Nature and Occupational Therapy!
What is Nature-Based Therapy?
Nature-based therapy encourages children to play and explore the outdoors. This approach utilizes nature to promote healing and improve the mental health of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Nature is found to support children's fine and gross motor skills, imaginative play skills, and improve attention span. Because therapy is done outdoors during all four seasons, nature-based therapy might look a little different depending on the location and season. Generally speaking, nature-based therapy involves a trained professional, an outdoor environment, and an appreciation for exploring nature (Sorgen, 2011).
Nature-Based Therapy and Occupational Therapy
Nature-based therapy is an emerging practice area within the profession of occupational therapy. A growing body of research indicates the increasing benefits of outdoor play compared to human-built environments such as playgrounds and those found indoors (Figueroa, 2020). However, nature-based play has become rare with the increase in technology use that is aiding children in a sedentary lifestyle. Most children in the US spend about 5-7 hours per day on the screens. This is why nature-based therapy has been increasingly used in occupational therapy practice to address the child’s goals and needs through outdoor play and in nature. Therapy is done outdoors throughout all four seasons: fall, winter, spring, and summer. Occupational therapists utilize similar assessments and tools to create intervention plans that are designed for indoor settings. Nature offers unique and natural therapeutic benefits for children of all ages and with different conditions. Nature can promote better mental health, improve children’s attention span, motor skills, and increase physical activity levels, and performance levels on cognitive tasks (Figueroa, 2020).
Here are just a few examples of nature-based activities:
Equine-assisted therapy - Utilizes trauma-informed care to promote engagement with horses. This involves doing grounding activities where you spend time with the horse, aid in the grooming process, lead, and walk the horses through obstacle courses.
Wilderness therapy - Works well in a group setting because it involves spending time in the wilderness where you are taught to hike and make shelters. This therapy works to promote social participation and the idea of becoming one with nature.
Adventure therapy - This includes activities that promote the exploration of nature either in an individual or group setting. Specific activities may include rafting or rock climbing outdoors.
Nature’s Path OT provides occupational therapy to children and adolescents through the use of nature. They are located in Colorado Springs, CO. Their services include consultations, individual occupational therapy, lactation, developmental support, and parent coaching. They use a preventative approach to support both parents and their children. Nature-based therapy can be used to promote children reaching developmental milestones. Additionally, they assist mothers by providing them with resources and connecting them with a community for support.
We had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with the founder, Kim, who is a pediatric OT of 17 years. She began working in nature-based therapy within the last year and a half because of her passion for reclaiming outdoor play and exploration for childhood development. She is a big advocate for the therapeutic benefit that nature has on mental health as well. Some of her favorite activities she enjoys doing with the children she serves are water-based, activities that promote grip strength, and outdoor play.
You can check out the replay of the live on our Instagram page! We hope you found this post helpful and were able to learn more about nature-based therapy and how occupational therapists use it!
References
Figueroa, L. (2020). Nature-Based Occupational Therapy for Children With Developmental Disabilities. American Occupational Therapy Association. https://www.aota.org/publications/sis-quarterly/developmental-disabilities-sis/ddsis-8-20
Sorgen, C. (2011, April 27). Do You Need a Nature Prescription? WebMD; WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/nature-therapy-ecotherapy
Nature’s Path OT - https://naturespathot.com/
Adventure therapy photo- https://bluefirewilderness.com/b/adventure-therapy-3/
Wilderness therapy photo- https://www.salon.com/2020/02/02/does-science-support-the-wilderness-in-wilderness-therapy_partner/