In January 2023, Dr Will Dobud from Charles Sturt University and Dr Daniel Cavanaugh from Washington State University were awarded an internal pilot grant from University of Washington – Bothell for supporting the Adventure Therapy Outcome Monitoring (ATOM) study. Dr Dobud travelled from Australia to North America to guest lecture with Dr Cavanaugh and obtain research consultation from five universities. What was clear from consultation and interactions with outdoor therapy practitioners was the need for a community of practice for those entering this field. 

Mission Statement: Our purpose is to pursue excellence and continuous practice development in outdoor therapy through communities of practice that engage in research, education, and service.  

The outdoor therapy community , while diverse, is small and tight knit. The Outdoor Therapy Centre core purpose is collaboration on research, supporting emerging and experienced practitioners, and providing any guidance for those building their own organisation. 

No friend of the centre takes any personal salary or payment from the centre. For specific research projects, funding allocated to the centre may go to a friend's university or institution. Training, supervision, or consultation provided through the centre are provided at cost. Our mission is not to use our friends to make money, but to respect people's time, careers, and energy. Any cost associated with the centre is made 100% transparent. 

Share Everything

In 2017, Dr Will Dobud visited Kristiansand, Norway to conduct participant observation of a wilderness therapy program provided by practitioners at Sørlandet Hospital. Despite engaging with most of the wilderness therapy team in previous years, Will and Dr Leiv Einar Gabrielsen, one of the founders of the program, were quickly becoming good friends. 

While driving together to the program' wilderness area, Will thanked Leiv for the opportunity to observe the program and acknowledged the potential anxiety of having your program observed by a doctoral student. 

With a toothpick in his mouth, Leiv said, "No way, Will, my motto is the same as Google's: Share Everything!" 

Leiv Einar Gabrielsen passed in 2021 and his motto informs our values. He remains deeply missed in the outdoor therapy community.

Our Values

Along with our mission statement, the Outdoor Therapy Centre work is informed by six core Culture of Excellence, Accessibility, Evidence-Informed, Transparency, Stewardship, and Collaboration.

Culture of Excellence

A culture of excellence involves embracing the best available research evidence, feedback, and a future focus for all things related to outdoor therapy. Our progressive research program seeks to advocate for the diverse world of outdoor therapy practices, while holding our community to a high standard. A culture of excellence involves considering the best available research evidence and deliberately working to improve our outcomes for those with the most at stake. 

Accessibility

Accessibility is a fundamental value that shapes every aspect of our mission. We believe helpful therapeutic services should be accessible to all individuals, regardless of their abilities or background. With a deep commitment to inclusivity, we strive for a culture that welcomes and accommodates diverse needs, backgrounds, or lived experience ensuring that everyone can fully participate in outdoor therapy - both practitioners and those seeking their counsel. 

Evidenced

We place a strong emphasis on being evidence-informed in all aspects of our work, as opposed to assuming we have found a best practice. We believe that incorporating the best available research is crucial to providing effective and meaningful work. An aspect to this value is understanding that practitioners need to become evidence-builders​ and the know their own effectiveness. Evidence-based practice is a verb, not a noun.

Transparency

Transparency is a core value at the Outdoor Therapy Centre, guiding our interactions, communication, research, funding, and decision-making processes. We believe in fostering an environment of openness and honesty, where stakeholders can trust in our actions and intentions. Through transparent communication, we aim to build strong relationships based on trust and mutual understanding. We welcome feedback, actively address concerns, and maintain accountability in our practices. We strive to create a culture of integrity, respect, feedback, and shared responsibility within our outdoor therapy community.

Stewardship

The Outdoor Therapy Centre does not believe gatekeeping is beneficial to the field. We believe every person, no matter their cultural background, years of experience, level of qualification, profession, theoretical orientation, or lived experience should be able to contribute to the field of outdoor therapy. Stewardship extends to fostering sustainable practices, acknowledging the impacts of colonisation, and continuing to fight for those behind us. 

Collaboration

We all learn from our community of practice and engagement. Collaboration is the power of working together for the benefit of each other, those we serve, and our community of practice. We actively seek partnerships, new friendships, and engage in interdisciplinary collaboration. By fostering an environment of cooperation and open communication, we encourage input, feedback, and shared decision-making.