by Zelda Mayer, guest contributor

Adventure therapy programs in nature, such as those of Chicago Voyagers, play a key role in trauma recovery. Here’s why.

Childhood trauma can have a lasting emotional and physical toll — all the way into adulthood. According to the CDC, at least 5 of the top 10 leading causes of death are associated with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as lack of familial support, abuse, high rates of community violence, and poverty. Chicago Voyagers specifically targets Chicago youth likely to experience numerous ACEs and provides outdoor adventure programming to help young people develop the tools needed for a successful life. Each of our programs uses a multi-faceted, neuroscience-based approach to prevent or diminish the impact of ACEs.

How Trauma Works

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a direct result of a stressful event that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope, but not all stressful events result in PTSD. The key factor of trauma is how overwhelmed the nervous system becomes from an experience; trauma is characterized by an automatic reaction of the nervous system that gets “stuck” in the body. The stress reaction functions to keep our bodies safe when we are in danger. Though this genius mechanism of our brain and body keeps us alive, being stuck in a permanent “flight/flee/freeze” state makes our bodies work in overdrive. Living in a traumatized body has detrimental effects for a person, their families, and their communities.

The brain has the quality of plasticity, meaning that experiences can change it and help it develop new neural pathways or strengthen existing ones. This a miraculous mechanism for resiliency of our brain. Trauma does not make us “damaged”; we can heal, mentally and biologically.

How Nature Heals

The evidence behind nonmedical nature-based interventions is quickly growing, and we continue to learn more about the science behind innovative strategies, such as Chicago Voyagers’. Youth receive many healing benefits from nature, including:

Increased sense of agency: Traumatic events are often characterized by a sense of helplessness, and traumatized individuals may experience an altered sense of agency, or “the conscious experience of the body as one's own and under voluntary control” (Rabellino et al 2018). In a 2014 study, adolescents who participated in wilderness therapy showed significant cognitive benefits, particularly in decision-making abilities, self-efficacy, and cognitive autonomy. Chicago Voyagers has found similar results in our work; based on post-surveys of the youth we served in 2019, 91% developed confidence, 91% developed teamwork skills, and 89% improved in responsibility.
Improved mood: Time spent in nature has been linked to overall improvements in mood. Nature-based activities have a soothing effect on the body, lowering blood pressure and cortisol levels, a stress hormone associated with the fight/flight/freeze state. In a comparison of physical activity in urban vs. natural environments, nature walks had a greater effect on prefrontal cortex activity associated with negative moods (Harvard Health Publishing 2021).
Healthy embodiment: Healthy embodiment, or mindfulness, is the ability to be present with sensations in one’s body and is critical to self-regulation and is part of mindfulness, which is a key component of our program model. Trauma “compromises the brain area that communicates the physical, embodied feeling of being alive” (Van Der Kolk 2014), which can lead to riskier behaviors, self-harm, and violence. Nature activities provide physical movement in a more relaxed state and setting, which reinforces the experience of being present and can make verbal processing of trauma experiences more accessible and effective (Schwenk 2019).
Bolstered joy: Fascination — effortless concentration and enjoyment — experienced in natural environments restores attention and reduces symptoms of traumatic stress (Matise and Price-Howard 2020). These effects last beyond the experience itself; in a 2018 study that included at-risk youth in a white-water rafting trip, researchers found that a sense of awe experienced by participants predicted changes in well-being and stress-related symptoms one week later.

Why It Matters

Left unaddressed, trauma can have dangerous side effects. ACEs are statistically linked to risky behaviors like substance abuse, chronic health conditions, and early death. Failing to intervene leads to long-term consequences that tear at the fabric of our society. The average cost of imprisoning someone for a year is $31,000; and in the United States, prescription opioid misuse alone costs approximately $78.5 billion per year. The opportunity costs of failing to prevent these issues are huge. These are dollars that could be invested in our communities. By intervening early, we help avoid these damaging effects, giving young people the resources, skills, and leadership development needed for a healthy life.

What You Can Do

Donate: A donation of $55 can sponsor one teen for a day! All our programs are completely free for participants, including transportation, nutritious meals, and all the gear needed for their journeys.
Volunteer: Mentorship is key to our model. Youth with mentors in their lives are 46% less likely to use drugs, 27% less likely to abuse alcohol, and 52% less likely to skip school according to a research project by the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Whether helping guide youth on their journey or supporting our mission behind-the-scenes, all skill levels and experiences are welcome.
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