nature-based play therapy
Our Alternative Outdoor Provision (AOP) specialises in working with autistic and neurodivergent learners, who benefit from natural spaces to process complex feelings in a low demand and safe place with a therapist. Some may be chronically inflexible, defiant, or pathologically demand avoidant. Other children may have sensory processing issues, hyperactivity, restlessness, or insecure attachments. We know that therapeutic sessions that look and feel like a Forest School experience are appealing to many children, especially if they’re nervous about accessing traditional therapy or counselling in a room.
Our qualified Play Therapist and Forest School Leader offers nature-based therapeutic provision for SEND learners aged 5-13 years through three main pathways: Autism & Mental Health Consultancy, Nature-based Play Therapy, and CPD.
Nature-Based Play Therapy is a versatile approach for ages 5-13 years. Play therapy uses ‘play’ as the primary language of children, using sand, music, arts and other play materials to express and process big emotions. Nature-based Play Therapy may include hammocks, space for movement, natural arts, loose parts play, connecting with living things, and experiencing seasonal change. Most sessions involve a journey from an indoor playroom to the outdoors, this may be a contained outdoor space or to a fixed outdoor playroom within a garden or forest school. We apply ethical principles and clinical reasoning to every client using the outdoors.
We provide CPD for staff working with defensive or demand avoidant learners.
Nature-based Play Therapy for SEND learners | |||
Service | Clients | Offer | Total Cost |
1-2-1 Nature-based Play Therapy (6-month contract) |
Individual SEND learnerswith mental health needs |
Nature-based Play Therapy
Contracts for half or full days.
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Half Day programme = £7,500
Full Day Programmes = £15,000 |
Contract for 25-week programme
minimum of 2 clients |
SEND learners referred to therapy for high level of emotional and mental health needs.
May be autistic, ADHD or another SEND learner.
May have adverse childhood experiences (loss, grief, or life change) and/or difficulty processing their feelings.
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24-week therapy programme + consultancy time (review meetings & final report)
Enhancing sensory, emotional, and mental benefits of being outdoors with a therapist.
| Costing broken down
Half Day Programme (two clients) Block of 25 half days (3 hrs) · 24 therapy sessions for two clients 1hr sessions for 24 weeks and daily assess/ reporting (1hr) · 3hrs consultancy (weekly = £11,250 @ £150 pr session)
Full Day Programmes (four clients) Block of 25 full days (6 hrs) · 24 therapy sessions for four clients 1hr sessions for 24 weeks and daily assess/ reporting (1hr) · 6hrs consultancy (weekly = £22500 @ £150 pr session)
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Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
As part of our wrap around service for children and young that may be chronically inflexible, defiant or pathologically demand avoidant. We provide 2-hr school inset.
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Service | Clients | Offer | Total Cost |
Defensive or Pathologically Demand Avoidant learners
2 hr inset. |
CPD Practitioners in all settings Group sizes 12 max
Education and mental health professionals working withautistic & neurodivergent clients
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q Up to date information and effective approaches q Insight from a specialist in South-West. q Package of resources & strategies q Creative solution-focused workshop
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£300
2 hrs course
Includes 1 hr deliver + 1 hr solution-focused workshop |
AOP’s Therapeutic Lead
Seamo is a Nature-based Play Therapist; a qualified Play Therapist specializing in autistic and neurodivergent learners. His work often focuses on chronically inflexible, defiant or pathologically demand avoidant children and young people. He’s pioneered forest school and nature-based sessions across the South-West.
As an autism and mental health professional, he has advised educational settings, delivered training and spoken at conferences on pathological demand avoidance (PDA) nature-based play & neurodiversity. He is the course creator of Autism Outdoors (ITC), a nature-based mentoring course for professionals.
He has professionally worked with autistic learners for over 20 years and is well known to many Devon schools and education professionals, having previously worked for the Communication & Interaction Team, he provides consultancy, child therapy, and staff development.
All nature-based sessions offer a place to de-stress, de-sensitize and process difficult feelings in nature. They offer experiences that aim to improve access to nature as part of life-long well-being.
