My Experience and Understanding of Adventure-Based Counselling Essay

According to Neill (2004), Adventure therapy is the use of possibility-based moivities and/or adventure-based theory to provide people with turned on(p) and/or behavioral problems with see to its which lead to absolute variegate in their lives. Adventure therapy is in like manner programming aimed at changing specified impaired behavior patterns, development adventure fathers as forms of habilitation and rehabilitation (Priest & Grass, 2005).The underlying philosophy of adventure-based instruction ( rudiment) is existential education and it stresses on iodines personal improvement through with(predicate) full value contr operation, adventure hustle and challenge by choice (Schoel, Prouty & Radcliffe, 1988). later several(prenominal) lectures, unlike skills were explained and even utilise on ourselves. In this essay, these theories and experience lead be discussed.Adventure-based counseling is part of the mode of experiential make up stars mindedness. Educational psychologists usually subtend eruditeness as a change in the individual ca apply by experience (Slavin, 1986, p.104). Through various experiences, people burn learn from them and gain personal growth. Kolb (1984) suggested an experiential learning cycle, pointing out four necessity elements of experiential learning, which argon experience, review, conclusion and planning.Applying to Adventure-based counseling, experience manner whateverwhat challenging activities for chemical hosts or individuals. Review heart encouraging individuals to reflect, describe, drop dead and learn from the experience. Conclusion meaning net past and present experiences and planning means applying new learning in the future. on that point are several learning theories explaining how experiences bunghole lead to learning, which means behavioral changes or cognitive developments. Operant conditioning proposed by Skinner states that successes, praise, positive feedbacks or rewards muckle act a s positive reinforcers so that the subjects would be reinforced to act the akin way again. Similarly, failures, punishments or negative comments would act as negative reinforcers which deter the subjects to act again (Skinner, 1968).In adventure-based counseling, participants would besidestock some challenges and act. few actions would lead to positive results, which would pull ahead reinforce participants to act in the very(prenominal) way when they face similar situations again. Some actions lead to negative results, which make them apprised and change their behaviors next time. This bay window be applied also to changing of personalities and problem-solving skills. inapplicable personalities will be discouraged by failures or negative feedbacks while sexually attractive personalities will be reinforced.Bandura suggested social learning theory that people can learn through observational learning and cast (Bandura, 1986). Through observational learning, people would ass ume others behaviors and learn from others successes or failures.In adventure-based counseling, when participants face the challenges individually, they would imitate what other participants do, or regaining others successes and failures in dealing with the challenges as example. So when they face the challenges, participants would improve along the sequence. When encountering group challenges, participants would imitate the socially desirable behaviors of their group mates or remind themselves non to behave socially undesirably afterward observing their group mates failures. This can enhance participants social skills.In cognitive aspect, James Coleman (1977) antitheticiates between the information soaking up process of the regular schoolroom and the experiential learning process. In traditional classrooms, acquaintance is taught to students through direct instruction and they obviously memorize the knowledge. Through information assimilation, the learners are expected to m ove from cognitive and symbol-processing arena to the sphere of action through applying the prevalent principles learned into novel situations.Experiential learning is in a reversed put to digesther, which involves actions sufficiently repeated that the learner is able to extrapolate from the experience. However, it is more etched into the brain as the learning can be associated with concrete actions and events, not ripe abstract symbols or general principles (Mllre, & Priest, 1990).There are some important principles of adventure-based counseling, namely Full honor Contract and Challenge by pick (Schoel, Prouty & Radcliffe, 1988). Full Value Contract means an agreement among group members to value one and only(a)s own ideas and needs without ignoring or discounting others. Challenge by Choice means individuals can choose their level of fraternity in any activity. (Neill, 2007)During our lectures, our lecturer Lau Sir has explained different theories by involving us to play games. later playing games, Lau Sir would explain how the games melted, the meaning of different procedures, and what can we learn throughout them.In the commencement ceremony lecture, a game throwing the jaundiced was played. It is an ice-breaking game, aim at knowing the call of group members. Although it is a very sluttish game, it has lots of micro-skills included. At the beginning, Lau Sir has asked did anyone feel panic-struck of the chicken, which could show his caring to the participants, in order to build up the relationship between the leader and the participants. After one expound of the game, Lau Sir required the participants to repeat the process, but with a faster speed, the participants would then move their chairs towards the center. This is using indirect intervention method, helping them to get closer and involve more into it, without instanter telling them to sit closer or involve more.The other micro-skill Challenge by Choice was also frequently used du ring lectures. For example, the throwing the chicken game in the first lecture, the trust ladder in the imprimatur lecture and different games during the overnight camp. completely of these may only be just simply asking the participants that whether they want to play, but it was vital as it shows the respect to the participants. These skills were the easiest amour being omitted, but without it, the counseling work may be affected or even have some inauspicious effects.Although half of the lectures have passed, there is one more High-event Challenge Day and several lectures. I am looking foregoing to learn more different skills in counseling and leading games.Reference amountBandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action A social-cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ Prentice-Hall.Coleman, J. A. (1977). Differences between experiential and classroom learning. In M. T. Keeton (Ed.), Experiential learning rationale characteristics, and assessment, pp. 49-61. San F rancisco, CA Jossey-Bass Publishers.Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning recognize as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ Prentice Hall.Mllre, J. C. & Priest, S. (1990). Adventure education. State College, DA Adventure Publishing.Neill, J. (2004). Adventure therapy definitions. Retrieved from http//www.wilderdom.com/adventuretherapy/adventuretherapydefinitions.htmlNeill, J. (2007). Adventure-based counseling (ABC). Retrieved from http//wilderdom.com/ABC/Priest, S., & Gass, M. (2005). Effective leadership in adventure programming (2nd ed.). Champaign, IL Human Kinetics.Schoel, J., Prouty & Radeliffe,P. (1988). Islands of healing. A guide to adventure based counseling. U.S.A objectify Adventure.Skinner, B. F. (1968). The technology of teaching. New York Appleton-Century-Crofts.Slavin, R. E. (1986). Educational psychology theory into practice. Englewood Cliffs, NJ Prentice-Hall.