Helping kids to heal outside

There’s something about being out in nature that calms people’s minds and soothes the soul. Sarah Borthwick and Rosie Higgins wanted to harness that peaceful power for their work as occupational therapists working with children. They both dreamed of taking children’s therapy out into the great outdoors, and Forest Kids OT was born.

Forest Kids

Kids work with Borthwick and Higgins to build social and motor skills, balance and coordination, executive functioning, and sensory processing. Occupational therapy (OT) is a branch of health care that helps people of all ages who have physical, sensory, or cognitive problems. OT can help them regulate their emotions and regain independence in all areas of their lives. Forest Kids OT can help children become more confident, regulated, and aware of themselves and others.“Rosie and I both really love the outdoors and see so many benefits for children in being in nature,” Borthwick says. “Nature is incredibly regulating and restorative, and we've seen this first-hand with our own children. We have both been OTs for many years, but learned more about pediatric nature-based OT in recent years and felt so drawn to it. “We both volunteer for our children's cross-country ski club and we spent many hours last winter skiing together while dreaming of what Forest Kids OT could be,” she adds. “I took a certification course called ConTiGO, which is the professional standard in pediatric nature-based OT, and then we both took other courses which would help us provide best practice pediatric OT in a nature-based setting. We really believe children do well when they can, and being outdoors in nature is such a great environment to help them reach their goals and have fun in the process.”

Local forests are spaces to grow

Forest Kids OT is currently based in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve, which Borthwick describes as a “beautiful and remote forest location away from the stressors of urban and everyday life.” (The two are considering adding an additional location in the future as well, possibly in central Vancouver as they get many inquiries for that.)The pair offers occupational therapy in groups of up to six children aged four to nine in weekly 1.5-hour sessions for nine weeks. The small numbers give kids the opportunity to develop relationships with peers over time and work on peer relationships. Fully immersed in nature, the program consists of a mix of structured and unstructured, facilitated play. “We might be cooking over a camp stove, going on a scavenger hunt, doing an art activity, or playing collaborative games—all the while keeping in mind during the planning and throughout the sessions what each child's goal is,” Borthwick says. “We also commonly integrate some content from a self-regulation or emotional regulation curriculum we are both certified in. communicate the information to the families so they can continue to support their child at home. Every activity is purposeful, but the kids just experience a fun morning outside. We want the children to enjoy being in our group and want to come back week after week.”For Borthwick and Higgins, the work is incredibly fulfilling. “We love seeing the children become more comfortable and confident as the weeks progress and as they develop relationships with the other children and us,” Borthwick says. “It's incredibly rewarding to get to know these amazing children and be a part of their lives and see them make progress on their therapy goals. It's such a privilege to help children and families work towards their goals, and it's so meaningful to develop lasting relationships with families.”For more information about Forest Kids OT, visit https://www.forestkidsot.ca/Written for LynnValleyLife.com by Gail Johnson

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