In 2015, the Qi Adventure Club was founded by Corrie Effa, when a need was addressed by our clients for play, recreation, and adventure outside of the typical ‘therapy’ setting. Many families found limited availability for organized recreational activity that was inclusive to disabled participants, and would accommodate the unique needs of each participant.

Corrie, a Kinesiology grad, completed a practicum in Adventure Therapy where she learned how to adapt programs for individuals who may not get to participate in outdoor recreation on a regular basis. The Qi Adventure Club was then created, to expand opportunities for Adventure Therapy in Edmonton and Alberta.

Register online today at QiAdventureClub.com!

The Qi Adventure Club Strives For:

Image description: Our original 2015 logo.

A place to gain confidence and to feel accepted
Meaningful encounters in nature, involving exciting and creative activities
A time to respect nature, others, and yourself
Creating enjoyable memories with families and friends

Our Goals:

Participants meet new people, make new friends, and gain confidence to be themselves
Participants learn to feel more comfortable when trying new activities and going to different places
Participants learn about nature and how staying active helps one live a balanced life

What is Adventure Therapy?

(Above: A TV feature of Qi Creative’s Young Master Club Taekwondo by Accessible Media.)

Adventure therapy is a type of therapy that uses recreational physical activities and challenges, such as rock climbing, hiking, or sporting activities, to help individuals improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Adventure therapy can be used to treat a variety of mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and trauma, and is often used in conjunction with traditional talk therapy.

Adventure Therapy in Alberta involves participating in exciting, and sometimes challenging, activities here in our backyards, ski trails, rocky mountains and more that push participants to experience new opportunities in a meaningful way.

Adventure Therapy activities are mostly in group settings and in community venues from community leagues, to gyms and private arenas and studios to the great outdoors.

What does Adventure Therapy Look Like?

(Above: Qi Creative’s Adaptive Climbing program, hosted at Vertically Inclined Rock Gym.)

Adventure Therapy involves using the environment to aid therapy, and setting goals and activities that use the environment around you to fulfill these activities.

For example, you could learn to ride a bike by using a stationary exercise bike in a gym, OR you could go outside to a local bike trail (which to us, sounds a lot more engaging and fun!)

In the environment, you learn to listen to others around you (therapists, peers, strangers sharing the bike trail), keep yourself safe (eg. avoiding other bikers on the road, balancing your bike on concrete and outdoor trails, learning to fall safely), develop emotional regulation (when the adventure challenges you, when socializing with instructors or peers), and persistence to stay on your bike and keep pedaling.

If you were a kid trying to learn in a clinic, a sterile environment away from nature and friends, developing these skills (eg. pedalling, balance) can be unmotivating and let’s face it—plain boring.

Benefits of Adventure Therapy

(Above: Qi Creative’s Learn to Ski program, hosted at Edmonton Ski Club.)

There are a lot of different benefits that come from Adventure Therapy, and here are a few that we try to bring out through our Adventure Therapy activities in Alberta.

Energy

At Qi Creative, we want to help others live balanced and healthy lives. Part of having a balanced life includes taking care of our physical bodies, and our emotional, social and spiritual selves. The Qi Adventure club offers many benefits in this area. Not to mention, regular physical activity can increase your energy levels over time, as your endurance and muscle strength is routinely tested and improved with every yoga class, every jump in the swimming pool, every bike ride in your neighborhood!

Improving Physical Health

Did you know that you have approximately 650 muscles in your body? Muscles allow you to move in many different directions and at all types of speeds. At the Qi Adventure Club, we’re going to be working a lot of those muscles as we learn new skills! Outdoor activity is excellent for your physical health. Outdoor activities and challenges can help individuals improve their physical fitness and overall health.

Social Connectedness

We hope the Qi Adventure Club provides a place to meet new friends (for kids and grownups too)! All of our adventures are in group settings. Sometimes, the activities will require teamwork, which means interacting with a lot of awesome people while we adventure together. Completing challenging outdoor activities can give individuals a sense of accomplishment and boost their confidence.

Emotional Boost

Did you know that both exercise and spending time outside improves your mood? If you don't believe it, join us on an Adventure and experience it for yourself! Adventure therapy can help individuals build self-esteem, increase self-confidence, and improve their ability to work effectively in a team.

Personal Growth

Some of the activities or skills we will learn may challenge you. At the Qi Adventure Club, we believe that challenges can help us learn and grow in positive ways. We will always give you the right tools, however, so you can safely and successfully overcome any obstacles you might encounter during an adventure.

Adventure therapy can provide individuals with an opportunity to reflect on their experiences and challenges and to learn more about themselves and their capabilities.

Our Past Adventures

The Qi Adventure Club has offered all sorts of adventures over the years:

Qi Learn to Ski (downhill skiing)
Qi Cross Country Ski
Qi Capoeira (Brazilian martial art)
Qi Climbing (Rock Climbing in partnership with Vertically Inclined Rock Gym)
Qi ICE Climbing (In partnership with Arc’teryx)
Qi CanSkate Adaptive (Skating on ice skates, or adaptive sledge skating)
Qi Rides With You 2 (Riding a 2 wheeled bike)
Qi Skateboarding
Qi Explorers (Riding the bus, geocaching, painting, crafts, sensory and outdoor play)
Qi Dance (Dance and drumming)
Qi AcroYoga

How do I join the Qi Adventure Club?

Register online today at QiAdventureClub.com! You must complete our Membership application before you can register in any of our adventures.

Once accepted, check our website and social media for any announcement of new programs throughout the year.

You do not need a diagnosis or referral from a healthcare provider to join in on Qi Adventure Club activities. The Qi Adventure Club is open to everyone, regardless of ability.