OUTDOOR-ADVENTURE-PLAY INTERVENTIONS (OAPIS): A FOREST OF FACTORS
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Supervisor(s) and Their Department(s)
Examining Committee Member(s) and Their Department(s)
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Abstract
There are a wealth of evidence-based positive outcomes stemming from the use of nature,
adventure, and play in therapy. This thesis study offers a perspective on how to blend these
modalities into an accessible and self-actualizing tool for therapists and their clients, as well as
any individuals seeking to enhance wellness and decrease psychological symptoms in a proactive
and playful way. Outdoor-adventure-play is any playful adventure that takes place in a natural
environment. I synthesized the literature to create the Common Factors Forest interventionplanning model that can be used in playful, experiential or nature-based therapeutic modalities
and then applied to it the phenomenon of outdoor-adventure-play. I traversed through this model
using autoethnographic inquiry, for the purpose of strengthening the model with a deep and
personal account of the themes. I concluded by addressing what is needed for therapists and
clients to make the most out of outdoor-adventure-play as an intentional process of therapy.