Wilderness programs emphasize skill development and present unique activities that foster personal growth. Common wilderness-therapy activities include:
Primitive living
Outdoor education
Teambuilding
Challenge courses
Expeditions
Leadership training
Based on the self-concept model, this individual receives a sense of self-worth by leading a guided hike. It allows him to think independently (personality). It is an opportunity to create a meaningful experience for others (character). The sense of self-worth he receives from leading the hike will improve his self-confidence level. Remember that it is important to structure a program around an individual’s strengths and allow him or her to build on those strengths through activities that challenge them personally. While leading a guided hike, weather and terrain provide natural consequences. Teamwork and leadership provide choices. Social interaction and reinforcement are necessary to the group’s effectiveness. All of these elements will allow him to build on his strengths and grow and develop as a person.
It is important to set an individual’s expectations based on past experiences as well as strengths and weaknesses. In other words, we are far more likely to enjoy something we are good at, and we can base what we will enjoy in the future around what we did and did not enjoy in the past. The value of accumulating positive experiences is enormous, as it can easily build tolerance for misfortune, as our minds can always turn to previous experiences to balance poor experiences. The sadness that follows misfortune will be counteracted with happiness and confidence.
Photo: © Can Stock Photo / Ikonoklast
Weathering the metaphorical storm requires that individuals learn to tolerate negative outcomes. There is a certain emotional sting upon learning that something we wanted to happen will not happen, or that the consequences of decisions reveal a poor decision was made. However, reflection allows people to heal and build immunizations to future negative outcomes and consequences.
The key point is that individuals must heal, and this requires facing each prior experience and subsequent emotion in our minds. Healing only happens by reliving an experience; however, the first reaction of most people is to shut down and build walls; this does not allow us to truly enjoy our lives. By immunizing ourselves, we can live with love in our hearts and excitement for what is to come without the fear of emotional pain. In this instance, much like an immunization to a virus, immunizations to emotional pain free us from the burdens of a hardened heart and the resurfacing of old wounds.
Build Inner Strength
When building a successful wilderness-therapy program, remember to incorporate reflection assignments built around both positive and negative experiences. Challenge participants by encouraging them to learn from both the experiences and the attached memories. As already discussed, accumulating positive experiences will build self-confidence and inner strength. It is certainly possible to use recreation to change one’s mindset from negative to positive, simply by shifting the balance of an individual’s memories.
Progress in a wilderness program is usually based on hard-skill and soft-skill performance. Hard skills are the adaptive and physical skills necessary to contribute to personal and group well-being. Examples while leading a hike include building a backpack or following a map. Soft skills include demonstrating empathy, openness, self-knowledge, teamwork, leadership, and optimism.
Inner strength is the greatest tool an adolescent can have when preparing for the challenges that lie beyond a wilderness program. Those at full inner strength have the greatest chance of being happy and mentally healthy. The ability to tolerate the obstacles and hardships that life presents provides an opportunity to truly be happy. Although the scars remain, they merely become stories to tell, not barriers to living a happy and healthy life.
Dave Stant is a summa cum laude graduate in Recreation and Parks Management from Frostburg State University, located in Western Maryland. Although he is not currently affiliated with any recreation and parks department, he has been able to use his administrative talents throughout his career to assist in the development of new programs and projects. Reach him at dcstant@msn.com.