Beyond the Challenge: When Cultural Narratives Replace Therapeutic Goals
Adventure therapy often uses challenging activities as a pathway for personal growth. However, participants – and sometimes facilitators – can unintentionally confuse the task of a certain activity with the therapeutic goal. This presentation explores how cultural values, such as perseverance, achievement, resilience, and “never giving up” can overshadow participants’ individual therapeutic intentions. Using a real case from an international university programme, we will examine how well-intentioned support can become subtle pressure, preventing participants from recognising their own boundaries, needs, and authentic success. The session invites practitioners to rethink how we frame activities and how we continually reconnect participants with their personal goals throughout the therapeutic process.
About the Presenter
Unda Avota is an occupational therapist, social worker, lecturer at Riga Stradins University, adventure therapy practitioner, and chairwoman of the board of the Adventure Therapy Latvia association. Unda’s practice integrates adventure therapy methods into the Social Rehabilitation and Support Program for Riga Youth “SUPPORT”, leading seminars for future occupational therapists and organising adventure therapy programs for seniors, young people, and representatives of helping professions. Unda believes that therapeutic change should not only happen in the office, but by experiencing life in all its glory! For Unda, the words “adventure” and “therapy” go hand in hand, and she tries to bring that to life in her practice.
