Program Overview

As a pilot program, perinatal parents (and their infants) are invited to join two experienced health and mental health professionals with extensive experience in providing nature and play-based programming in a safe and inclusive natural environment. 

For five weeks, we will gather, rain or shine, in a space of collective care with peers and their young infants while being in nature with support. 

Program Information

  • Time

    5 weeks

    Monday mornings

    10am - 12pm

  • Dates

    5 sessions:

    June 2nd - June 30th

  • Location

    Ottawa Forest and Nature School, Wesley Clover Park Campgrounds

    411 Corkstown Rd.

  • Cost

    $20 per person

HOW TO REGISTER

Click on the registration form button below.

Fill out and submit the form and you will be taken to payment. If you are registering for more than one adult, please complete two forms. 

REGISTER HERE

If you have questions before registering, please book a short intake call here.

Or send us a question via our contact form here.

What You Can Expect From This Group

Our pilot Outdoor Play Perinatal Support Group will be five weeks in duration and 2 hours in length. Each week is planned with a loose structure around a topic related to perinatal experience.

Our topics flow in an unstructured way through facilitated dialogue, grounding ourselves in nature, fire building and storytelling, hiking, using art and experience to process areas we are feeling stuck, etc.

The role of our facilitators is to hold space for feelings, facilitate rich nature and play experiences, and facilitate meaningful conversations on perinatal mental health, parenting transitions, and ways to move into the parenting role with more ease and joy.

Objectives

  • Leverage therapeutic benefits of time spent in nature to support participant resilience, maternal/primary caregiver mental health, and infant & early mental health (IEMH).
  • Introduce concepts related to unstructured outdoor play as a dual supportive mechanism for parental mental health and healthy childhood development
  • Aid new parents/primary caregivers to overcome barriers to accessing nature with their infants. 
  • Provide a supportive environment for peer engagement and interaction in the context of nature-based, experiential/sensory, participant-responsive programming. 
  • Position joy and presence as valid tools in the parenting toolbox

FAQs

Who is this program for?

Parents in the perinatal period, including parents who are pregnant or expecting a child (adoption included), and parents in the postpartum period up to their child being one year old, who are looking for support. Parents and babies are welcome. 

Is it okay to arrive late?


YES. Absolutely. 

Can I miss one or more sessions? 

Yes. It's great if you can make it to the first session because this is when we start to get to know one another. Inclusivity and flexibility are the name of our game. The group dynamic builds week over week, and we are flexible in this process.

How is outdoor play incorporated into the sessions?

We view outdoor play as a tool and resource available to all, and play itself is the language of childhood. By immersing ourselves in nature, being playful, and exploring concepts related to play to support our children and parenting journey, we believe parents will feel more resourced and supported.

What is art therapy?

Simply stated, art therapy combines talking and making art with a therapeutic intention. To learn more about art therapy, you can visit the Ontario Art Therapy Association website. 

Are any topics "off limits"?

We welcome our participants to bring to the session whatever is "alive" for them. Sometimes our conversations will touch on topics that are difficult and emotional; other times, the conversations are light. We are always mindful of our therapeutic goals, such as creating a safe space and offering opportunities for self-expression. We may explore some of the meaning behind the art and the insight that it brings. Or we might just share stories and laughter.