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

In this episode, I share the framework we use for planning summer therapy camps in my nature-based therapy practice. I developed this system in 2020, focusing on the emotional journey kids typically experience throughout a camp week. Key themes are established for each day of the camp week with individual therapy goals being addressed within daily activities. Next week on the podcast, I'll share part 2 of this mini-series on camp planning, where I'll share how to choose good books to support your creative treatment planning for therapy camps.

00:00 Welcome to Therapy in the Great Outdoors

00:28 Personal Update & preparations

01:06 Introducing the Summer Camp Planning Framework

02:28 Detailed Breakdown of the Daily Therapeutic Themes

08:44 Exploring the ConTiGO Approach

11:26 Reflecting on the Framework's Necessity and Sharing Resources

13:50 Closing Thoughts and Invitation for Feedback

Get your free copy of the chart of the Therapeutic Themes Framework for Camp Planning here: www.therapyinthegreatoutdoors.com/camp

Over the years coaching nature-based business owners, I've noticed some key things that all successful nature-based entrepreneurs seem to do consistently. Want to know what they are? Listen to this week's episode to get my tips and insights on how to do these 5 things so that your nature-based business can grow to serve more people in your community!

Successful nature-based business owners:

1. Take imperfect action.

2. Commit for the LONG HAUL and don't give up when things get hard.

3. Start small and slowly build multiple revenue streams.

4. Develop systems for every single repeatable process in the business.

a. Recommended resource: Beyond Booked Solid by Michael Port

5. Invest in their business and themselves as leaders of their business.

If YOU are ready to invest in the success of your nature-based business, join us in the Business Hive, my nature-based business coaching program for nature-based entrepreneurs. Enrollment is open till June 1 at 5pm CST. You'll get weekly accountability calls, loads of templates and forms to help you run your business, and my entire Business Bedrocks curriculum to help you systematically set up your business run on auto-pilot as much as possible so that you can work less and pay yourself more as the business grows to serve more people in your local community. You CAN do this...I have and I can help you do it, too!

Enroll now at https://therapyinthegreatoutdoors.com/hive-open

In this episode, you'll learn strategies for effectively managing and leading a team in your nature-based business. Occupational therapist Shannon Rolph from Guelph, Ontario, Canada joined me for a live business coaching call. She is the owner of Shannon Rolph OT, and runs Kids in the Woods, a nature-based branch of her business. She has hired her first employees and had questions around how to lead well while growing her business.

You'll learn:

-How to establish policies and procedures up front with employees, while maintaining your autonomy as the business owner to make changes in the future if needed

-Strategies for establishing financial incentives for employees

-Ways to foster team community and engagement in the business priorities and goals

-Why it is important for nature-based business owners to have other nature-based business owner friends

Learn more about Shannon's business at www.shannonrolph.ca or connect with her on Instagram @shannon.rolph.ot

ANNOUNCEMENT! The Business Hive, my nature-based business group coaching program, will open for enrollment on May 27 for a June-December cohort. If you want to set up automated systems so that you can work less and earn more as your nature-based business grows to serve more people, check out the Hive & join the waitlist at https://www.therapyinthegreatoutdoors.com/hive

If you're a nature-based business owner in the United States, you NEED this information to avoid fines and penalties from the government! This short episode could save you a lot of hassle down the road. I explain the new Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and the requirement that all businesses submit their Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI). Don't worry - it is quick and easy. Takes less than 10 minutes and you only need to do it once (or after any ownership changes in the future).

Go to https://www.fincen.gov/boi to report your BOI for your business. If you existed before 1/1/24 you have till 1/1/25 to report. If you start your business in 2024 or later, you must report within 30 days!

You can get more information at this helpful blog post from my trusted local attorney's office here in Madison: https://www.athenalegalsolutionsllc.com/post/breaking-down-the-corporate-transparency-act-what-business-owners-need-to-know

Jillian Blount is back for a live coaching call here on the TGO podcast! She needed help sorting through options when planning for her summer programming in her nature-based practice. There are LOTS of ideas here to help you when thinking through logistics in your own practice.

[2:11] How you can do nature-based therapy anywhere: ALASKA! Public parks. People's homes. Or your own private land in Alaska like Jillian's family just bought!

[5:30] Navigating extending offers to employees as a very small practice

[6:48] How many logistics there are in owning land to offer nature-based therapy services.

[9:00] How to prioritize what you need to focus on in your business at the right time, even when you're in overwhelm

[10:54] Planning for summer services in your nature-based practice...it doesn't have to look like everyone else's offers!

[12:45] Naming services so that parents understand what they are.

[14:40] How to decide what to charge for your summer services and how to structure them as enrichment or therapy, based on payor sources (Medicaid, private insurance or private pay)

[18:00] Doing the math to determine what to charge, based on what reimbursement or rates are in your area and how much time you spend for yourself or staff to provide the service

[22:00] Important considerations when marketing any outdoor service that is run by a therapist (enrichment or therapy services)

[27:26] The importance of your EMAIL LIST and giving DEADLINES to people Connect with Jillian on Instagram @wildfreekidsot and check out her practice at www.wildfreekidsot.com Other episodes featuring Jillian as a guest:

31: How to Respond to Challenging Behaviors in Nature-Based Therapy Sessions with Jillian Blount, OT

43: Favorite WINTER Nature-Based Therapy Activities for Children

This week I'm sharing some of our favorite creative snack ideas from my nature-based therapy practice.

1. Color changing tea (find it in the TGO community here)

2. Apple pizzas (find it in the TGO community here)

3. Fun with the apple peeler (in Laura's book)

4. Apple crisp (in Laura's book)

5. Pasta packets (in Laura's book)

Resources mentioned in this podcast:

Therapy in the Great Outdoors: A Start-Up Guide to Nature-Based Pediatric Practice with 44 Kid-Tested Activities

Johnny apple peeler

Spiralizer

ConTiGO™ Nature-Based Pediatric Therapy Certification & Mentoring Program

In this episode the dynamic duo Rachel Harrington, COTA/L, CPRCS and Jessica Hill, COTA/L, CPRCS join me to talk all things sensory and primitive reflex integration. Rachel and Jessica are Harkla's in-house Certified OT Assistants and Certified Primitive Reflex Clinical Specialists. Harkla is a company that provides products, courses & community for sensory, autism & ADHD families. They offer loads of helpful tips and strategies on their podcast All Things Sensory and in their courses and workbooks for therapists available through Harkla.

In this episode, you'll learn:

-SIMPLE sensory strategies to suggest to families to get children outdoors more!

-How we can motivate children to engage more in therapy sessions by fostering their autonomy and encouraging healthy risk in play

-How slowing down during a session might be the best thing you can do for a child's nervous system

-What primitive reflexes are and how they may impact function in children who have retained primitive reflexes

-Simple activities you can do outdoors (even with GROUPS!) that will help children who may have retained primitive reflexes

Connect with Rachel and Jessica on Instagram @allthingssensorypodcast and follow Harkla @harkla_family

Resources mentioned in this episode: @myoutdoorsymom account on IG

The ConTiGO Nature-Based Therapy Certification & Mentoring Program is OPEN for enrollment April 22-30 for our May 2024 cohort! Enroll now to get training, resources, community, & ongoing mentoring to become an expert nature-baed pediatric therapist.

When life gets crazy, it is HARD to keep going as a business owner...even when you have an amazing nature-baed business. This episode is an honest share from the heart about my own lack of motivation lately and lessons I've been learning in the midst of the messiness of life and business.

Some things I'm learning:

-Don't believe the lies you tell yourself so that you can be free to show up for others.

-Personal connection with the people you serve can give you meaning when you don't feel motivated.

-Our feelings may not reflect (in fact, usually DON'T reflect) reality

-Saying NO to really good or even great things is a necessity in entrepreneurship.

And at the end I share some practical things happening in my businesses right now and some recent decisions I've made to pivot after a setback.

I hope this episode encouraged you if you are feeling like you lack motivation right now!

It is normal to have these ebbs and flows of energy in our business ownership and I'm right there with you! xoxo

Laura

Register for the Nature-Based Business Retreat here.

Join the waitlist for the ConTiGO Nature-Based Therapy Certification & Mentoring Program here.

This systematic review and meta-analysis found nature-based interventions have positive associations with behavioral and emotional outcomes for autistic children. The full article and supplemental materials are available here.

Reference: Fan, M., Li, W., Ho, L., Phiri, L., & Choi, K. (2023). Nature-based interventions for autistic children. JAMA Network Open, 6(12), e2346715. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.46715

The ConTiGO Approach Nature-Based Therapy Certification & Mentoring Program will open in 2 weeks for a May 2024 cohort. Join the waitlist here to get notified when we open.

Marianna Ayers Sordille, OTD, OTR/L, owner of Whole Child Pediatric OT in Clayton, CA, joined me for a live coaching call to get some help with her nature-based business.

We discussed:

-Niching DOWN in your nature-based practice (but not TOO niched-down) & why it is SO important now to do so

-Communicating value to your potential clients (which is especially important when you're offering therapy services which can be perceived as "expensive" by families)

-Considerations when packaging your services and how to get paid for all your time spent working -Ways to save time when offering packaged services for clients

-Assessing children for therapy services

And along the way we also touched upon some mindset issues commonly experienced by nature-based therapists. They never go away...but with time you learn to recognize them more quickly...and simply having awareness of them helps you to overcome those mindset challenges!

Connect with Marianna on Instagram @wholechildpediatricOT or visit her website at wholechildpediatric.com

Get the Free BIG HUGE List of Nature-Based Pediatric Therapy Activities here!