The Implicit Ecosystem of Outdoor Therapies
A Grounded Theory Exploratory Study of International Practitioners’ Guiding Frameworks and the Proposition of a Practice Theory
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 15486246 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Carina Ribe Fernee (0000-0002-0732-7407, University of Agder, corresponding author), Markus Mattsson (0000-0001-9063-8363, Sørlandet Sykehus), Pekka Lyytinen (University of Turku), Nevin J Harper (0000-0002-7828-2349, University of Victoria) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 394-394 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-20 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601 |
| Publisher | Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3390/ijerph23030394 |
| PMID | 41899771 |
| OpenAlex | W7139133419 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 17 |
Human health and well-being are dependent on natural environments, which is the core foundation of the growing discipline of outdoor therapies. However, as with psychotherapy research in general, the field of outdoor therapies lacks descriptive process-oriented theoretical frameworks that precisely reflect this multi-faceted practice. Therapeutic work, whether this takes place indoors or outdoors, comprises numerous implicit relational and environmental dimensions. Implicit aspects are largely sensed, embodied and intuitive, and therefore hard to pin down and describe accurately. In this exploratory study, a survey mapped implicit guiding frameworks amongst outdoor therapy practitioners ( n = 68) representing 18 nations. A constructivist grounded theory analysis resulted in the proposition of a practice theory, called the implicit ecosystem of outdoor therapies , made up of eight interrelated components: (1) joint engagement and co-creating agendas; (2) a foundation of safety and trust; (3) being in parallel and not fix; (4) awareness and attunement here-now; (5) the dynamic of outer and inner landscapes; (6) a constantly moving and meaning-making endeavor; (7) creativity, play, and whole-body activation; and (8) working through natural barriers and rewriting narratives. This grounded theory offers a preliminary blueprint of a practice-guiding framework developed from within the outdoor therapy discipline intended to advance theory, training, and research
Attunement · Blueprint · Embodied cognition · Exploratory research · Foundation (evidence · Grounded theory · Natural (archaeology · Proposition · Occupational Therapy Practice and Research · Outdoor and Experiential Education · Urban Green Space and Health
Self-Determination Theory
Nature contact, nature connectedness and associations with health, wellbeing and pro-environmental behaviours
Nature and mental health
Nature Contact and Human Health
Positive psychology
The connectedness to nature scale
Explicating the implicit
Self-efficacy
Forest Therapy Alone or with a Guide
The Cost Effectiveness of Ecotherapy as a Healthcare Intervention, Separating the Wood from the Trees
Nature-Based Therapy in Individuals with Mental Health Disorders, with a Focus on Mental Well-Being and Connectedness to Nature—A Pilot Study
The pursuit of quality in grounded theory
The process of therapeutic change involving implicit knowledge
Therapy the Natural Way
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |