About Heartfelt Outdoor Therapy

For years, I loved the heart of my work—supporting people therapeutically—but struggled with the environments where that work was expected to happen. Mainstream offices with bright lights, small rooms, carpet smells and the hum of air conditioning weren’t just inconvenient; they were overwhelming.

Working with energetic children in tiny consult rooms, sitting at desks under fluorescent lights, I felt boxed in and assumed the problem was me. At 27 I was diagnosed with ADHD. Suddenly my sensory sensitivities, restlessness and need for fresh air made sense. Yet even after diagnosis, therapy and medication, the discomfort didn’t fade—it grew louder.

While working as a provisional psychologist in child abuse services, the office environment often felt unbearable. My body constantly wanted to get outside. Whenever I stepped into nature between sessions—walking in the sun, watching birds, sitting by a pond—the tension melted. It was like living in two worlds: the office world and the outdoor world. Outside, I could finally breathe. I tried again with new roles, new medication and fresh determination, but the same thing happened. And something else became obvious: when I held sessions outdoors, my clients lit up.

Children with ADHD or autism moved more freely, explored grass and sand, climbed playgrounds, collected leaves and nuts. They laughed, smiled, made eye contact and learned new skills almost effortlessly. The natural environment wasn’t just a backdrop; it was a catalyst. In a parallel support-worker role, I spent a year taking a young client with autism outdoors. Over time her words, hobbies, self-care and independence blossomed. The change wasn’t about “working harder”—it was about being in the right environment.

I realised I wasn’t broken. The model was. Nature was giving both me and my clients something four walls could not. That’s how Heartfelt Outdoor Therapy was born, from the honest discovery that therapy can thrive outside. It’s a space designed for movement, sensory freedom, curiosity and connection. A space where children and adults can develop skills naturally and joyfully. And a space where I, too, can bring my whole self—playful, grounded and deeply committed to helping others flourish in environments that feel right.

My hope is that every child and adult who visits Heartfelt Outdoor Therapy can feel the same freedom, healing and sense of possibility that the outdoors gave me.