Adventure Therapy is an experiential intervention that uses physical and preferably outdoor activity as a means to explore personal challenges and issues. Led by experienced and highly qualified mental health clinicians, participants are encouraged to process thoughts, feelings, reactions and behaviours in a different context, and develop strategies and plans to improve their mental and physical wellbeing and overall quality of life.

You can think of it as “the prescriptive use of adventure experiences provided by mental health professionals, often conducted in natural settings that kinesthetically engage clients on cognitive, affective, and behavioral levels” (Gass, Gillis, & Russell, 2012, p. 1).

But a simpler way might be “Counselling, but outside!”

Pete’s interest in studying Social Work was developed through his experiences of travelling the world in his early 20s. As a new Social Worker in Melbourne he gravitated towards working with young people and their families, supporting them to identify issues and functional barriers and develop strategies to address them. As someone who becomes easily restless sitting in a contained office space and who understands the physical and psychological barriers that can be present in a traditional counselling-room setting, Pete has developed a keen interest in experiential mental health interventions over his 15 year Social Work career. This experience, combined with a lifelong interest in all things outside, led to a natural affinity with adventure therapy. Supported by a strong and growing evidence base, adventure therapy is a meaningful and effective alternative and complementary clinical mental health intervention.