What makes an adventure therapeutic? It will be different for everyone, but for me, the concept of adventure going beyond fun to being therapeutic happened when my oldest daughter got married twenty years ago. I knew that marrying off my first daughter (I have five) would be traumatic. So, my husband and I made plans to head to a theme park the day after the wedding. We didn’t stay behind to clean or organize the months of mess that accumulated from wedding planning. We didn’t collapse into a zombie-like state for three weeks to mourn the beginning of our empty nest. Instead, we rented a cabin at Fort Wilderness and took the rest of our girls on a fun packed week of campfires, nature, and rollercoasters. For us, this place represented something familiar—yet fun. We liked this idea because what was happening was unfamiliar, and the transition (although very normal) was not fun. The celebration factor of parades and fireworks counteracted the loss we were facing. It reminded us not only of the exciting life that awaited this beautiful newlywed couple who were starting an exciting life together but us as well. Our oldest grandchild from this lovely union is 17, and we now get to share adventures with her.
Here’s the thing: Adventure therapy doesn’t take away the pain of the moment (like letting go), but what it does do is buffer, redirect, and reorient. Since there is so much change and transition after 50 that can be unsettling, having an adventure therapy game plan can be helpful.
1. Buffering is therapeutic because it instantly treats the blow with the body’s natural anesthetic properties. The chemicals released internally from engaging in adventure have a soothing effect on the mind and body. Even if temporary, buffering is beneficial to get the healing restorative process flowing in the new season we are about to walk.
2. Redirecting our focus is therapeutic because it helps us shift our focus from the heartache at hand to something optimistic and adventuresome. This process, in turn, lifts the burden enough to open our hearts to new opportunities, thoughts, and directions.
3. Reorientation is therapeutic because it provides a platform for the mental ascent that we will survive the transition. God often allows even the simplest of adventures to help us reorient. For Elijah, God provided a large leafy plant to shade him and remind him that He would be there in his difficulty. It is in these times that the faith becomes genuine and powerful. Here, we begin to enjoy our adventure and find our spiritual bearings. Therapy for the soul is met in spiritual connection. At this place, we start to see that the transition brings us to new pages ahead and that God will begin to fill them with fresh presence and direction.
Adventure therapy can be anything from enjoying a run in the park to taking a walk around the block, listening to birds and smelling flowers, traveling to exotic destinations, or getting involved in a rewarding service project. Finding unique benches to sit on and take in simple views has been an adventure for me. The alone time with God and his creation stirs my heart, bringing about buffering, redirection, and reorientation. It is an adventure in stillness. I often seek out sacred patches of silence to admire the marvelous presentations of God’s amazing scenery.
When facing something difficult, why not put in place an adventure therapy game plan?
The Grand Times 