Bush Adventure Therapy & Outdoor Health

A bio-psycho-socio-eco approach to human mental healthcare

Ben Knowles & Dr Anita Pryor
Acknowledgement
Aunty Verna Nichols – pakana/bunerong elder
“We pay respect to our elders past and present. We honour them.
To the many Aboriginal people that did not make elder status, we
honour them. We pay respect to today’s Aboriginal community.
We honour them. We pay respect to the non-Aboriginal people
that support our people. Meeting on country helps keep us
strong. Our feet are planted on the earth so that we are always
connected to country, mother earth. Country holds the
knowledge of the old people. Their souls are within the land”.
About us

Adventure Works Australia Ltd

Outdoor Health Australia
“Adventures 4 All”

Anita Pryor Ben Knowles

 Ben

“I am more grounded when outdoors in nature, being in nature nourishes me”

 Anita

Age 8: “Being in nature makes me feel good, I want to help others feel good too”
Emerging human health dilemmas
Increasing rates of non-communicable disease and illness.
• Mental health conditions
• Stress related illness
• Social isolation
• Chronic disease (heart disease, type two diabetes, etc.)

Social isolation Urbanisation

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2019)

Physical activity Access to nature/ biodiversity Frumkin & Haines (2019)
Britton et al. (2020)
Richardson et al. (2016)
Thomas et al. (2020)
Emerging ecological health dilemmas
Increasing rates of environmental disease and illness -
• Biodiversity loss
• Climate change
• Pollution
• Over population

Human population Pollution

World Health Organisation (2019; 2022)

Climate homeostasis Biodiversity loss United Nations (2023)
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2020)
“Human health must be
seen in the wider
context of the
interconnected grand
challenges”
Susan Prescott
Q. How do I situate my work within these
broader ‘grand challenges’?
Q. Can my personal and professional lives
also support the planet?
Outdoor Health Australia
Bush Adventure Therapy
• nature-based health interventions
• active social experiences in nature for
therapeutic outcomes
• bio-psycho-socio-ecological approaches to
human health and wellbeing
• a diverse field of practices in Australia and
around the world.
Bodies of supportive
research evidence
Benefits of experiential Benefits of a therapeutic Benefits of social connection Benefits of contact with
adventure - BIO framework - PSYCHO and support - SOCIO nature - ECO
• Greater self esteem, • Therapeutic alliance • Reduced stress, anxiety, • Improved physiological
confidence • Potential development of depression functioning
• Increased assertiveness, safe, secure attachments • Improved recovery, • Decreased visits to
independence • Holistic safety-net rehabilitation doctors or hospitals
• Heightened self- • Improved outcomes when • Promotion of feelings of • Better coping and
awareness, added to conventional value and worth recovery from illness and
understanding therapies • Increased mental health injury
• Increased internal control, • Stand alone treatment and wellbeing • Improved attention,
motivation concentration, cognitive
• Enhanced physical functioning, productivity
wellbeing • Improved outcomes when
added to conventional
therapies
A diverse field in Australia
A diverse international field
A Bio-psycho-socio-eco approach
to human mental healthcare
B: BIO: Biological P: PSYCHO: Psychological
Physical, kinaesthetic, Mental, emotional,
somatic, physiological, cognitive, mindfulness,
neural pathways etc. behavioural etc.

S: SOCIO: Social relations C: CULTURAL: Cultural

Interpersonal, relational Communities, societies,
etc. geopolitics etc.

E: ECO: Ecological
All beings, natural environmental, the planet etc.
Q. Can I imagine bringing nature into my
practice, or taking my practice outdoors?
Maybe you already do…
Outdoor Health in Australia
Outdoor Health
• an emerging form of health care
• across the spectrum of need
• for individuals, families, groups and communities
• throughout the life-span
• with bio-psycho-socio-eco benefits
• for people from all walks of life
• a diverse field of practices in Australia and
around the world.
• Services to admitted
patients
• Services to outpatients Health
• Emergency departments promotion &
disease prevention • Immunisation & vaccination
• Cancer screening
Australian •
•
Health education
Engagement
Health Hospital Primary
•
•
Epidemiology
Disease reduction
System care healthcare
Outdoor
Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare (2022)
Health Sector
• Mental health services • General practice
• Cancer treatment Specialist • Nursing
• AOD treatment care • Allied health services
• Palliative care • Pharmaceutical services
• Other specialist services • Community & public
health services
 Examples from
Health promotion &
Victoria, Australia disease prevention
• Parkrun
• YaFT Explore
• Eastern Access

Australian Community Health WILD

• Escaping your comfort
Hospital Primary
Health care healthcare
zones

System Outdoor
Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare (2022)
Health Sector
• Geelong Adventure Specialists
• Austin rehab • Gippsland Adventure Therapy
• Purple soup Specialist care • Out Doors Inc
• Hospital gardens • Adventure Works Australia
• The Outdoor Experience
Bio-psycho-socio-eco approaches
to human mental healthcare
B: BIO: Biological P: PSYCHO: Psychological
Physical, kinaesthetic, Mental, emotional,
somatic, physiological, cognitive, mindfulness,
neural pathways etc. behavioural etc.

S: SOCIO: Social relations C: CULTURAL: Cultural

Interpersonal, relational Communities, societies,
etc. geopolitics etc.

E: ECO: Ecological
All beings, natural environmental, the planet etc.
Emerging Outdoor Health
Modalities
Aboriginal healing on country Green social work Outdoor counselling
Adventure therapy Horticultural therapy Outdoor couples therapy
Animal assisted therapy Indigenous healing practice Outdoor education
Bush adventure therapy Nature-based art therapy Outdoor gestalt therapy
Bush kinder Nature-based counselling Outdoor integrative therapy
Ecopsychology Nature-based dance movement therapy Outdoor narrative therapy
Ecotherapy Nature-based family therapy Outdoor person-centred counselling
Environmental psychology Nature-based mindfulness Outdoor psycho education
Equine therapy Nature-based music therapy Outdoor psychotherapy
Experiential learning Nature-based play therapy Outdoor recreation
Family therapy outdoors Nature-based therapy Outdoor solution focused therapy
Forest school Nature-based occupational therapy Outdoor therapy
Forest therapy Outdoor acceptance and commitment Outdoor sensorimotor therapy
therapy Outdoor somatic psychotherapy
Outdoor brief therapy Outdoor systemic therapy
Outdoor cognitive behavioural therapy Therapeutic horticulture
Transpersonal therapy outdoors
Walk and talk therapy…
Q. Where does my work or practice sit?
 What do we do?
Adventure Works Australia Ltd
“Adventures 4 All”
AWA – Practice, Training,
Research & Partnerships
AWA – Outdoor Health Services

https://adventureworks.org.au/outbush

https://adventureworks.org.au/a4a
AWA - Integrative Neuro-informed
Framework
Outdoor Health Ethical Principles…
ü Positive regard for all people
ü Respect for differences in culture, gender, age and identity
ü Strong family and community connections
ü Transparency, Informed consent, Confidentiality
ü Voluntary participation (within the confines of service type)
ü Selection for ‘readiness’ to participate
ü Attention to individual and group needs and hopes
ü Supportive physical, psychological and social environments
ü Tailored adventure experience
ü Provision of options and choices (including supported exits)
ü Respect for cultural custodianship of country
ü Increasing self awareness and reflexive practice
ü Safety and no harm to self, others or natural environments
The Canmore Declaration on Planetary Health
“Improving the health of all systems depends on –
• mutualistic values
• planetary consciousness
• advocacy
• unity of purpose
• recognition of biopsychosocial interdependence
• emotional bonds between people and the land
• efforts to counter elitism, social dominance and
marginalisation
• meaningful cross-sectoral and cross-cultural narrative
• self-awareness, and
• a personal commitment to shaping new normative
attitudes and behaviours.” (Prescott et. al., 2018)
Q. How can I connect with outdoor mental
health practices?
Adventure Works Australia
Practitioner Training

Foundational practitioner training for Psychologists, Therapists, Counsellors and other

health professionals interested in taking their practice outdoors on-country.
https://adventureworks.org.au/foundations-courses/
Outdoor Health Australia – Our Vision
 Outdoor Health
Forum 2024
Sunday 14th to Friday the 19th April, 2024
Spring Beach | Orford | Tasmania | Lutruwita | Australia
 Contacts
Adventure Works Australia
https://adventureworks.org.au

Outdoor Health Australia

https://outdoorhealth.org.au

Anita Pryor Ben Knowles