Outdoor behavioural healthcare is a treatment method for improving mental and behavioural health in young people. This is what also called Wilderness therapy for troubled youth. An Internationally recognised outdoor behavioural healthcare services are being provided by a non-profit ANASAZI foundation. The foundation was established in1988 and is headquartered in Arizona. Anasazi gives young people opportunity to discover nature where young people learn and improve their behaviour. It changes their attitude towards world and creates better understanding on the things around them.
Anasazi way
The main motto of Anasazi is to bring parents and children to a family and move forward in harmony with the creation of the world. It brings a long lasting change in the hearts of the young.Anasazi’s programmes are offered for adolescents of age from (12-17) and young adults of (18-25) years old.Their services are aimed at young people who are mentally ill and suffering from behavioural concerns like mood disorders, behavioural problems, attachment disorders which include depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, relational problems, self-harming behaviours, poor social skills, lack of morality and self-regulation, self-motivation.
Anasazi services
Anasazi offers different programmes for different age groups of people. Anasazi program which is mainly conducted for 12-17 years age group participants who are called young walkers is about hiking and camping. The programme lasts for about 49days in the Arizona wilderness. They make their own shelter cook themselves and learn primitive lifestyle. Each participant is assigned with a counsellor called shadow who works and stay along with the walkers teaches them, keep their progress in behaviour and inform their parents. Parents also participate in in this programme by attending workshops, orientation programs, and weekly conferences and they stay with their children for the last two days of the programme. Medical safety is assured.The walkers are given with credits in school.
The Sinagua walking is for young adults who age between 18 -25. Sinagua walking lasts for 49-56 days long. The service is for young adults who suffer with anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, substance abuse, alcohol abuse. There are three phases in this program which involves hiking and camping at several miles. The first is rabbit stick walking which last for 1 week, followed by badgerstone walking, dawn star walking. Safety of the walkers is ensured by a medical doctor, psychologist, psychiatrist and nurse. Proper screening is done before admission into the program. The main focus in this program is to strengthen family relationships. For this purpose parents are also frequently participated in workshops, family walking sessions. Anasazi conduct services for parents also offering intervention trainings which is the parents experience in Anasazi.
All these services ae offered to the troubled youth through online enrolment process. Screening is conducted to check if the candidate is worth taking the programmes. By filling up the online application one can enrol in Anasazi. However they are contacted for acceptance, fee details and other arrangements.
