What is Adventure & Nature-based Therapy?
Also known as Outdoor therapy, it is part of the emerging global Outdoor Health sector — alongside other evidence-informed nature-based health practices like Outdoor Counselling / Walk-and-Talk Therapy, Animal-assisted therapy, Eco-social work and Ecotherapy.
Adventure and Nature-based Therapy is a holistic approach to health and wellbeing that invites collaboration with the natural world for personal and collective healing.
When facilitated with care and intention, this work can support deep personal and collective healing, and help restore planetary health. Nature becomes more than a backdrop — it becomes an active companion that invites us to slow down, reconnect, and remember our interdependence.
In small, supportive groups, these experiences open space for reflection, shared care, and insight to emerge through relationships with ourselves, one another, and the living world. These unique therapeutic environments support recovery and healing from a broad range of difficult life circumstances, and are highly effective for people from all backgrounds. With a solid safety framework, there is significant evidence that participants experience improved wellbeing across physical, mental, social, behavioural, environmental, and economic dimensions.
A bio-psycho-socio-eco-cultural map
The framework developed by Adventure Works Australia uses a conceptual map to illustrate the holistic, interrelated dimensions at work across diverse nature-based therapies.
- 01 Biological
Physical, kinaesthetic, somatic, physiological, neural pathways.
- 02 Psychological
Mental, emotional, cognitive, mindfulness, behavioural.
- 03 Social
Interpersonal, relational.
- 04 Cultural
Communities, societies, geopolitics.
- 05 Ecological
All beings, the natural environment, the planet.
- 01
Biological
Physical, kinaesthetic, somatic, physiological, neural pathways.
- 02
Psychological
Mental, emotional, cognitive, mindfulness, behavioural.
- 03
Social
Interpersonal, relational.
- 04
Cultural
Communities, societies, geopolitics.
- 05
Ecological
All beings, the natural environment, the planet.
What it can look like
Interventions are designed around the goals and intentions of participants, and might look like:
- 01 Being in conscious relationship with the animals and plants around you — mutual respect, reciprocity, decolonising ways of being
- 02 Attending to symptoms of trauma and mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, relational difficulties
- 03 Engaging in mindfulness and somatic practices in nature
- 04 Expressive arts-based activities inspired by nature — to process emotions, deepen self-awareness, and feel interconnectedness
- 05 Physical challenges such as rock-climbing or hiking a mountain trail
- 06 Moving our bodies and connecting with our breath and vitality
- 07 Finding metaphors for life in nature
- 08 Disconnecting from gadgets and syncing with natural rhythms
- 09 Participating in and creating a ritual or ceremony in nature
- 10 Solo time in nature
Feel called to walk this path?
Share your details and we’ll send an invitation to our next information session — a chance to meet the team and ask anything before you decide.