
Adventure Therapy

Thrive Outdoors
Some young people don’t thrive in four walls... they come alive outside.Adventure Therapy at The Village Health offers a powerful, evidence-informed way for children and adolescents to build confidence, resilience, emotional regulation, and real-world coping skills through activity-based support.Led by our youth practitioner Doug Moczynski, this approach blends nature, movement, relationship, and therapeutic skill-building to create breakthroughs that traditional talk therapy can’t always reach.Outdoors, young people find space to breathe, think, regulate, and reconnect with their own strengths.

Who Adventure Therapy Is For?
Adventure Therapy is ideal for young people who:
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Struggle to engage in traditional therapy settings
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Experience anxiety, low mood, or emotional dysregulation
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Need support with self-esteem and confidence
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Benefit from hands-on learning rather than verbal processing
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Are navigating school refusal, overwhelm, or big transitions
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Have experienced trauma
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Are neurodivergent and respond well to movement and sensory input
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Need a positive male role model who is grounded, calm, and strengths-focused
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Thrive in nature-based environments
How It Works
Sessions typically take place around Warragul and the surrounding areas, using accessible, local outdoor spaces. Each session typically includes:
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A grounding check-in with parent involvement at the beginning
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Outdoor activities such as walking, bushcraft, bike riding, fishing, geocaching, slack-lining, skateboarding, ball sports, and more
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Skill-building for emotional regulation through movement, sensory awareness, and nervous system understanding
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Real-time problem-solving and resilience practice
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Connection, belonging, and safe mentoring
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A clear therapeutic focus aligned with the young person’s goals
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A brief debrief back to parents/carers to support wrap-around care
Every activity is chosen with intention; to build capacity, strengthen identity, and create moments of mastery.


Therapeutic Benefits
Adventure Therapy helps young people:
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Regulate their nervous system more effectively
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Build confidence and self-belief through achievable challenge
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Strengthen social and communication skills
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Improve executive functioning, planning, and problem-solving
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Increase motivation and engagement
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Reduce overwhelm, anxiety, and emotional reactivity
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Build resilience and perseverance
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Experience a healthy, grounded relationship
The outdoors becomes both a mirror and a mentor.
