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

Dr. Laura Park Figueroa
Therapy in the Great Outdoors: The Business & Practice of Nature-Based Pediatric Therapy

This podcast is about the business & practice of nature-based pediatric therapy of all kinds. If you are an outdoor-loving practitioner in the field of occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, social work, behavioral health, mental health counseling, or outdoor education THIS is for you! You'll learn how you can take your work with children outdoors into nature. We'll 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? Your host, Dr. Laura Park Figueroa, PhD, OTR/L, is a pediatric occupational therapist who is a published expert in nature-based pediatric therapy and a highly-acclaimed business coach for nature-based entrepreneurs. You can learn more about her and get loads of free resources to support your nature-based work at https://www.therapyinthegreatoutdoors.com

  1. JAN 27

    How to Add Sit Spots to Your Therapy Sessions - with Lauren MacLean

    Lauren MacLean is a teacher, podcaster, author, and owner of Teach Outdoors in Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada. She has years of experience teaching children outdoors and is joining me today to talk about how we can integrate sit spot practices into our work as nature-based pediatric therapists. Lauren shares her valuable insights from 17 years of teaching, her work with nature schools, and authorship of children's books. We dive into practical strategies for therapists and educators to help children connect with nature, including tips on balancing structure and freedom, managing boundaries, and adapting practices for children with different needs such as ADHD and autism. You'll learn how to model positive behavior, use language effectively, and integrate play and learning in the great outdoors.   00:00 Introduction to Nature-Based Pediatric Therapy   00:58 Meet Lauren MacLean: Educator and Author   04:37 Understanding Sit Spots   08:12 Implementing Sit Spots in Therapy   12:18 Balancing Structure and Freedom in Outdoor Learning   21:43 Adapting Outdoor Activities for Diverse Needs   28:23 Sports Psychology and Coaching Challenges   28:49 Safety Reminders for Outdoor Activities   29:26 Pre-Teaching and Classroom Management   30:06 Classroom Book Projects and Environmental Awareness   32:03 Children's Picture Books and Their Impact   36:50 Balancing Technology and Outdoor Play   42:30 Risky Play and Child Development   49:10 Final Thoughts and Contact Information   51:25 Enrollment for ConTiGO Nature-Based Therapy Program   Connect with Lauren online at teachoutdoors.ca or on Instagram @teachoutdoors.ca   The ConTiGO Approach Nature-Based Pediatric Therapist or Therapy Assistant Certification Program is now open for enrollment till Jan 31, 2025 at 5pm CST. Go to contigoapproach.com to get more information.

    53 min
  2. JAN 20

    Learn From My Mistakes! (Yearly Business Review of 2024)

    Here's my annual last-year-in-review episode where YOU get to peek inside my businesses' metrics from 2024 and learn from my mistakes (as usual!) 😆   You'll learn: -What I'm NOT doing anymore this year -Why reviewing your profit-loss statement is critical -How $60,000+ in your business bank account may NOT mean you were highly profitable -Ways to assess market demand for your services -How my business is structured now to be in a position for growth -Strategies for maintaining business growth and fostering a supportive team -The value of slowing down and honoring your own energy/feelings   Enrollment will open January 24-31 for you to become a Certified Nature-Based Pediatric Therapist or Therapy Assistant in the ConTiGO Approach. Go to contigoapproach.com to get all the details and join the waitlist. We'll send you an email when doors are open!   Timestamped Outline: 00:00 Introduction to Nature-Based Pediatric Therapy 00:58 Podcast Episode: Learn from My Mistakes 01:31 Business Metrics and Mistakes of 2024 02:51 Overview of Therapy in the Great Outdoors (TGO) 04:08 Financial Challenges and Reflections 11:31 Future Plans for TGO 15:13 Financial Overview of Outdoor Kids OT 15:59 Business Budgeting and Profit First 20:06 Challenges of Running a Therapy Business 22:00 Setting Financial Goals for the Year 23:11 Team Expansion and Role Delegation 25:09 Annual Planning and Market Research 28:41 Balancing Transparency and Discretion 35:17 Reflections on Leadership and Personal Growth 42:33 ConTiGO Certification Program Announcement

    43 min
  3. 12/30/2024

    98: The Tool for Observing Play Outdoors (TOPO) - Part 1

    In this episode, I discuss the article The Tool for Observing Play Outdoors (TOPO): A New Typology for Capturing Children's Play Behaviors in Outdoor Environments by Loebach & Cox. You'll learn how this tool was developed and tested, and hear about the 9 categories of outdoor play and their subtypes included on this tool. This episode will help you hone your observation skills of children's play and consider ways to inspire different kinds of play in your outdoor therapy sessions. Next week (in part 2) we'll talk about implications for nature-based therapists and how you can use the TOPO tool in your practice to become a more skilled facilitator of play in your nature-based sessions.   00:00 Introduction to Nature-Based Pediatric Therapy 00:59 Personal Reflections 02:18 Introduction to the TOPO Tool 03:13 Abstract and Relevance of the TOPO Tool 05:38 Development Phases of the TOPO Tool 09:17 Nine Types of Outdoor Play 10:43 Physical Play and Its Subtypes 12:31 Exploratory Play and Its Subtypes 13:32 Imaginative Play and Its Subtypes 15:15 Play with Rules and Its Subtypes 17:32 Expressive Play and Its Subtypes 20:15 Bio Play and Its Subtypes 21:20 Restorative Play and Its Subtypes 23:45 Digital Play and Non-Play Categories 26:28 Conclusion and Certification Information Enrollment is open till Dec 31 at 5pm CST for you to become a Certified Nature-Based Pediatric Therapist or Therapy Assistant in the ConTiGO Approach. Go to contigoapproach.com to get all the details and join us before the price goes up in 2025 for the first time in 5 years!

    28 min
5
out of 5
27 Ratings

About

This podcast is about the business & practice of nature-based pediatric therapy of all kinds. If you are an outdoor-loving practitioner in the field of occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, social work, behavioral health, mental health counseling, or outdoor education THIS is for you! You'll learn how you can take your work with children outdoors into nature. We'll 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? Your host, Dr. Laura Park Figueroa, PhD, OTR/L, is a pediatric occupational therapist who is a published expert in nature-based pediatric therapy and a highly-acclaimed business coach for nature-based entrepreneurs. You can learn more about her and get loads of free resources to support your nature-based work at https://www.therapyinthegreatoutdoors.com

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