Therapy in the Great Outdoors: The Business & Practice of Nature-Based Pediatric Therapy

Katie Asmus is a licensed psychotherapist with three decades of experience in therapeutic nature-based interventions. She joined me today on the TGO podcast to discuss the essential role of rituals and ceremonies in nature-based therapy, particularly for neurodivergent children. Tune in to hear ways you can help ease transitions, address challenging behaviors, and open and close your group sessions using meaningful rituals to give children a positive experience in your nature-based therapy sessions.

Connect with Katie on IG @somaticnaturetherapy or her website https://www.somaticnaturetherapy.com/

00:00 Introduction

01:29 Meet Katie Asmus

01:45 Understanding Rituals and Ceremonies in Therapy

01:57 The Importance of Rituals for Neurodivergent Kids

02:39 Practical Rituals for Therapy Sessions

06:25 Beginning Rituals: Setting the Tone for Therapy

08:28 Engaging Group Activities to Start Sessions

19:23 Closing Rituals: Ending Sessions with Purpose

27:16 Handling Challenging Behaviors with Rituals

31:02 Final Thoughts and Resources

32:03 Bonus: Free Nature-Based Therapy Activities

This week I'm sharing some of my favorite fall activities for outdoor therapy sessions with kids. Check out the activities below and you can do them, too!

Rainbow leaf hunt - arrival activity Leaf confetti with hole punchers or shape punchers (from scrapbooking supplies)

Leaf sewing with yarn and needles

Find the color - match to cut out on cardboard with picture of something to match the color (red heart, orange sun, yellow banana, green frog, blue water, purple flower, brown tree trunk)

What are your favorite activities for therapy sessions in the fall? Weigh in in the Therapy in the Great Outdoors Community here.

https://tgo.circle.so/home

(P.S. If you're down under, here's the listener-feature episode where we shared favorite SUMMER activities.)

https://www.therapyinthegreatoutdoors.com/podcasts/therapy-in-the-great-outdoors/episodes/2148704557

00:00 Introduction to Therapy in the Great Outdoors

01:00 Fun Fall Activities for Nature-Based Therapy

02:03 Rainbow Leaf Hunt

02:50 Leaf Confetti Party

05:23 Leaf Sewing Craft

06:18 Color Matching Scavenger Hunt

09:09 Join the Therapy in the Great Outdoors Community

10:39 Get Your Free Big Huge List of Nature-Based Activities

In this episode we discuss the often chaotic and challenging first day of a new nature-based therapy group for kids. Everything from clear drop-off procedures and engaging children with meaningful tasks to preparing for social anxiety and ensuring smooth transitions. I also talk about my Nature-Based Therapy Certification and Mentoring Program, designed to support practitioners in building successful, nature-based practices. Join me as I provide actionable tips to make your first day and beyond a success.

01:00 The Reality of the First Day in Nature-Based Therapy

01:34 Challenges and Reflections from a Chaotic First Day

02:34 Strategies for a Smooth First Day

08:05 Effective Drop-Off Procedures

13:20 Connecting with Children on the First Day

19:40 Handling Social Anxiety and Transition Issues

22:10 Conclusion and Support for Nature-Based Therapy Practitioners

In this episode, you'll hear about the journey of launching and evolving the ConTiGO Approach™ and how you can become a Certified Nature-Based Pediatric Therapist™ or Therapist Assistant. You'll hear why we're making some changes to the certification process to build a stronger ConTiGO community and support practitioners' developing true expertise in nature-based therapy. Enrollment is now open for you to Become a Certified Nature-Based Pediatric Therapist or Therapist Assistant in the ConTiGO Approach! Enroll here 00:00 Introduction to Becoming a Certified Nature-Based Pediatric Therapist 00:31 The History of the Contigo Approach 01:37 Transition to Online and Cohort-Based Model 03:53 Challenges and Changes in Enrollment Models 06:29 New Certification Requirements and Community Building 12:12 Experiential Learning and Accountability 14:15 Personal Reflections and Community Engagement 19:22 Conclusion and Enrollment Information

Should you offer groups or individual services in your nature-based therapy practice? It depends! In this episode, you'll learn how to make this decision wisely. I discuss the goals, logistics, and challenges of both service models. You'll learn the importance of clear policies, the role of parents in therapy, and when to choose one model over the other.

Enrollment will open on September 23 for you to Become a Certified Nature-Based Pediatric Therapist or Therapist Assistant in the ConTiGO Approach. Join the waitlist here. 00:00 Introduction to Nature-Based Pediatric Therapy

01:01 Group vs. Individual Therapy: Key Considerations

02:06 The Benefits and Challenges of Group Therapy

10:43 Essential Policies for Group Therapy

13:49 Individual Therapy: Goals and Best Practices

18:45 The Importance of Parent Involvement

23:49 Conclusion and Upcoming Certification Program

In this episode, you'll learn all about treatment planning for nature-based pediatric therapy sessions using the ConTiGO Approach™. I delve into four key elements: incorporating child passions, introducing novelty, ensuring activities are child-led and open-ended, and considering sustainability.

You'll also learn about recent changes to ConTiGO and how you can become a Certified Nature-Based Pediatric Therapist™ (or Therapist Assistant). Enrollment will open on September 23 for you to Become a Certified Nature-Based Pediatric Therapist or Therapist Assistant in the ConTiGO Approach. Join the waitlist here:

https://www.therapyinthegreatoutdoors.com/contigo-evergreen

00:00 Introduction to Therapy in the Great Outdoors

00:58 Personal Update: A Difficult Time

08:49 The ConTiGO Approach: An Overview

11:48 Elements of the ConTiGO Approach

26:30 Upcoming Changes and Certification

30:19 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode, occupational therapist Brigette Hill, OTR/L joins us to discuss her innovative curriculum designed for teaching pre-writing shapes to pre-k children using nature-based activities. Brigette is the founder of Roly Poly Movement, an online business that develops nature-based curriculum and programs for children. Check out rolypolymovement.com and use code GREAT20 for 20% off of her nature-based pre-writing shapes program, Tree Rings and Other Things.

00:00 Introduction to Nature-Based Pediatric Therapy

00:58 Guest Introduction: Brigette Hill and Her Innovative Curriculum

02:57 Exploring Pre-Writing Shapes Through Nature-Based Activities

05:44 Incorporating Movement and Music into Learning

11:10 Launching a Product: Insights and Challenges

20:40 Advice for Aspiring Creators and Business Owners

26:52 Special Offer and Conclusion

27:15 Bonus: Free Resource for Nature-Based Therapy Activities

In this episode, we explore the concept of evidence-based practice in nature-based pediatric therapy. Evidence-based practice (EBP) can be broken down into three components: research analysis and application, clinical reasoning, and reflective practice. You'll learn how EBP is more than just understanding various types of research, and understand how clinical reasoning evolves through experience, reflective practice, and community interaction.

Resources shared in this episode:

Mattingly, C. (1991). What is clinical reasoning? The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 45(11), 979–986. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.45.11.979

Research hub: Evidence based practice toolkit: Levels of evidence. (n.d.). https://libguides.winona.edu/ebptoolkit/Levels-Evidence

Schön, D. A. (1984). The reflective practitioner. Routledge.

00:00 Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice

00:56 Understanding Research Analysis and Application

01:28 Levels of Evidence in Research

03:11 The Value of Qualitative Research

10:09 Clinical Reasoning in Therapy

17:14 Reflective Practice for Therapists

20:04 Conclusion and Community Invitation

Wilderness Mental Health First Aid with Nicole Roma Thurrell

In this episode, Nicole Roma Thurrell is back with valuable insights on wilderness mental health first aid. We discussed the importance of body awareness in regulating nervous system responses and strategies for helping children manage different states of activation during outdoor sessions. The episode emphasizes rhythmic, repetitive, and relational activities, with practical suggestions like breathing exercises, grinding coffee beans, and finger knitting. Tune in to hear all her great tips for helping the children you serve be better able to cope with the ebbs and flows of human emotions in daily life. Make sure to visit Institute for Wild Med and get 20% any of their courses with the discount code TGO20 exclusively for our TGO podcast listeners!

00:00 Introduction and Personal Update

00:15 Exciting Upcoming Trip

00:27 Challenges of the Week

01:21 Introduction to the Episode

01:41 Guest Introduction: Nicole Roma Thurl

03:02 Mental Health First Aid Conference

04:37 Increasing Anxiety in Children

06:41 Understanding Wilderness Mental Health First Aid

15:16 The Autonomic Nervous System

23:59 Combining States for Resilience

31:34 Understanding the Dorsal Vagus and Safety Perception

32:32 Body Before Brain: Effective Interventions

35:21 Rhythmic, Repetitive, and Relational Strategies

37:44 Breathing Techniques for Regulation

48:51 High Energy Activities: The Yellow Bucket

50:55 Low Energy Activities: The Red Bucket

54:47 Creating a Safe and Aesthetic Environment

58:48 Conclusion and Practical Takeaways

In episode 78 of Therapy in the Great Outdoors, Nicole Roma Thurrell, WEMT, CTRS is back for the 2nd in our 3-part series on first aid for nature-based therapists. Nicole shares valuable personal anecdotes and real-life examples, highlighting the importance of comprehensive first aid training, especially in dynamic outdoor environments.

You'll learn the "big 3" of assessing life-threatening situations: Breathing, Bleeding, & Shock. You'll also learn about practical tools like EpiPens and hemostatic agents, and get tips on maintaining their effectiveness despite environmental challenges. Join us to equip yourself with the knowledge to keep your outdoor therapy sessions safe and enriching for the children you serve.

00:00 Introduction to Nature-Based Pediatric Therapy

01:00 First Aid Series Overview

02:07 Critical First Aid Skills for Therapists

03:03 Personal Anecdotes and Real-Life Examples

04:57 Principles of First Aid Assessment

08:23 Recognizing and Managing Shock

15:21 Bleeding Control Techniques

20:37 Understanding Blood Thinning Medications

21:11 Importance of First Aid Training

21:47 Choosing the Right First Aid Class

22:57 Handling Anaphylactic Shock

24:59 Obtaining and Using EpiPens

32:22 Critical First Aid Essentials

33:41 WildMed Training Courses and Discounts

37:25 Conclusion and Free Research List

For more information, visit Institute for Wild Med and get 20% any of their courses with the discount code TGO20 exclusively for our TGO podcast listeners!