Sailing: The SY Comfort Zone
Sometimes a therapist’s office isn’t the best place for youth to Explore, Discover, and Grow. Daily life is replete with pressures and distractions that make Quiet Introspection elusive. Sailing provides an opportunity for youth to disconnect from the distractions of daily life (e.g., iPhone, iPad, iPod, and Video Game console, etc.) Being disconnected promotes Self-Reflection. It is through self-reflection that youth are better able to recognize the need for change and sort out a path for healthy change. Sailing gives youth a chance to experiment with different ways of interacting with self and others.
“SY” stands for Sailing Yacht. The Outdoor Achievement Group, L.L.C. is happy to offer an alternative to therapy on
a “couch.” The SY Comfort Zone is a 2010 Hunter 25 masthead sloop sailboat. This comfortable 24′ 6″ sailboat is equipped with two double berths (beds), a small galley (kitchen), and head (bathroom). The boat is slipped at Lake Tenkiller in the Cookson Hills of the Ozark Mountains in eastern Oklahoma. Lake Tenkiller was built between 1947 and 1952 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The lake is formed by Tenkiller Dam on the Illinois River. The lake covers approximately 12,900 acres and has more than 130 miles of shoreline. It’s a deep lake with steep underwater cliffs that descend to depths of more than 165ft. While sailing on Lake Tenkiller our float plan will be adjusted to balance the needs of sailing, counseling, and simple enjoyment of the marine environment. Sailing offers a variety of psychosocial benefits including Self-Confidence, Achievement Motivation, Communication, Teamwork, Collaborative Problem-Solving, Independence, and Mastery. The marine environment offers the perfect backdrop for children’s journey toward Self-Discovery and Identity Development.
Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare (OBHC) provides youth with an opportunity to Explore, Discover, and Grow by combining traditional therapy with a nature experience. For more information please contact the Outdoor Achievement Group, L.L.C. at 405.361.1754 or email explore@outdoorachievement.com.