A HEROIC JOURNEY FOR GRIEVING TEENS & YOUNG ADULTS

Grieving Teens and Young Adults expeditions are often the very inexplicable thing that a young person in pain may need most.

Intended to provide respectful healing experiences in a wilderness environment, these courses implement personal growth methodologies and a simple support model that honors the griever. The grief work that is purposefully woven into every aspect of the curriculum is not intended to provide therapy, but rather to facilitate an environment where young people can connect, build relationships, and share in a relevant healing experience with real-world outcomes.

Participants begin to build an inclusive, supportive “crew” on day one as they join in a nightly discussion circle, acknowledge their shared losses, and begin the healing process. As they tackle problem solving challenges and engage in high impact activities such as rock climbing or ropes courses, students experience moments of self discovery and also reinforce their new community of support – their grieving crewmates. Students are encouraged to share their stories and insights on a daily basis as they participate in meaningful grief rituals as well as grief-centered reflection activities designed to help students understand how their experiences thus far might translate to coping skills back home. During the final debrief students identify continued, healthy support mechanisms and a positive network of peers who they may call on in the future.

Thanks to the contributions of Outward Bound partners, we’re able to offer these expeditions with significantly reduced tuition so that every grieving teen – regardless of financial ability – may take part in their own healing journey.

View Grieving Teens Courses

For questions or more information, please call an Admission Advisor at 866-467-7651 about our offerings or to enroll in a course today. In the meantime, you can view the brochure.

LEADERSHIP SPONSOR: New York Life Foundation

Outward Bound for Grieving Teens is made possible by the generous support of our donors.  Because of their generosity we are able to offer reduced tuition for all program participants. We are particularly grateful to our Leadership Sponsor, the New York Life Foundation. 

Our primary focus continues to be on providing support for organizations that help young people through educational enhancement and childhood bereavement.

By helping young people cope with losing a parent, caregiver or sibling we are responding to the emotional needs of children affected by the loss of a loved one. At New York Life we are pleased to be able to provide resources for kids who might otherwise feel alone and lost as they navigate through their grief and for parents and other adults who interact with children who are grieving.

Learn more about the New York Life Foundation and the work they do on behalf of grieving children and teens www.aChildinGrief.com.

To support scholarships for grieving teens, DONATE NOW

Press & Media

• Backpacker Magazine - He healed his grief on an outdoor journey - and now helps teens do the same.
  Backpacker Magazine, May 2013
• Associated Press - Outward Bound Program Focuses on Grieving Teens 
  Associated Press, July, 29, 2013
• Milford Daily News - A Gift in Honor of James Alenson
  Milford Daily News, 2011
• The Denver Post-Teens scale mountain of grief in outdoor course in Colorado
  The Denver Post, August 18, 2010
• Open to Hope Television-Outward Bound Heroic Journey
  Outward Bound segment at 1min:30sec
• Outward Bound Heroic Journey 
  Partnership Video (with Judi’s House)