Co-Designing Therapy with Adolescents: Adventure Therapy in Action
Tracks
Bluewater II - In-Person
| Friday, November 8, 2024 |
| 9:20 AM - 9:40 AM |
| Bluewater II |
Overview
Jennifer Parke, Human Nature Adventure Therapy
Speaker
Jennifer Parke
Head of Operations
Human Nature Adventure Therapy
Co-Designing Therapy with Adolescents: Adventure Therapy in Action
Abstract
Human Nature is an innovative youth mental health service achieving industry-leading rates of engagement and positive mental health outcomes for at-risk youth in the Far North Coast of NSW.
Qualified mental health professionals and experienced youth workers work together, in an assertive outreach model, to reach young people other services have not been able to engage. Sessions take place outdoors, in locations and with activities that allow young people to feel safe and motivated to connect with a therapist and/or mentor and combine clinically proven, evidence based psychological therapies with fun, engaging activities in nature.
With Feedback Informed Treatment tools, clinicians gather real-time input from clients to identify what is and is not working in therapy, and the client’s perspective about the therapeutic relationship to engage young people in their own outcomes and make adjustments.
My Mind Star allows clients and practitioners to assess against 7 domains at regular intervals.
The setting, content, frequency and duration of therapeutic interventions is co-designed with young people themselves.
Human Nature clinicians use ‘whatever it takes’ to enable clients’ participation and work with young people predominantly in non-clinical settings using adventure therapy as an engagement and therapeutic alliance building tool..
The outcomes? 95% of young people participate in more than ten sessions, 25% are Aboriginal young people, 85% make improvements personally and interpersonally, and 75% make progress on more than 3 outcome areas.
Three Key Learnings:
1. Understanding of a model of co-designed therapy for adolescents.
2. Demonstration of the use of Feedback Informed Treatment and Outcome Stars to engage young people in their own outcomes.
3. Learn how adventure therapy lends itself to genuine participation in therapeutic engagement and outcomes.
Qualified mental health professionals and experienced youth workers work together, in an assertive outreach model, to reach young people other services have not been able to engage. Sessions take place outdoors, in locations and with activities that allow young people to feel safe and motivated to connect with a therapist and/or mentor and combine clinically proven, evidence based psychological therapies with fun, engaging activities in nature.
With Feedback Informed Treatment tools, clinicians gather real-time input from clients to identify what is and is not working in therapy, and the client’s perspective about the therapeutic relationship to engage young people in their own outcomes and make adjustments.
My Mind Star allows clients and practitioners to assess against 7 domains at regular intervals.
The setting, content, frequency and duration of therapeutic interventions is co-designed with young people themselves.
Human Nature clinicians use ‘whatever it takes’ to enable clients’ participation and work with young people predominantly in non-clinical settings using adventure therapy as an engagement and therapeutic alliance building tool..
The outcomes? 95% of young people participate in more than ten sessions, 25% are Aboriginal young people, 85% make improvements personally and interpersonally, and 75% make progress on more than 3 outcome areas.
Three Key Learnings:
1. Understanding of a model of co-designed therapy for adolescents.
2. Demonstration of the use of Feedback Informed Treatment and Outcome Stars to engage young people in their own outcomes.
3. Learn how adventure therapy lends itself to genuine participation in therapeutic engagement and outcomes.
Biography
Jennifer Parke has worked alongside young people and as a senior manager in a wide range of settings including Juvenile Justice, youth homelessness, counseling, and youth development and leadership. She is currently Head of Operations at Human Nature Adventure Therapy.
She has a Social Science degree and graduate diplomas in Counselling and Mediation. She also has a bush regeneration and horticulture background and knows the power of reconnecting with nature to reconnect with yourself.
Jen is passionate about supporting young people to be heard, and to have meaningful, genuine opportunities for participation in systems and decisions that affect their lives.
