Our outdoor Occupational Therapy programme provides therapeutic capacity building, that combines the benefits of physical activity, emotional and social support, as well as community participation. Learning through experience means we can feel the benefits within ourselves. As we have fun, caring for our mental health becomes easy.

Bush Adventure Therapy (BAT) is an evidence-informed nature-based health intervention that mobilises the known benefits of four mechanisms of change to achieve therapeutic outcomes for those involved:

1. Nature-contact

2. Social relationships

3. Physical activity

4. Psychological care

Studies have shown that our brains have ‘neuro-plasticity’, meaning the ability to form new neural pathways (especially during the teenage years when our brains are in a phase of rapid growth that continues till the age of 25). By engaging in play-based experiential learning, and combined with restorative environments, we work with our body’s capacity to grow and heal. (A bit like an AI programme that learns as it goes, your very own software update!). This has restorative effects on all aspects of our being, allowing nature and nurturing interactions to fill developmental gaps, and literally change our mind.

Our model was developed with a trauma-informed approach, whereby we engage in outdoor activities first to help regulate our nervous system. Then once calm and engaged, we create a nurturing and safe group environment for emotional support and teaching mental health care. We believe that each individual has their own inner expert, and we facilitate the process of empowerment so that we can each lead our own recovery. Through authentic belonging within the group, we learn we are not alone, we are accepted and appreciated for our own uniqueness, and that we are all co-learners in this journey called life. This emotional safety forms the foundation for mental health recovery.

You can read more about the benefits of nature for our health in media reports HERE , HERE , HERE and HERE.