Therapy in the Great Outdoors

Therapy in the Great Outdoors

Hosted by: Dr. Laura Park Figueroa

This podcast is about the business & practice of nature-based pediatric therapy of all kinds. If you are an outdoors-loving practitioner in the field of occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language...

All Episodes

Episodes

15: Research Says: Outdoor Education Supports Autistic Children Making Friends, Taking Risks, & Learning About Nature

Kids love getting messy. They love playing outside. And when you provide them with opportunities for safe risk-taking and exploration, the learning outcomes and success that follow will prove invaluable to their...
View Episode

14: Listener Q & A: Work/Life Balance, Business Start-Up, & Best Early Marketing Strategies

Running a nature-based therapy practice is about more than the therapy itself. From knowing what’s needed to get started to how to market your business to making sure you’re taking time for yourself, there’s a lot...
View Episode

13: The Science Behind Why Kids (& Adults) Should Go Barefoot Outdoors

Earthing is the practice of connecting your body to the surface of the earth. Walking outside barefoot. Sitting in the grass without a blanket. It is a concept that has tangible benefits for both children and adults....
View Episode

12: 10 Reasons to Take Pediatric Therapy Outdoors (with Sneak Peeks of My Research Findings)

Are you a traditional pediatrician therapist considering taking your practice outdoors? There are so many benefits to starting a nature-based practice, many of which you’ve probably never thought of. Today, I’m...
View Episode

11: Exposure to Bacteria from Nature May Benefit Children's Gut Microbiota and Behavior

As a nature-based therapist, you’ve probably already seen the effects of nature programming in your patients: improved motor skills, lower stress levels, and even greater self-confidence. But what about the invisible...
View Episode

10: The 4 Systems You Must Have to Run a Successful Nature-Based Business

Your business has a lot of moving parts, and it’s easy to let things spin out of control. But with the right systems in place, you can free up your time as the business owner to do MORE of what you love in the...
View Episode

9: Listener Q & A: Growing a Business, Getting Customers, Liability Insurance, & Finding Outdoor Space

Running a nature-based therapy practice is more complicated than just taking your patients outdoors. There’s a lot that has to happen behind-the-scenes – from payroll to insurance to business strategy – and you’re...
View Episode

8: 10-Minute Takeaway: The Impact of Childhood Nature Exposure on Adult Mental Health

While we as therapists do lean on our intuition, it’s important that our work be rooted in research. In my 10-Minute Takeaway series, I break down recent research in the world of nature-based therapy to help you serve...
View Episode

7: Seven Tenets of a Nature-Based Lifestyle

What are common "tenets" (traits, ideologies, beliefs, or principles) of a nature-based lifestyle? In today’s episode, I’m sharing my very EARLY thoughts on commonalities I’ve noticed from working with other...
View Episode

6: Is Outdoor Play Associated With Better Motor Skills?

Do you think outdoor play is associated with better motor skills? It may SEEM like a no-brainer, but often research is needed to prove something known by therapists for a long time! This article needed more than a 2...
View Episode

5: Email Marketing for your Nature-Based Practice

Email marketing was a big contributor to the early success of my business. Unfortunately, it’s not something that a lot of nature-based therapists make a priority. It might seem overwhelming, but there are tools that...
View Episode

4: Assessment & Observation in Nature-Based Therapy

As therapists, what we assess is what we address. But when you take your practice outdoors, you might find that your assessments change a bit. For nature-based therapists, it’s important to find a balance between the...
View Episode