Welcome to the
Therapy in the Great Outdoors Podcast
The Therapy in the Great Outdoors Podcast is about the business & practice of nature-based pediatric therapy for outdoor-loving practitioners in the field of occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, social work, behavioral health, mental health counseling, or outdoor education.
Available on
Welcome to the
Therapy in the Great Outdoors Podcast
The Therapy in the Great Outdoors Podcast is about the business & practice of nature-based pediatric therapy for outdoor-loving practitioners in the field of occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, social work, behavioral health, mental health counseling, or outdoor education.
Available on
Take your work with children outdoors into nature as we cover exactly what it takes to run a successful and profitable nature-based practice that changes children's lives (and yours!) forever.
On this show, you'll get answers to questions like:
What does nature-based therapy look like?
What types of activities work well in outdoor therapy sessions?
How can nature-based therapy be a profitable business
What evidence is there for nature-based pediatric therapy?
What does research say about getting children out into nature?
What kinds of different business models exist for offering nature-based services for children?
How can I ensure the success of my nature-based outdoor business?
What systems do I need to grow a nature-based practice?
What they say about
The TGO Podcast
Listen to our Binge-Worthy
Episodes
100: Listener Q & A for Our 100th Episode Celebration!
THANK YOU for being a TGO podcast listener!
To celebrate our 100th episode of Therapy in the Great Outodors, this week I answer YOUR questions about: How to start and run a nature-based camp (3:20) Evaluation methods for both group and individual therapy (13:40) Choosing the right website hosting platform (26:30) Balancing business growth with family life (31:10) Handling extreme weather conditions in your nature-based practice (41:40) Navigating permits and waivers for public parks (46:00)
85: Tips for the First Day in a New Nature-Based Therapy Group
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.
84: Become a Certified Nature-Based Pediatric Therapist™ with the ConTiGO Approach™
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!
82: The ConTiGO Approach™ to Nature-Based Treatment Activities
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).
67. My Framework for Planning Summer Therapy Camps
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.
26: Feedback Wanted for My Upcoming Book on Nature-Based Pediatric Therapy!
Today’s episode is a little bit different! I’m writing a book on nature-based pediatric therapy and after reviewing the outline, I realized I’d love to know what YOU would like to see in this book. What are the things that would help you the most if you’re interested in this topic or in running a nature-based practice?
In the episode, I share a little history on how and why I’m writing this book, but I mainly want some feedback from you. I’ll be focusing on my ConTiGO approach and my ECO-Therapy model (from my dissertation research). The intended audience will be occupational, physical, and speech therapists, and also mental health counselors and social workers.
1: Therapy in the Great Outdoors: The Podcast
Are you a pediatric therapist who wants to take your work with children outdoors into nature? As a nature-based pediatric therapist & entrepreneur, I’ve spent years finding the balance between the practice of nature-based therapy and improving my business.
There’s so much to learn–from groundbreaking research on the therapy side to new marketing strategies on the business side–and I’m here to help you make sense of all of it, all while staying true to the core of your work.
In this first episode, I’m sharing my journey to becoming a nature-based pediatric therapist and what led me to help other professionals expand and improve their own businesses. I’m explaining why I pivoted from my old show to this one and what you can expect from upcoming episodes.