Spirited Adventures is a program of Greater Minnesota Family Services, a non-profit community mental health agency serving rural Minnesota families.
The Spirited Adventures Program is based out of Sherburne County and is a newly established program that began in 2020 to address a need in the community offering an alternative approach to healing. The Spirited Adventures program works with youth who have been unsuccessful in traditional talk-therapy or office-based counseling; for those who can benefit from an interactive, experiential approach; and for those in need of increased motivation and engagement in therapy.

Based in outdoor and experiential education, sessions are safely structured to encourage healthy risk-taking in sometimes unfamiliar settings. Our adventure-based initiatives create opportunities to develop problem-solving skills, self-regulation, and feelings of accomplishment, ultimately promoting positive behavior changes when a learning experience is transferred to another context in the participant's life. The nature-based setting allows for a natural healing environment and opportunities to practice mindfulness and calming strategies. Activities that we utilize to foster growth & learning include:
- group games/initiatives
- low ropes challenge course
- hiking/snowshoeing
- biking
- kayaking/canoeing
- backcountry expeditions
- wilderness survival skills

A proven alternative to talk therapy, we are committed to offering the evidence-based approach to counseling known as Adventure Based Counseling, Adventure Therapy, and Nature-Based Counseling. We follow best practices established by the Therapeutic Adventure Professional Group (TPAG) and we are working toward an accreditation from the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare & National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs.