Out to Play has a small team of pediatric health care professionals (social workers and a psychotherapist) that work with children and youth. These sessions take place on the land at the Out to Play Centre.

Children are not required to be enrolled in the school or camp programs to access sessions with the Out to Play therapeutic team. However, an added benefit for children that are enrolled in school or camps is that they may see a therapist during their day at Out to Play, in which a therapist will pick them up and return them to their group.

Are you wondering if outdoor counselling sessions are right for your child? Here’s a few reasons to consider this unique approach:

• The natural world supports the development of resilience by offering challenges that feel relevant to children, in real time. A muddy puddle in a favourite play space? A rain shower in the middle of your hike? The natural world challenges children to adapt, assess risk and problem-solve.
• Unlike most environments the natural world is not an adult-designed or controlled space. It’s a neutral space that levels out power dynamics between child and adults. Adult therapists and children experience the natural world, collaboratively and together.
• Nature offers open-ended loose parts and invites play. The play that emerges provides wonderful opportunities for relationship-building between therapists and children.
• Evidence shows that we are biologically wired to be calmed by the outdoors! If you like research see Ulrich’s Stress Reduction Theory, Edward O. Wilson’s Biophilia Theory and Stephen and Rachel Kaplan’s Attention Restoration Theory.

Reach out to a therapist to ask them about their approach and why they see outdoor therapy as a valued approach.