Boundary Waters – Intercept Semester – Canoe & Backpack

Intercept is for family change. This unique intervention program is designed to support teens and their families with an intentional break from the status quo. This is a powerful chance to rebuild confidence and capability for positive change. Intercept is not therapy, or “wilderness therapy.” Instead, Intercept interrupts the family challenge and hits the pause button. This is a practical program for families who want to give their teens and themselves a break, and a chance to change for the better.

Intercept provides a positive and parallel learning adventure for teens and families. Teens step away from the pressures of home and school, and step into a 23-day confidence-building adventure all their own. Nature and friends provide life lessons in healthy risk, communication, decisions, and conflict resolution. Back at home, families explore their own tailored curriculum to build skills for supporting themselves and their teen. Everyone explores and practices practical tools to build a new path forward, together.

Family Reflection

Reflection is an Intercept superpower. Both teens and families learn to step back and reflect on the impact of their actions and consequences to date, and, with the support of instructors and peers, identify opportunities for positive change and practice setting new goals.

Family Seminar

Intercept culminates in a transformational Family Seminar that reunites teens and families to integrate learning for change. With the support of our expert facilitators, teens and families collaborate to share experiences, identify key learnings, and create a custom family plan for mutual support and positive change. During Family Seminar, Intercept teens, parents, and guardians alike often forge friendships for a lifetime of connection and community.

Family Participation

Intercept is for the entire family. While teens embark on their own learning expedition, guardians or parents are expected to work out the Parent Workbook. The Workbook helps families explore and build the same communication and conflict resolution skills teens are practicing out in the wilderness. Our incorporated family questionnaire helps families explore and contextualize recent life events, family systems and dynamics, and identify historic patterns of conflict. Weekly lessons focus on awareness and learning to prepare families for the Family Conference at the end of week three. Each component of Intercept– expedition, workbook, and seminar–introduces families and teens to life-changing restorative practices to catalyze compassion, confidence, and skills for positive change.

No, Intercept is NOT “wilderness therapy.” We are not clinicians or therapists, and Intercept is not a therapeutic program. We are experiential educators who understand teens and families and recognize the practical power of nature-based, hands-on experience. We are practitioners of social, emotional, and physical learning, and we are experts in facilitating personal growth and leadership through adventure and self-discovery. People go Outward Bound for transformation. We help people identify personal potential and grow confidence to move forward.

How is Intercept different from wilderness therapy? Intercept does not treat mental health issues. Instead, we focus on building social, emotional, and physical skills to help people grow confidence and implement the change that’s right for them. Outward Bound is future-focused. We don’t fix what needs repair; we move people forward.

Sometimes families are in a mental health crisis, and they need the support of a licensed professional for therapy or family counseling. Intercept can complement professional treatment, but Intercept is not a replacement for therapy or counseling. Keep in mind that Intercept doesn’t aim at specific mental health outcomes or treatment goals, and we don’t employ clinicians. Intercept is a practical intervention for interrupting the social and emotional status quo at home, growing skills, and building family confidence for a new way forward.

How do you know if Intercept is for your teen and family? Our Admissions team is trained to help you figure out if Intercept is the right fit. We work to understand the needs of your teen and family–we’re certainly here to support your challenges and opportunities–but sometimes teens and families just aren’t yet ready for Intercept. Sometimes families need more time to work on mental and physical health, and that’s okay– Intercept will be here when you’re ready. If we need to, we’ll consult with clinicians or physicians to make sure your teen and family are ready for Intercept.