Outdoor Research Collaborative

10/14/2026

🌿 Introducing the first recipients of the ORC Mini-Grant Program!

We’re excited to announce our first ORC Mini-Grant recipients, who have received $2,500 in funding to support an important new study examining the implementation of Core Calm™, a manualized Nature-Based Therapy intervention for trauma treatment.

This project also represents something we care deeply about at ORC: researcher–practitioner partnership.

The study brings together Lindsay Cray, LMHC-D, an outdoor therapy clinician and practitioner, and Dr. Jessie Bennett, an Associate Professor and researcher in Recreation Management and Policy at the University of New Hampshire, to examine an important question that emerges from practice:

Can a structured nature-based intervention be implemented consistently by clinicians in real-world community practice settings while maintaining meaningful clinical outcomes?

Nature-based interventions show promising potential for supporting veterans experiencing PTSD and other trauma-related challenges, with research demonstrating benefits related to PTSD symptoms, emotional regulation, mindfulness, adaptive coping, psychological flexibility, social connection, and self-regulation. But much of the existing evidence comes from single-site programs delivered by experienced facilitators.

This project takes an important next step by examining whether licensed mental health clinicians can be trained to deliver Core Calm™ with fidelity in their own practice settings—and whether participants experience outcomes similar to those found in the original pilot study.

The study will also look at what helps or gets in the way of implementation, including clinicians’ experiences, contextual barriers and facilitators, and which intervention components practitioners perceive as most impactful.

We’re especially excited about this collaboration because it reflects the kind of work ORC was created to foster: researchers and practitioners working together to ask meaningful questions, evaluate what is happening in real-world practice, and build evidence that can actually inform the field.

Congratulations to Lindsay Cray and Dr. Jessie Bennett on receiving the first ORC Mini-Grant! 🎉 We’re honored to support this partnership and look forward to seeing where the work leads.

10/08/2026

🌿 Our Communities of Practice & Research page has been completely updated!⠀
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We’re excited to share a refreshed and expanded look at the research being conducted across the Outdoor Research Collaborative for Health, Wellbeing, and Experiential Engagement (ORC).⠀
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The updated page brings together current research from our collaborators and communities of practice, highlighting the breadth of work happening across outdoor and nature-based approaches, adventure therapy, health and wellbeing, experiential engagement, and related fields.⠀
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One of the things we value most about ORC is the opportunity to connect researchers and practitioners across disciplines and geographic locations. This page offers a snapshot of that growing community — and, importantly, a way to explore the work of the people who are helping move these fields forward.⠀
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🔎 Explore the updated Communities of Practice & Research page here: https://bit.ly/3UdnbvS ⠀
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And if you’re part of the ORC community and have new research, publications, projects, or collaborations you’d like us to highlight, please reach out!⠀
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We have identified collectively 12 areas of focus in order to expand and include diverse uses of the outdoors and experiential practice which are not limited to adventure therapy.

10/07/2026

🌿 Our Communities of Practice & Research page has been completely updated!

We’re excited to share a refreshed and expanded look at the research being conducted across the Outdoor Research Collaborative for Health, Wellbeing, and Experiential Engagement (ORC).

The updated page brings together current research from our collaborators and communities of practice, highlighting the breadth of work happening across outdoor and nature-based approaches, adventure therapy, health and wellbeing, experiential engagement, and related fields.

One of the things we value most about ORC is the opportunity to connect researchers and practitioners across disciplines and geographic locations. This page offers a snapshot of that growing community — and, importantly, a way to explore the work of the people who are helping move these fields forward.

🔎 Explore the updated Communities of Practice & Research page here: https://bit.ly/3UdnbvS

And if you’re part of the ORC community and have new research, publications, projects, or collaborations you’d like us to highlight, please reach out!

We have identified collectively 12 areas of focus in order to expand and include diverse uses of the outdoors and experiential practice which are not limited to adventure therapy.

10/02/2026

Huge congratulations to ORC Collaborator, Dr. Tark Newman, at the University of Kentucky who was recently recognized for his amazing research scope and impact on evolving how we intentionally train coaches to support the holistic health and development of athletes. He has evolved experiential education theory to apply to Sport in Social Work. Thank you for your leadership! University of Kentucky College of Social Work

09/16/2026

📣 New research from the Outdoor Research Collaborative!

We’re excited to highlight a new article from several ORC collaborators:

“Examining Predictors of Behavioral and Mental Health Change Among Youth Involved in Wilderness Therapy, Residential Treatment Centers, and Therapeutic Boarding Schools”

Published in the Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, this study examines not only whether youth experienced changes in behavioral and mental health outcomes across these out-of-home treatment settings, but also which factors were associated with the magnitude of change.

The findings point to the importance of looking beyond overall outcomes and asking a more nuanced question: For whom, and under what conditions, do these interventions appear to be most beneficial?

Among the findings, family functioning emerged as a significant predictor of change across all three program types and across most health domains. Other factors—including gender identity, adoption status, and youths’ sense of belonging—also influenced outcomes, with some effects varying by program type and level of acuity at intake.

The authors highlight important implications for practice, including the value of incorporating family work as a standard component of treatment and ensuring that prospective clients are informed about and agree to participation in treatment.

This work contributes to an evolving evidence base for out-of-home behavioral healthcare and reinforces the importance of research that attends to client characteristics, context, belonging, family relationships, and client voice rather than treating programs as one-size-fits-all interventions.

Congratulations to ORC collaborators on this important contribution to the literature! 🌿

📖 Read the article: https://bit.ly/4A5Zd5X

09/12/2026

🌱🪽 Adventure Therapy Practitioners: This opportunity is for you!

The Roots & Wings Fund was established following a generous $14,000 donation from the Lamborghini Car Club of America, inspired by the organizer’s own experience with adventure therapy during childhood—a practice they described as life-saving.

In honor of that experience, the LC (TAPG Leadership Council) created the Roots & Wings Fund to help prepare more practitioners to provide adventure therapy.

💚 Practitioners can apply for support toward:
• Adventure therapy training
• Certification
• Practice resources
• Supplies and other opportunities that advance adventure therapy as a method of practice

The name says it all: Roots & Wings is about developing strong roots in a well-grounded practice method while providing the wings practitioners need to grow and soar in their work.

If you are an emerging or practicing adventure therapy professional looking for support to strengthen your training, certification, or practice, we encourage you to apply!

👉 Learn more and apply: https://bit.ly/4czB7qe

Help us honor the spirit of this gift by investing in the practitioners who will carry adventure therapy forward.

🌱 Build your roots.
🪽 Grow your wings.
🏔️ Strengthen adventure therapy.

The Roots & Wings Fund was established following a donation of $14,000 from the Lamborghini Car Club of America. The LC (TAPG Leadership Council) has determined to honor the intention of the donation by helping to prepare more practitioners to provide what the organizer of the club found to be life-...

09/09/2026

📣 New Publication from the Outdoor Research Collaborative!

We’re excited to celebrate the publication of new research advancing our understanding of adventure therapy with youth involved in child welfare.

This mixed-methods study is particularly meaningful because it centers the experiences and perspectives of young people themselves. By bringing together quantitative and qualitative data, the study offers a richer picture of how youth experience an adventure therapy intervention—and what their voices can teach us about the potential of experiential, outdoor approaches.

Research that centers participant experience is essential to building a stronger evidence base for adventure therapy. It helps us move beyond simply asking “Does it work?” to also asking “What is the experience like for young people?”, “What matters to them?”, and “How can we continue to improve these interventions?”

We’re proud to see this work contributing to the growing body of research exploring outdoor and experiential approaches to health and well-being, particularly with young people who have experienced the child welfare system.

Congratulations to the research team—and gratitude to the young people whose experiences and voices made this work possible. 🌿

🔗 Read the full article: https://bit.ly/4dv9Ght

08/13/2026

Established in 2014, the Heart of Adventure Therapy Award is given yearly to either an organization or an individual who embodies the heart of adventure therapy. The purpose of the award is to honor an individual, organization or program that provides exemplary adventure therapy services and exhibits the mission and vision of the Association for Experiential Education and is a role model in best practices in adventure therapy.

Nominations for the 2026 Heart of Adventure Therapy Award can be made using the form below. Submissions will be evaluated by the TAPG Leadership Council and this year's award winner will be notified no later than September 1, 2026 . The award ceremony will be held at the TAPG Pre-Conference in Estes Park, Colorodo, and recognized in AEE / TAPG marketing. NOMINATIONS DUE SUNDAY 8/16/26

If preferred, nominations can be made via video (Send a link or download to [email protected]) or via conversation with a TAPG Leadership Council member (Please email [email protected]).

Established in 2014, the Heart of Adventure Therapy Award is given yearly to either an organization or an individual who embodies the heart of adventure therapy. The purpose of the award is to honor an individual, organization or program that provides exemplary adventure therapy services and exhibit...

08/12/2026

It is back to school time and we are proud to share the work of Jenn Jevertson, ORC Collaborator and Santa Fe Assistant Director of Student Wellness, who is working to help Santa Fe schools expand mental health support for students. Take a moment to watch this video and the great work of Jenn and her district to address mental health needs of students. Thanks Jenn for being an advocate for fighting stigma and increasing access.

As students return to the classroom, the district is increasing access to counseling, school-based therapy, and programs addressing anxiety, stigma, and bullying.

08/02/2026

We at the ORC want to welcome folks to August and the end of summer. We have been a bit quiet on social media during the dog days of summer intentionally focusing on collective rest and recovery. Many of our collaborators are engaged in their busy season of programming to improve the well being of one individual, one group and one community at a time. Admidst all the business, we wanted to share this good reminder about how nature can help us with burnout and resetting our focus on the important things in our lives. It highlights the great previous research done by ORC Collaborator, Dr. Joanna Bettmann too. More to come....

Health care professionals are especially prone to stress and burnout. Taking time to be outside—even just for a few minutes—and recreate is key to treating and preventing burnout.