Campfire Conversations
Using bushcraft as a therapeutic approach to men’s work
Keywords:
Bushcraft, Community, Men, Therapeutic, Wellbeing, Mental Health, Group Work, Nature-BasedAbstract
This paper reflects on the learning gained from delivering therapeutic group work with men in a natural environment using bushcraft as a vehicle to deliver a programme of work aimed to support the wellbeing of participants. The article explores the benefits of using bushcraft for therapeutic work and how developing a micro-community supports participants' wellbeing through the co-construction of a shared space to learn and reflect, fostering a power-shared journey whilst developing a sense of community. A case study is used to demonstrate the work and its impact.
References
Fine, G. A., & Van Der Scott, L. (2011). Wispy communities: Transient gatherings and imagined micro-communities. American Behavioural Scientist, 55(10), 1319–1335, Sage Publications.
Gibson, J.J. (1977). The theory of affordances. In R. Shaw and J. Bransford (Eds), Perciving, acting, and knowing (pp. 67-82). Hillsdale. New Jersey. Erlbaum.
Sharp P, Bottorff JL, Rice S, Oliffe JL, Schulenkorf N, et al. (2022) “People say men don’t talk, well that’s bullshit”: A focus group study exploring challenges and opportunities for men’s mental health promotion. PLOS ONE 17(1): e0261997. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0261997
Seidler ZE, Rice SM, Ogrodniczuk JS, Oliffe JL, Dhillon HM. Engaging Men in Psychological Treatment: A Scoping Review. Am J Mens Health. 2018 Nov;12(6):1882-1900. doi: 10.1177/1557988318792157. Epub 2018 Aug 13. PMID: 30103643; PMCID: PMC6199457.
Leighton, J, Lopez, K.J & Johnson, C.W. (2021). “There is always progress to be made.” Reflective Narratives on Outdoor Therapeutic Recreation for Mental Health Support. Therapeutic Recreation Jounral, Vol. LV, No2, pp.185 -203. DOI:https://doi.org/10.18666/TRJ-2021-V55-I2-10653
Norton, C.L., Tucker, A., Farnham-Stratton, M, Borroel, F & Pelletier, A. (2019). Family Enrichment Adventure Therapy: A Mixed Methods Study Examining the Impact of Trauma-Informed Adventure Therapy on Children and Families Affected by Abuse. Journ Child Adol Trauma 12, 85–95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-017-0133-4
Sharp P, Bottorff JL, Rice S, Oliffe JL, Schulenkorf N, Impellizzeri F, et al. (2022) “People say men don’t talk, well that’s bullshit”: A focus group study exploring challenges and opportunities for men’s mental health promotion. PLoS ONE 17(1): e0261997. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0261997
Ungar, M., Dumond, C., & Mcdonald, W. (2005). Risk, Resilience and Outdoor Programmes for At-risk Children. Journal of Social Work, 5(3), 319–338. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017305058938
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Pluralistic Practice Journal
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.