MENTAL HEALTH FEATURE
© GettyImages / serts
The young people chose to engage in activities ranging from walking through a forest , a fire pit on the beach , visiting a YMCA-run allotment , to pony trekking . During each activity , the young people were provided with the opportunity to engage with a peer group , interact with nature and often animals , challenge their fears and engage in trauma-focused therapeutic conversations with the occupational therapist as necessary .
Participant feedback and outcomes During the initial group session , the young people were asked for words and phrases to describe their experiences of CAMHS to date . The comments were mostly negative and included phrases such as : ‘ boring , pointless and horrible ’; ‘ doom and gloom ’; ‘ the rooms are claustrophobic ’; and ‘ talking doesn ’ t work ; it makes me feel worse ’.
By the final group session , the young people appeared to feel much more positively about CAMHS .
When the task was repeated , the young people commented : ‘ better than sitting in a room or at home ’; ‘ the group was a good way to stay active and to do things you haven ’ t tried before ’; ‘ my anxiety got better ’; ‘ I would like to do more stuff like this as part of treatment ’; ‘ better than the clinical setting ; you are able to face your fears ’; ‘ other people have noticed my mood change ; they say I am glowing when I come back from my Thursday group ’; and ‘ it ’ s the only place I can be myself ’.
© GettyImages / jeancliclac
In general , the post-group outcome measures also indicated positive changes . Occupational performance improvements were reported by each young person via the COPM . Improvements were also made within each of the individual categories assessed by the SDQ : overall stress ; emotional distress ; behavioural difficulties ; hyperactivity and concentration ; difficulties getting along with peers ; kind and helpful behaviours ; and impact of difficulties on life .
Nature-based purposeful occupation Multiple studies identifying the health benefits of engaging in the outdoor environment and in nature-based activities have been published .
Kaplanis ( 2019 ) argues that occupational therapists should aim to use these evidence-based benefits to promote health by utilising the natural outdoor environment in everyday occupational therapy practice .
Hanscom ( 2014 ) has described nature as ‘ the ultimate sensory experience for all children ’, while Lyons ( 2021 ) proposes that
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