Outdoor mental healthcare: What, who, why and where to?

Australas Psychiatry. 2023 Dec;31(6):798-805. doi: 10.1177/10398562231211110. Epub 2023 Nov 16.

Abstract

Objective: Outdoor mental healthcare can increase the breadth of multidisciplinary interventions available to people with a therapeutic need. The aim of this article is to educate readers about the field of outdoor mental healthcare through the exploration of a series of basic questions.Conclusions: Outdoor mental healthcare spans a range of therapies that apply a variety of theoretical approaches and treatments across a multiplicity of settings, patient groups and desired outcomes unified by key evidence-informed practice elements. Through use of a predominantly non-mainstream workforce working in non-conventional clinical settings outdoor mental healthcare may contribute to treatment accessibility and acceptability.

Keywords: mental health therapies; models of care; multidisciplinary; nature-based therapy; outdoor healthcare.

MeSH terms

  • Delivery of Health Care*
  • Humans
  • Mental Health Services*