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This article seeks to provide a review of the theoretical and empirical literature in the field of wilderness therapy, the intent of which is to gain a greater conceptual understanding of the importance of the physical environment in therapeutic intervention. A review and consolidation of the existing literature reveal that the theories used to explain the outcomes of wilderness therapy relate to variables that are not exclusive to a wilderness setting and may even be amenable to replication in an urban environment. This article raises the question of whether we are unnecessarily taking adolescents into the wilderness if these interventions can be contrived within urban settings or whether there is something about the wilderness specifically that is currently missing from the theoretical literature. The article concludes with a discussion of avenues to facilitate this theoretical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- This paper seeks to present findings from a study soliciting the perspectives of child and youth mental health clinicians practising in rural/remote settings in British Columbia, Canada. Satisfaction is assessed in four areas: lifestyle, practice, preparation for practice, and fit of organizational standards. Design/methodology/approach -- An online survey using a variety of closed and open-ended questions was administered to clinicians practising in four distinct settings: small rural, large rural, small remote, and large remote. Closed questions were analyzed using SPSS 17.0 while open ended questions were analyzed using manual open and axial coding. Findings -- Findings indicate moderate to high levels of satisfaction in all areas. Satisfaction with rural lifestyle and professional practice was strongest for clinicians recruited from within the community. However, clinicians from small remote communities indicated much lower levels of satisfaction in all four areas. Originality/value -- The study underscores the importance of understanding the diversity of rural practice settings in mental health workforce development. In particular it highlights the need for greater attention to evidence based approaches to support mental health practitioners in small remote settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]