PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Adventure Recovery Guide, Clinician, and Coach Trainings
Adventure Recovery offers customized AR guide, AR clinician, and AR coach certificate programs across North America, including tailored trainings for specific populations. The training programs combine evidence-based techniques and skills in mental health awareness, adventure and recovery coaching, and outdoor leadership expertise. Participants who complete AR courses are empowered to offer life-affirming, transformative experiences to individuals and groups.
Who Should Attend?
The Adventure Recovery guide, clinician, and coach programs are designed for individuals and groups seeking positive change, as well as those who want to learn the expertise to safely and effectively embark on outdoor adventures.
This includes: therapists, counselors, active military, clinicians, recovery coaches, educators, recovery advocates, people in recovery, wellness professionals, yoga teachers, life coaches, and anyone else who meets requirements. We provide professional technical training and skills instruction in outdoor leadership and coaching, with a focus on mental health, wellness, and recovery awareness.
Adventure Recovery guide + coach modules
The AR coach training is the prerequisite first module in all AR training programs, including clinical and guide credentials.
The Power of Story and Metaphor
Nature as Teacher and Healer
Mentorship: The Art of Connection
Recovery Coaching: The Adventure Perspective
Personal and Professional Goal Setting
Outdoor Leadership 101
Navigation
Intro to Outdoor Risk Management
Adventure Recovery guide workshops + trainings
The Adventure Recovery guide skills workshops and trainings are composed of independent modules. Here is a sampling of training areas.
Wilderness Advanced First Aid Certification (WAFA)
Mental Health First Aid Certification
NARCAN Administration and Opioid Overdose Prevention
Advanced Risk & Incident Management
Top Rope Rock Climbing & Anchor Instruction
Climbing Movement + Institutional Repelling
Site Management & Introduction to Self-Rescue
River Rescue Certification (RRC)
Intro to River Running: Rafts, Kayaks, SUP, River Surfing
Intro to River Hydrology & Navigation
Overnight River Expedition
Group Management & Expedition Planning
Upon completion of modules, team review, follow-up, and assessment, trainees are given guidance for professional development and growth. Ongoing mentorship and support from current AR Coaches and AR Guides is part of the process. We hold relationships with our trainees every step of the way, to ensure they are clear on their needs and areas to focus on going forward, depending on the desired path.
To become an AR guide, clinician, or coach, participants must fulfill training requirements, satisfactorily deliver presentations and skills assessments, and pass written exams for each module, while maintaining credentials and qualifications on an ongoing basis. Certification is not guaranteed; participants may retest if needed.
Adventure Recovery Clinical
Adventure Recovery clinical is an evolution of the model—a therapeutic approach in natural settings that facilitates connection, holistic healing, and growth. The AR clinical model provides a distinctive, life-based eco-therapeutic approach to clinical care for mental health obstacles, substance use concerns, dependency and addiction, and behavioral challenges. The collaborative process engages the client in an empowerment-based method for self-reflection, defining desired outcomes, and achieving goals. With AR clinical, the therapist is trained to support the client fully who directs their evolution in a compassionate, co-creative space with providers.
Continuing Education
The AR model offers mental health-informed adventure experiences at the highest standard in accordance with the top credentialed organizations in both the adventure field and the mental health and recovery space. Participants in AR trainings and certification programs receive certificates of completion as well as external certifications to gain fundamental skills needed to work toward higher levels of accreditation. Successful graduates are encouraged to earn additional credentials and specialize their outdoor skills through additional instructor certification trainings:
Wilderness Advanced First Aid & First Responder Certification, Wilderness Medical Association (WMA)
River Rescue Certification (RRC) certified by Sierra Rescue International, CA
SUP, Kayak: Level 1-3 Instructor Certification, American Canoe Association (ACA)
Rock Climbing: Single Pitch Instructor Certification, American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA)
Mountain Biking: Level 1-3 Instructor Certification, International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA)
Ski and Snowboard Instructor: The Professional Ski Instructors of America and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors (PSIA & AASI)
In collaboration with these organizations, we provide the top level of excellence in instructor credentialing, with unique representations of these credentials to emphasize our distinctive approach to working with individuals and groups recovering from mental health and substance use disorder. Our model is one of a kind.