Human+Nature Idea Lab | Outdoor Therapeutics

On Saturday, July 13, 2024, Outdoor Therapeutics and our community partner, ThorpeWood, co-facilitated the inaugural Human+Nature Idea Lab event. Our mission was to bring the community together for a full day of creative problem solving to address the crucial question of how we might work together to increase the number of community members who value and benefit from a bond with nature?

This event was attended by over 30 community organizations and government departments who share our understanding of the transformative power of nature in promoting mental health and well-being. We had representation across demographics and industries including mental health services, public health, law, government, higher and secondary education, research, sustainability and environmental science, retail, non-profits, and more. We are so grateful to everyone who attended because we were able to generate innovative solutions that make connectedness to nature more accessible to everyone.

Close to 50 attendees were able to converge on 6 areas of actionable items that we hope to implement in the immediate and long-term future of Frederick County. Just 24 hours after our event, Outdoor Therapeutics and Thorpewood are already taking steps to create change based on the ideas that were generated. We will continue to host Human+Nature Idea Lab event series and offer ongoing support to others who want to take leadership on these ideas as the solutions proposed are not proprietary. We are committed to sharing the initiatives and resources we are building with anyone who is curious or wants to be involved. Community members can stay informed by joining our mailing list:

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The 6 Areas of Action Include:

* Empower community members who do not currently have equitable access to nature to define and participate in their own ways of bonding with it

* Create more retreats and other programs for like-minded people who want to experience and support the human + nature bond

* Address the lack of funding for human + nature relationships with solutions that do and do not involve money

* Create a centralized database for information about human + nature wellness programs, related offerings, and directory information for our county

* Increase education about the importance of the human + nature relationship among all ages of our comunity

* Increase the number of well-attended play-based events such as a county-wide nature-based scavenger hunt.

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What participants said about their experience:

"It was a very open and inspiring activity. It was great to be a part of like-minded individuals who want to be part of the same goal."

"This has been an eye-opening experience. It was amazing to contribute to the conversation, but also to just listen and take in all of the ideas."

"It was a great networking opportunity and was very soul-filling"

"I had a great experience and one that made me think critically about the value and benefit of the bond with nature and what I might do differently on an individual level."

"I took away... hope for the planet and for humanity; real ideas to start facilitating change as an individual and on a community level; tools for creative thinking process."

Why does a counseling practice engage in community organizing?

Our commitment to holistic healing means supporting not only individual clients, but the communities in which they live because often mental health issues are a byproduct of poor person-environment fit. We strive as a practice to stay connected to the lives of the people we serve at all levels. We do our part by trying to form and maintain sustainable partnerships that enhance the community resources to which we can refer our clients. We community organize because we are better together.