National Conference Workshop Brainstorm

							Developing Physical and Mental Health
 Through Outdoor Adventure Training
  The Ultimate Mind & Body Workout
Glengarry: Kangaroo Valley. NSW


       Kangaroo Valley
    Presentation Overview
• Overview of outdoor
    adventure training & it
    connection with physical
    and mental health.
•   Current state of play with
    “Generation Y”.
•   Influential theories that
    are guiding current
    practice: Positive
    Psychology Movement.
•   Sport psychology and
    adventure training.
•   7 Habits of Highly
    Effective Teenagers in the
    outdoors. Building
    physical & mental skills
                                 Is this presentation for you?
    for life.
    Resilience In Today’s Youth
• There is an ever increasing
    body of evidence from many
    disciplines that suggests that
    today’s young people are
    less resilient. (Noble, 2007)
•   As a result many of our
    youth are struggling:
    – Episodes of depression, suicide,
      self-harm, violence and
      problematic substance abuse
      are increasing.
The Outcome Of Less Resilience
 • 9% of students have had a
   depressive episode by the end
   of primary school.
 • 15-20% of students have had
   depression while at high
   school. (Relivich & Seligman 2003).
 • 250,000 depression
   prescriptions were written for
   students in 2003. When
   included with adult rates, this
   costs our economy 3.3 billion
   dollars annually
                                           (Beyond Blue, 2005).


 • Alarmingly mental illnesses are
   becoming more prevalent in
   people at younger ages.
          (Pryor, Carpenter & Townsend, 2005)



 • Accompanying this our suicide
   rates are some of the highest
   in the world.                                                  Stephanie Gestier and Jodie Gater, both 16,
                                                                  entered into a suicide pact in 2007 in Melbourne.
        What Has Happened To The
      Resilience Of Our Young People?
 Research has identified 4 key reasons for this loss of youth resilience.

1. Lack of
     connectedness to
     positive institutions.
2.   An Increase in blame
     culture.
3.   Back Firing Of Self-
     esteem.
4.   Not taking time to
     enjoy each day. (Noble, 2003)          I believe the fitness and outdoor
                                            industry can have a role to play!
  What The Latest Research Is Saying!
Foundation For My Teaching
• I would like to highlight
  several pieces of literature
  that have helped shape my
  current thinking on outdoor
  adventure and future
  directions for programming.
Positive Psychology Education
                 Outdoor
Recent developments in the field of psychology, however, have begun to
                                              
suggest the adoption of a new paradigm referred to as positive
            Outdoor Education
psychology. Positivepsychology has as its goal the fostering of excellence
through the understanding and enhancement of factors leading to growth.
Some of these factors include positive emotions, positive individual traits,
                                                         Outdoor Education
and pro-social attitudes. Rather than focus on deficits, positivepsychology
examines these positive traits and attributes, with an eye toward
strengthening them or facilitating their development in clients. These traits
are critically important, as they can lead to the development of stable
personality and physical states like resiliency, optimism, and even better,
physical health over time. Instead of focusing on decreasing negative
                        Outdoor Education
symptoms in therapy, a positive psychology approach would focus more
                                

on enhancing client strengths.
                   Positive Psychology
       A Potential Model To Incorporate Into
        Outdoor Education / Fitness Industry
“Raising children I
realized, is vastly more
than fixing what is wrong
with them. It is about               www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu
identifying and nurturing
their strongest qualities,
what they own and are
best at, and helping them
find niches in which they
can best live out these
strengths”.
                (Seligman, 2000)
                                   Dr Martin Seligman
 Promoting Buffers Against Mental Illness
• We have discovered that
  there is a set of human
  strengths that are the
  most likely buffers
  against mental illness:
  courage, optimism,
  interpersonal skill, work
  ethic, hope, honesty and
  perseverance.

• Much of the task of
  prevention will be to
  create a science of
  human strength whose
  mission will be to foster
  these virtues in young
  people.
             (Seligman, 1998).
    suggest that school and community
    outdoor education programs can work
    towards the enhancement of the health
    and wellbeing of individuals, families,
    communities; thereby working to prevent
    the onset or establishment of ill health or
    ineffective life practices.




HEALTH PROMOTION IN OUTDOOR EDUCATION
Positive Prevention Strategies Requires A New Direction
             In Programming & Facilitation




    Outdoor
    Education




 TO CHANGE              ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES                              PROGRAM TYPE
    Feelings          New skills, energy, enjoyment, fun                      Recreational
   Thinking          New knowledge, attitude, awareness                       Educational
   Behaviour         New ways to act & increase function                    Developmental
                         New ways to cope & decrease
  Misbehaviour                                                                Therapeutic
                                dysfunction
                Matching program type with change requirements. (Priest, 1996, p.23)
        Outdoor Education & Sport Psychology
       Helping Athletes Achieve Their Best




NSW Netball Team Undergoing Outdoor Training In Preparation For Their National Championships
 Upon Return To Camp
The Pressure Continued
• No cabins, no tents
• Only a big tarp to sleep under.
    We thought we would be
    sleeping in cabins!
•   Showers from a billy. “We
    stank so bad!”
•   Then we had to cook & clean.
•   By the time we got to bed it
    was midnight.
•   This was all about learning to
    deal with the unexpected
    situations that may occur in
    sport and being ready to deal
    with them!
  “Why did we
have to come all
 the way up here
to sort this out?”
5.30am The bagpipe alarm clock sounded
 We are behind and we’re
in a hole. Remember how
we worked together to get
 out of that cave. We can
do the same here. “1, 2, 3,
     out of this hole”.
Profoundly Life Changing Read!
The 7 Habits
 Overview
  Habit 1 Be Proactive Overview
  Is all about taking control of your life! It means that you
  choose to act deliberately and take responsibility for your
  actions and your life’s direction.
• A proactive person:
   – Can choose their attitude to
     life
   – Is responsible for their own
     happiness.
   – Controls the things in their life
     that they can control, and
     forgets about the
     uncontrollable.
   – Overcomes setbacks through
     proactive thinking & action.
   – Strives to be a change agent
     through proactive actions.
   – Makes life happen to them
     rather than being a
     passenger.
   – Makes smarter decisions.
     Pushes pause before acting!
         Self-Awareness:
Am I a Positive or Negative Thinker?
• Monitoring self-talk on a tough
   expedition. Every hour or
   during stops, or at places
   dictated by the terrain that
   could provide “a teachable
   moment” have students
   complete a self-check for a few
   minutes evaluating the
   following:                            What do I see when I look inside myself? Do I like
    –   Self-talk                        what I see? All Change has to begin from within!
    –   Talk with others
    –   Body language
    –   Enthusiasm levels at different
        spots during the trip.
• At a scheduled stop have
  students document their
  thoughts in a rite-in-the-rain
  journal.
• Evaluate this around the fire at
  night. This leads to a tutorial
  on positive – negative self-talk.
    Positive or Negative Tracker
• What Kind Of Tracker are
    you?
•   This activity links to the
    monitoring of self-talk
    during an expedition.
•   Around the fire students
    complete the tracker
    questionnaire and
    calculate the kind of
    “Tracker” they are.
•   Facilitation can involve
    partner sharing of results.
    Then a discussion on how
    we can be more positive
    in our daily lives.
                                   Tracker
                                    Video
Make Your Own Weather!
We have the ability to see sunshine even when we
 are surrounded by storms! Its all about attitude!




                                                   I
                                                 Tunes
Habit 2: Begin With The End In Mind Overview

 • Deals with developing a
     clear picture of who you
     want to be and what you
     want to accomplish in
     your life.
 •   What are your values?       Where do we want to go in

 •
                                 life? We better draw a map
     What is your mission?       to get there”.
 •   What are your goals?
     – How to set them
     – Systems to support your
       goals
 • Identifying your talents
     and developing them
     through out your life.
 •   Making your life
     extraordinary!
    How Can A Mission Help Your Life
    Be Extraordinary?
• Since your destiny is yet
    to be determined, why
    not make it extraordinary
    and leave a lasting
    legacy.
•   A great way to think
                                  Peter Weir a Scots Old Boy
    about life is to fast track
    ahead 70+ years and
    imagine what people
    would say about you at
    the end of your life.
•   What would they say?
•   Now during your mini
    solo let’s write down what
    they would say about
    you! Write your own                                        Dead
    obituary!                                                  Poets
                                                               1:45
Paint Your Own Masterpiece
Mission Statements: Single Sentence
 Setting Goals
     Steps That I Need To Take To Help Me Live My Life’s Mission



1.    Count The Cost
2.    Put It To Pen
3.    Just Do It
4.    Use Momentous Moments
5.    Rope Up
    Climbing Wall Traverse: A Metaphor
    For Attitude & Persistence In Life
• Goal Setting: I use a climbing
    wall to introduce goal setting
    and the concept of persistence
    to reach your goals.
•   Attempt a traverse across the
    wall.
•   Identify your weakness and
    strengths. Improve your
    weaknesses and call on your
    strengths to better your-self.
•   Now they can transfer this new
    skill to setting goals for others
    areas of their lives.
•   Link this activity to a
    concluding session where they
    can set some tangible goals
    that they can pursue after the
    program.
 Goal
example
                    Step 5: Roping Up
• Climbers rely on each other for
    safety, motivation & support. The
    rope bonds them and keeps them
    together in their common quest!
•   They are also there to support you
    if & when you fall!
•   When you set goals, “rope up” with
    someone else with a similar vision
    or motivation for life.
•   In real life if you rope up with
    someone or a group; your energies
    and enthusiasm will drive each
    other to success.
•   You will also have people to
    support you through the hard times
    along your journey to success,
    which are naturally part of life!
Habit 3: Put First Things First Overview
 • Identifying the important
     things in your life. The
     BIG ROCKS.
 •   Prioritising your life and
     managing your time.
 •   Recognising your time
     /organisational style.
 •   Don’t let fear control your
     life and make your
     decisions.
 •   Comfort zones – Courage
     Zones.
Teaching Teens To Prioritise Their Time
 • Many of you will know that
     teens are classic
     procrastinators, time
     wasters, and poor planners.
 •   Often they have never been
     shown how to organise
     themselves effectively!
      Teaching Teens To Prioritise Their Time: A Campsite Example!
Identify the key roles you have at camp
this morning. What “Big Rock” issues
do you need to achieve in order to leave
at the scheduled time? EG:
Role: Personal Organisation
       Big Rock: Dress in my hike gear
                  Dress in my hike gear
       Big Rock: Empty Out The Tent
       Big Rock: Pack my pack Tent
                 Empty Out The
       Big Rock: Finalise pack to leave
                 Pack My Pack

Role: Tent Mate

       Big Rock: Clean inside of tent.
       Big Rock: Help pack the tent up.
       Big Rock: Tidy area around tent

Role: Part of Food Group
       Big Rock: Prepare & eat B’fast
       Big Rock: Wash up & clean
                                            Leave On Time & Learn Life Planning Skills at
       Big Rock: Filter Water for day
                                            the same time!
Role: Navigator
       Big Rock: Plan out hike route
       Big Rock: Discuss hazard potential


Role: Environment Carer
       Big Rock: Rubbish check of camp
Identify the key roles in your life. What “Big
Rock” issue do you need to achieve this week
under this role heading. EG:
Role: Student
                Big Rock: History Test Wed
                Big Rock: Maths: 13.2 –14.9 Fri
                Big Rock: Science assn due Wed

Role: Athlete
                Big Rock: Training Tues, Thur
                Big Rock: Weights Mon Wed Fri
                Big Rock: Game Saturday

Role: Son
                Big Rock: Family Dinner Sun PM
                Big Rock: Do chores help mum.
                Big Rock:

Role: Friend
                Big Rock: Movie Sat PM mates
                Big Rock: DofE planning for silver
                Big Rock:

Role: Boy Friend of Jess
                Big Rock: Phone her after h/work
                Big Rock: Beach day Sun PM
                Big Rock: Movie Sat night.
     Courage Zone
• As well as prioritising
    the Big Rocks in our
    lives, Habit 3 also
    teaches us about
    putting us first ahead
    of our fears!
•   Putting first things
    first will often cause
    you to stretch outside
    your comfort zone.
      The Fear Factor: Are your fears controlling your destiny?


• It could be argued that fear is
  one of the worst emotions that
  people can possess because of
  its ability to hold us back in
  life.
• Fear can paralyse us, limiting
  our achievements and
  reducing enjoyment in our
  lives.
• Outdoor Education has the
  ability to help students
  recognise that fear is normal
  and part of life.
• We can then give participants
  opportunities to face these
  fears, learning skills to push on
  into their courage zone!
Okay: Now Lets All Experience The
Fear Factor
• I need a volunteer
• Now we are going to take
    a look at the DVD clip.
•   Can you move like an
    emu?
•   Now I want you to
    monitor your self talk,
    your thoughts, your
    muscle tightness, your
    belief in yourself.
•   How are you feeling right             Remember
    now?                        The key to overcoming our fears is
                                to worry less about failing, and
                                more about the chances we
                                miss when we don’t even try.
                         What could you
                           do to feel the            Performance Plan:
                          fear and enter             Come up with a
Imagery: See your
                         my courage zone             performance plan
fear & how you
                             anyway?                 (game plan) where
might react and see
                                                     your performance has
yourself rehearsing a
                                                     been written down and
more positive
                                                     rehearsed many times
outcome.
                                                     before you have to do
                                                     it right!

  Positive Self Talk:
  Monitor the dialogue
  in your mind.                                      Centering: Deep
  Monitor the volume                                 breaths with an
  of your negative                                   accompanying
  voice. If you hear      Cue Words: Have a          release of tension.
  yourself saying you     phrase that cues you       Can be accompanied
  CAN’T DO IT. Turn       into the things you        by positive self-talk
  down the volume on      need to attentive to;      or cue words.
  this negative tone,     Relax, lift, you can do
  and turn up the         it! Believe in yourself!
  positive voice.
        Habit 6: Synergise Overview
• Habit 6 is about
    knowing that two or
    more people can work
    together to create
    better solutions than
    any one of them
    could alone.
•   Flow activities to
    promote synergy.
Entrance to B 31 Argyle Cave
The Squeeze
 Synergy In The Cave
                           Synergising With
                               My Peers:
                             Focussing on
                           things within our
                                control.




Lights Out & Work To Get Out Of The Cave
          Rogaining To
            Synergy
 • Students Navigate
          along 4 WD trails
          where they have hiked
          before.
 •        Each group has a
          radio.
 •        The physical &
          psychological stresses
          are super challenging.
 •        The only way to
          succeed is to work
          together in SYNERGY!
 24hr
Debrief
Habit 7: Sharpen The Saw: Renewing
      Ourselves. It is “Me” Time
• I am sure all of us at one
    time or another have the
    feeling that our life is out
    of control. We feel:
    – Out of balance
    – Stressed out
    – Empty on the inside
• Habit 7 is designed to
    reacquaint us with the
    concept of renewing our
    lives.
•   Why is it called “Sharpen
    The Saw”?
Four Dimensions of Sharpening The Saw



           Body                Brain



           Heart                Soul
     Why is Balance so Important?
• To perform at your peak you
    need to strive for a balance in
    all four dimensions.
•   Balance is important because
    what we do in one dimension
    will affect the other
    dimensions.
•   When we look at the statistics
    from the beginning of this
    session many of our teens lives
    are out of balance.
•   The outdoors can be a real
    healing place, restoring
    balance and perspective to our
    clients.
•   This however can be enhanced
    through planning and
    facilitation of activities that
    target “Balance” specifically.
Developing The Physical
Opportunities To Grow Through Sport
      Social Endurance Events
Form teams to goal set, train together, compete together!
            Taking Time To Stop
Inspirational Places For Inspirational Reflection
Meditation   Mental Preparation   Visualisatio
              For Sport or Life        n
      What Possibilities Does This Open Up For
              The Fitness Industry?
• Holistic mind body training.
   – Whether utilising the
     outdoors or not, practitioners
     have the ability to train their
     clients minds as well as their
     bodies through facilitated
     learning modules or when
     teachable moments arise!
• Organise your clients to try
  something different.
   – Mountain biking relay 4-
     24hours.
   – 24 hour walking or jogging
     relay.
   – Multi-sport relay
   – Team orienteering or
     rogaining.
• A day at the cliffs climbing
• Then mountaineering in NZ
     Health Promotion Marketing
• How do we stand out in
    the crowd?
•   Value added programming.
•   Marketing your business as
    a health and wellbeing ally
    of individuals, families,
    communities. This could
    open up a whole new
    world of clientele.
•   Another possibility:
    Creating partnerships with
    school counselors to
    develop programs and
    activities that promote
    resilience and positive
    psychology using the
    outdoors or fitness facility
    as the delivery mode.
     The End
•digger.boyle@bigpond.com
• www.maximumpotential.biz