Grieving Teens Courses

Course price reflects reduced tuition made possible through the generous support of our donors and the Leadership support of The New York Life Foundation. Additional need based scholarships are available. To learn more about additional need based scholarships, click here. 

Grieving Teens expeditions are designed to help students build confidence and resiliency, acquire coping skills and create a network of ongoing of support. The grief work that is woven into the curriculum helps young people share in a relevant healing experience with real-world outcomes. And in a time and space set aside just for them, grieving teens realize they are not alone.

• Build core skills: Instructors provide students with hands-on training on expedition and personal skills. As they learn to live and travel together, students create an inclusive, supportive crew, sharing through discussion circles and grief rituals.
• Practice Outward Bound values: Students learn to incorporate Outward Bound values into everyday life by pushing their own limits and seeking challenge as an opportunity for personal growth and healing.
• Process and reflect: Journaling, one-on-one conferences and discussion circles help students understand how Outward Bound successes might translate to coping skills back home.
• Demonstrate mastery: As the course nears the end, students tackle an expedition challenge, and pause to share and honor their losses.
• What you’ll learn: Students return home with healthy support mechanisms and a positive network of peers they can count on in the future.

Throughout the expedition, students build, practice, and reflect on skills, conduct service projects and also tackle at least one challenge element - rock climbing, a peak ascent or a big whitewater day - that pushes them to find undiscovered strength. Grief-centered introspection activities such as journaling, one-on-one conferences and nightly small and large-group discussion circles help students understand how their experiences thus far might translate to coping skills back home. During the expedition's final phase, students experience a rare gift and highlight of the course: time to think and reflect on the Solo. With food, equipment and the skills they’ve learned, individuals spend time alone at an assigned campsite – with Instructors periodically checking in on them. As the course nears the end, students participate in a Dedication Ascent. At the top of the peak, the group gathers and each student shares who they have chosen to honor. During the final debrief, students identify continued, healthy support mechanisms and a positive network of peers they can count on in the future.

Course price reflects reduced tuition made possible through the generous support of our donors and the Leadership support of The New York Life Foundation. Additional need based scholarships are available. To learn more about additional need based scholarships, click here. 

Outcomes

Participants will build strong connections with other teens who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Through this journey, participants will have opportunities to experience their grief process in the therapeutic environment of the wilderness.  Participants will learn all the technical skills to support themselves and their teammates during this expedition. Proficiency of skills include river paddling techniques, navigation, back country cooking and campcraft.