I think if we based the safety of the wilderness programs merely on the risk of death based on the tens of thousands that have gone through wilderness it would be a milestone in and of itself, but it is obviously not a marketing strategy I would endorse.
Clearly, as "Well, they don't die
too much" hardly has anything at all to do with "we find problems and fix them without abuse, bullshit, quackery, or excuses to keep them longer to make more money" which is what they should be doing.
Although, most parents are aware of their Childs present safety and this is typically used as a baseline or Benchmark if you will .
Uh, no, the baseline or "benchmark" of therapy is its effectiveness, not its safety. Safety is a concern but not a qualifier. If it is useless, why does its safety matter?
I think the lion share of people/parents realize that wilderness programs are extremely effective…
Realize? Uh, considering there is no proof of such a reality, there is no realization to be had, only a belief, and an ill-begotten one at that.
But many parents are looking for more evidence and what the programs typically do is refer people to others who have completed the program, like most successful businesses do (adoption agencies do this also).
Anecdotes are no replacement for redivisim studies with a sufficient sample size. Also, you can't justify not treating a child becuase they were sent to the most commercially successful wilderness camp becuase its good business practice. Ethics are something the entire "industry" lacks.
Or, as Morbo would say IT DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY.
This gives you a chance to speak directly to a parent who was in the same position as they are now and talk a little about their struggles and the pros and cons of sending a child to wilderness camp.
Anecdotes STILL don't count, and misleading vividness about the imaginary pros and cons cooked up by ed-cons do not count as real advice considering they are based on unproven (or just bullshit) assertions and beliefs in the first place.
This is very helpful because you can get some tips on proceeding to the next step and allows the parent to get a perspective of what worked and what didn’t in their specific case.
Anecdotes... hello? And tips from someone who has a vested interest in belief that it worked (Oh, misleading vividness rules!) is still bullshit. Parents of messed up kids are not experts on messed up kids, now are they? A "consumer experience" or review is not a replacement for professional, educated advice and evaluation.
Which kids in any program, wilderness included, do not get.
Of course you need to do a little outside research on your own because they are going to refer you to the kids who were the most successful, but then this holds true in every business. They are not going to give you the numbers of parents whos kids did not do as well in the program.
Wow, you finally say something thats... 100% true and honest! Wow.
What I typically tell parents is to do their homework, talk to the school/ counselors, the childs therapist if she/he has one and talk to a few different wilderness and TBS if that is your focus. They each bring something unique into play and not all can be a good fit for every child.
Hope this helps.
Too bad you don't tell them about the bullshit of the industry, the COMPLETE lack of proof of any help being done, any recidivism studies, or anything scientific or rigorous, and that you're not an expert on jack squat except justifying things to yourself!
