Doctor’s orders: go outside
For some teenagers, an afternoon of cycling and playing Pokemon Go under the sun is the most effective form of therapy.
Marsden-based business OpentraX merges traditional allied healthcare with adventure therapy, where clients heal in the great outdoors.
Participants with intellectual disabilities and other challenges hike, mountain bike, rock climb and slingshot during their sessions.
Founder Chris Higgins says the program has been incredibly effective so far, especially for those who struggle with traditional therapy.
‘A lack of consistency is common – participants go through a few sessions, they don’t get the therapy they need and some even get kicked out of clinics and the cycle continues,’ he says.
‘If you’re judging a fish on his ability to climb a tree, he’ll look silly. Put him somewhere else and he’ll thrive, just like the guys in our program outdoors.
‘We make therapy fun by having them engage in activities they like with hidden therapeutic elements.’
OpentraX focuses on building confidence, resilience, and skill with an emphasis on realising one’s potential.
Treatment is tailored to the individual after an assessment of their interests, triggers, and personal histories.
Practitioners begin with one-on-one sessions and gradually transition into group activities.
The end goal of the program is for clients to require fewer sessions.
‘Once people get to the group setting phase, we try to link them up with others who have similar interests so they can improve their skills and create genuine connections,’ Chris says.
‘Nature does a lot for them too – nowadays kids are withdrawing and getting their dopamine hit from devices.’
Physiologists, occupational therapists, and psychologists work closely with all types of clients: those with challenges like ADHD or ASD, young people involved with the youth justice system, war veterans, paraplegics and more.
OpentraX advocates for treating all participants with the same level of respect, regardless of age or what they have been labelled with in the past.
Chris’ philosophy to healing is simple: with the right tools, everybody can achieve their goals no matter where they are in life.
‘All you need is the right environment to find yourself and what you’re good at,’ he says.
‘We have guys with behavioural issues who struggle in school and are banned from camp come to us – and when they’re finally allowed to attend, end up being exceptional leaders.’
As for what’s next, Chris hopes to expand the program by including more practitioners to support more people.
‘It’s the most rewarding thing seeing the change in these guys and their families,’ he says.
‘They become who they truly are, realise their full abilities and realise all those labels that made them feel shoddy aren’t true.’
For more information, visit the OpentraX website.
