Animal-Assisted Outdoor Therapy: How Working With Animals in Nature Supports Mental Health

Maz Miller
Dec 29, 2025
2 min read

Animal-Assisted Outdoor Therapy combines therapeutic support with time outdoors alongside animals such as dogs, horses, or other trained animals. Sessions may take place in parks, paddocks, trails, beaches, or other natural environments where movement, nature, and animal interaction come together.

Rather than being a standalone treatment, animal-assisted work is typically integrated into established psychological approaches and guided by trained practitioners who understand both mental health and animal welfare.

What Is Animal-Assisted Outdoor Therapy?

Animal-Assisted Outdoor Therapy involves the intentional inclusion of animals within a therapeutic process that takes place outdoors. The animal is not the “therapist,” but a supportive presence that can help shape the environment, pace, and emotional tone of a session.

Depending on the practitioner and setting, this may involve:

walking alongside a dog during therapy sessions
structured activities with horses in outdoor settings
observing or interacting with animals as part of grounding or regulation work
movement-based sessions where animals support engagement and motivation

Sessions may be conducted individually or in small groups and are adapted to suit client needs, safety considerations, and the animal’s wellbeing.

Why Animals and Nature Can Be Supportive Together

Both animals and natural environments have been shown to influence emotional regulation, attention, and stress levels. When combined, they can create a setting that feels less clinical and more relational.

Animal-assisted outdoor work may help by:

providing a calming, non-judgemental presence
encouraging movement and gentle physical activity
supporting emotional safety through shared attention
reducing social pressure in conversation
helping clients stay grounded in the present moment

For some people, being alongside an animal makes it easier to engage in therapy than sitting face-to-face indoors.

How This Approach Is Used in Practice

Animal-Assisted Outdoor Therapy is often integrated with evidence-based psychological frameworks, rather than replacing them.

Practitioners may use animal-assisted outdoor sessions to support:

anxiety and stress regulation
emotional awareness and expression
trauma-informed care
confidence and trust-building
social engagement and communication
motivation for movement and participation

The structure of sessions varies widely and is shaped by practitioner training, client goals, environmental factors, and animal suitability.

Who May Be Drawn to This Approach?

Animal-Assisted Outdoor Therapy may appeal to people who:

feel calmer around animals
find traditional therapy rooms uncomfortable
connect more easily through shared activities
benefit from movement and outdoor settings
prefer therapy that feels relational and experiential

Not everyone enjoys or feels comfortable around animals, and this approach is always optional rather than assumed.

Important Considerations

Ethical animal-assisted work prioritises:

the welfare and consent of the animal
practitioner training in both mental health and animal-assisted practice
appropriate risk assessment and safety planning
clear boundaries around the role of the animal

Reputable practitioners are transparent about their training, the role of the animal, and how sessions are structured.

Finding an Animal-Assisted Outdoor Therapist

Animal-Assisted Outdoor Therapy is offered by a range of qualified psychologists and therapists who integrate animals into outdoor, movement-based sessions.

In our directory, you can explore practitioners who: