Program Model
The best in wilderness therapy

Legacy Outdoor Adventures is a wilderness therapy program for young adults.  We use the power of the wilderness to support us in guiding clients on a journey of self-discovery and healthy growth.  We specialize in working with young adults who are struggling with behavioral issues, substance use or abuse, lack of self-confidence or sense of purpose, or simply struggling with taking the final step to transition into adulthood.

A meaningful wilderness adventure, facilitated by expert guides and a licensed therapist, provides a very powerful environment for growth.  We use challenge and adventure to engage our clients and add texture to the outdoor experience.  Client strengths are identified and utilized to serve the individual and the community.  The wilderness is an optimum setting for individuals struggling with substance abuse to find new meaning in their lives.  We also believe that family involvement in the treatment experience is vital to long term success

---

Deliberate Journey to Manhood

Legacy specializes in guiding young men through the often difficult transition to Manhood.  Each young man goes through a structured process to identify the kind of man he wants to be and is then given the tools to become that man. Each young man learns that there are parts of the child within him that he must let go of and new responsibilities he must embrace to become a man.  During his wilderness adventure, he has the opportunity to take on many of the responsibilities of manhood in a small structured community.  The result is a clearer vision of manhood and the self-confidence, tool and motivation to make the transition to responsible adulthood and strive toward personal excellence. 

---

Life Success Plan 

True success doesn’t happen by accident; it is the culmination of a well thought out and executed plan

While at Legacy Outdoor Adventures, each client creates a thorough and comprehensive Life Success Plan (LSP). With the support of the treatment team and family, each young man creates a written plan to be used as a roadmap for his personal journey to manhood. Each young man’s LSP starts with the creation of a vision statement for the man he wants to be. Throughout the program he continues to add to the LSP as he learns new skills and gains new insights.  By the completion of the program each young man has not only created a plan for success for his future but also gained ownership and confidence in it by living it daily throughout his stay. Upon graduation, the LSP serves as a guide for the next step in life and a positive course for the future.

---

Owner-operated

All of the owners of Legacy Outdoor Adventures are involved in its daily operation.  All management decisions are made by the people who work at the program. We are guided by our commitment to providing the best care to our clients and supporting the personal growth and job satisfaction of the members of our team.  Legacy attracts employees who embrace our vision. Our mission is to provide the most effective wilderness therapy by creating the most engaged team of professionals in the field. Our culture is characterized by the core values of integrity, excellence, personal growth, Wilderness, and “Heart at Peace.”  Legacy’s small size allows a high degree of responsiveness to client and family needs as well as personal oversight of quality of care and safety.

---

Effective wilderness strategies with adventure therapy to engage clients

As a team we have been intimately involved with the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Industry Council (OBHIC) and their research.  We use that data to inform our practices. This data illuminates a few key areas to focus on. For example, client relationship with staff, field guides, and their peers is very important.  Because these relationships are so influential, we are very deliberate about our field guide mentorship and therapy relationships.  The research talks about a “soft fascination” that occurs in wilderness programs, which is the slowing down of thinking allowing for insight to occur.  Completion of tasks and accomplishments builds resiliency and self-efficacy in clients.  Adventure also enhances self-efficacy as well as leadership abilities.  Studies also show there is an “un-definable” aspect of wilderness that has a positive effect on the development of the core self, differentiation of the individual, and development of a healthy self-image. 

---

The Power of Mentoring

Research shows that relationships are one of the most powerful agents of change. At Legacy, we believe in the power of mentoring. For young men to gain a desire to make the transition to adulthood they must see the benefits of that decision. At Legacy,each client works closely with responsible wilderness guides who have not only made the successful transition themselves, but also have the training and experience to help mentor others through their transition to manhood.  

---

This is a sample schedule, please allow for flexibility as we are committed to meet clients where they are, not where we want them to be:

A sample weekly schedule:

Monday

•    AM call-in

•    Wake up and breakfast

•    Clean up camp and prepare to leave camp

•    Finish adventure and make way back to the yurt site or alternative camp site

•    Lunch

•    Complete personal assignments

•    Unpack from adventure and clean up

•    Clean gear and repair gear

•    Dinner

•    Group meeting to evaluate assignments and prepare for therapy visits

•    Check in with guides and team leaders

•    Team leader goal check-in

•    Guide call in and therapist/team lead check-in

•    Bed

•    (Family must have all letters in by 9pm)

Tuesday

•    AM call-in

•    Breakfast and clean up

•    (Clients completing treatment transition to next step)

•    Morning group

•    Clients take OQ-45

•    Write letters home

•    Group meeting to share with therapist week evaluation

•    Lunch

•    Meet with therapist and team leaders

•    Group meetings to evaluate week’s goals and progress from therapy sessions.  Impact letters, letters of accountability, etc.

•    Guide call in and therapist/team lead check-in

•    Dinner

Wednesday

•     (on-going mid-treatment visits to field by family for a family session and program participation)

•    AM Call in and therapist/team lead check

•    Breakfast

•    Meet with therapist and team lead

•    Guide exchange special lunch

•    Guide exchange feedback group (reflecting team format called Milan)

       •    Guides acknowledge gains towards goals on the Personal Life Plan

•    Meet with therapist

•    Mail is collected

•    Clean up camp and prepare for next week’s adventure

•    Guide call in and therapist/team lead check

Thursday

•    (Therapist phone calls with family and other professionals)

•    (Family workshop every 4 weeks)

•    AM call-in and therapist/team lead check

•    Breakfast

•    Morning group meeting

        •    Values and goals from the Personal Life Plan are shared and set for the upcoming week

•    Adventure

•    Lunch

•    Adventure

•    Guide call in and therapist/team lead check

•    Team lead and guide follow up check-in

•    (Family Webinar about the second week and fifth week)

•    Evening group (new clients share their life story)

•    (Mail, pictures, OQ-45 data, and adventure updates are posted for family)

•    Bed

Friday

•    (Therapist phone calls with family and other professionals)

•    (Team lead phone call with parents/group calls)

•    (Follow up phone calls to clients and families after Legacy treatment)

•    AM call-in and therapist/team lead check

•    Breakfast

•    Morning group meeting

•    Adventure

•    Lunch

•    Adventure

•    Guide call in and therapist/team lead check

•    Evening group

•    Bed

Saturday

•    AM call-in and therapist/team lead check

•    Breakfast

•    Morning group meeting

•    Adventure

•    Lunch

•    Adventure

•    Guide call in and therapist/team lead check-in

•    Evening group (clients share homework assignments with group)

•    Bed

Sunday

•    AM call-in and therapist/team lead check-in

•    Breakfast

•    Morning group meeting

•    Adventure

•    Lunch

•    Adventure

•    Guide call in and therapist/team lead check

•    Evening group

•    Bed