Therapeutic Gap Experience
Starting Your Gap Year Strong
Pure Life Adventure offers an alternative to a traditional gap program. We offer the cultural, adventure, and leadership experience of a gap program with the added benefit of strong, research based, therapeutic support. Young people often struggle with anxiety, isolation, fear of failure, and executive functioning issues during their late teenage years and early years of adulthood. Pure Life supports young people as they develop the skills and strategies needed to navigate this difficult time.
Our three-month program integrates adventure activities (surfing, rafting, and backpacking) with cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps our students overcome challenges and build a ‘toolbox’ for difficult times. In addition, we provide students with opportunities for cultural immersion, community service, and nationally recognized adventure certifications. Through this novel, nature-based approach, we prepare young people for the challenges they will face as they conquer academics, career, social challenges, and independence.
The sweet spot is the intersection of licensed therapy, adventure-based experiences, and practical life-skill development, all in one structured program. A therapeutic gap experience is especially valuable for young adults who:
Feel stuck or lack motivation
Feel overwhelmed by anxiety or depression
Struggle socially
Feel unsure of their next steps after high school
Feel paralyzed by upcoming decisions
While many traditional gap year programs focus on travel, volunteering, or academics, they often lack the clinical and therapeutic support needed to address deeper emotions and behavioral challenges. A therapeutic gap experience offers both personal growth and professional guidance. In addition, therapeutic gap year programs, combined with cultural immersion, give students perspective, confidence, and resilience.
For more information and to learn more, please contact our admissions team at or by visiting our contact page.
“At the end of my senior year, I know that I wouldn’t succeed at college if I didn’t do some self-discovery and learn how to live with my anxiety in a healthy way. Pure Life was the best place to go to start my gap year because I got to work on myself and my mental health in the mountains, rivers, and oceans of Costa Rica.
I got to backpack, surf, raft, cook, and learn Spanish; and also have therapy and work on my well-being. Pure Life… allows you to grow while being in an incredible and unique environment.”
Pure Life Alumni – Summer 2018
A Sample Semester at Pure Life
Week 1
Surfing
Week 2
Rafting
Week 3
Backpacking and Cultural Homestay
Week 4
Wilderness First Aid Certification
Week 5
Surfing
Week 6
Rafting
Week 7
Backpacking and Community Service
Week 8
Technical Ropes and Rescue Certification
Week 9
Surfing
Week 10
Rafting
Week 11
Multi Activity Hiking Adventure
Week 12
Multi Activity Hiking Adventure
Week 13
Surfing
Week 14
Rafting
Week 15
Swift Water Rescue Certification
Experience Your Gap Year With Pure Life
Have you been seeking that opportunity to step back from the grind of life? Do you feel overworked with school? Ever thought about taking a break from your formal education, career, and social life? Maybe you’re seeking some clarity on what you’re supposed to do for a career? Maybe you just graduated high school and are looking for a memorable life experience? Perhaps you’re experiencing emotional and social struggles? An adventure gap year program might be the experience you need.
Pure Life’s program is staffed by licensed, master’s-level therapists trained to help young adults create meaningful change through guided support. Costa Rica is the ideal setting for a therapeutic gap experience because its rainforest, mountains, rivers, and coastlines create a natural environment for challenge and growth. Adventure therapy for young adults uses activities like surfing, hiking, rafting, and cultural immersion to help students build confidence, resilience, and life skills in ways that feel active, meaningful, and real.
Did You Know Individuals Who Engage In A Gap Year…
Graduate from college faster…
Graduate with a higher GPA…
Gain a greater understanding and maturity for life…
Are much happier in their careers after the fact…
Have improved mental health…
Have more focus on what to do with life…
Gap Years Are For Everyone!
Typically, gap year programs are for young adults who feel overworked, seek deeper meaning, strive to experience college with more focus, who might be struggling emotionally and socially in life, or who needs a little direction and maturity.
An adventure gap year program can help you gain meaning and clarity on what experiences you want to have, what skills you would like to gain and improve, or put you in that position where you ask yourself “Who do I want to be?” Reread that last question and seriously ask yourself, “Who do I want to be?” A therapeutic gap experience with Pure Life Adventure just might be what you’re looking for.
A therapeutic gap experience may be the right choice if a student is experiencing:
Burnout after high school, academic apathy, or struggling to succeed academically
Uncertainty about college, career, or next steps
Low confidence
Resistance to independence
A desire for real-world experience to achieve clarity for future plans
Feeling stuck, unmotivated, or lacking direction
Needing extra time to build maturity or life skills
Find Your Path In Life!
For more information and to learn about your next gap year outdoor program with Pure Life, please contact our admissions team now at (801) 896 9490 or by visiting our contact page.
Feeling Stuck/Overwhelm
Many young adults reach a point where the next step feels harder than expected. One student may be accepted to college but feels intense anxiety about leaving home and keeps delaying decisions. Another may have graduated from high school and now spends his days gaming, sleeping late, and exhibiting low motivation to move on to college or a career. Another young adult might look successful on paper but feels burned out, exhausted, and afraid of failing if they keep pushing forward. These scenarios are common, and although not catastrophic, they still deserve attention and support.
When someone feels stuck, forcing the next step does not always solve the problem. For many, not feeling capable of completing the next steps leads to crippling anxiety, depression, and apathy or withdrawal that can worsen over time.
Taking a gap year for personal growth can provide structure, professional guidance, and space to reset while building confidence and mental purpose. Through therapy, adventure challenges, and real responsibilities, young adults can move from avoidance to action, from overwhelm to a motivated plan, and from uncertainty to confidence in their abilities and future.
Outcomes + Expected Transformation
“Transformation” is a strong word, and we stand behind it 100 percent. Structured gap year programs like our Adventure Therapy program are designed to develop confidence, independence, and mental clarity. For example, a student who struggles with follow-through may be responsible for waking up on time, managing gear, and staying on schedule. Someone who shuts down under stress may learn to regulate emotions while navigating a difficult hike, adapting to travel changes, or working through conflict with peers. In therapy, students begin to understand how patterns like procrastination, anxiety, and fear of failure can undermine success. But knowledge is not enough. Our program helps students learn new, healthy coping strategies and practice those in real situations.
Therapeutic gap year experiences are designed to create real progress, not just fill in time between life stages. Every part of the program is intentional. Outdoor challenges like hiking, surfing, and rafting help students practice resilience, adaptability, and perseverance in real life. Group therapy and guided reflection can build self-awareness, emotional regulation, and stronger communication skills. Community living and shared responsibilities teach accountability, independence, and how to navigate relationships in healthy ways.
The outcome? A young adult who communicates clearly, handles responsibilities with less resistance and confidence, and feels capable of making life decisions. They leave our program armed with practical readiness and skills necessary to succeed at college, work, relationships, and independent living.
Find Your Next Step
Choosing the right program can feel overwhelming for many families. You may be weighing timing, cost, readiness, and emotional needs. You may wonder what truly will work (there are so many promises and options!). That uncertainty is normal. Important decisions often come with a lot of questions, and most families want to feel confident they are choosing support that fits their child’s needs without sacrificing family values or goals.
Pure Life helps guide that process with a thoughtful, supportive approach. By integrating therapy and adventure-based experiences, intermixed with practical life-skill development, our program for struggling young adults is perfectly suited to bridge the gap between where you now stand and where you’d like to be.
Because every student is different, the admissions process focuses on understanding your family’s goals, current challenges, and overall fit. Reaching out does not commit you to anything–it simply gives you clearer information. We have a wealth of experience, and we are happy to share it. We offer free consultations. Contact our admissions team today to learn more!