Ecotherapy and Adventure Therapy – A Preliminary Study within the Maltese Context was the title of a recent research project carried out by Russell Attard as part of the Master in Counselling programme at the University of Malta’s Faculty for Social Well-being, under the supervision of Roberta Attard.
Ecotherapy and adventure therapy are innovative techniques introduced quite recently in the world of therapy. The research aimed to evaluate whether these therapeutic approaches are being practised locally and assess their potential benefits within the Maltese setting.
The results noted a lack of familiarity among Maltese counsellors with both ecotherapy and adventure therapy. Despite this limited awareness, many counsellors acknowledged the potential benefits of these approaches, especially because they viewed nature – an integral part of ecotherapy and adventure therapy – as a helpful tool that could help some of their clients. Moreover, adventure therapy was seen as being a potential alternative tool since, through its experiential nature, it can help to engage clients who are not enthusiastic to engage in conventional indoor therapy.
Another part of the research focused on interviews with local therapeutic practitioners who incorporate ecotherapy or adventure therapy in their practice. Through these interviews, the professionals highlighted unique advantages inherent to these therapeutic practices, such as viewing nature as a “co-therapist” that contributes to the therapeutic relationship and nurtures change in clients.
Participants also noted nature’s calming and metaphorical elements, which can be seen as tools that facilitate personal reflection and growth. Despite the advantages, the therapeutic professionals insisted that proper training is needed, and practitioners should be mindful of ethical implications, such as maintaining confidentiality and setting appropriate boundaries.
Keeping this in mind, Attard suggests further research on how ecotherapy and adventure therapy could be implemented in Malta. He stressed the importance of training for counsellors in these techniques and addressing ethical considerations specific to outdoor therapies.
The research offers valuable preliminary insights into the potential for ecotherapy and adventure therapy in Malta, highlighting both the opportunities and obstacles in adopting these approaches in a densely populated and urbanised island nation. The research work lays the groundwork for future studies and suggests pathways for integrating these therapies into mainstream counselling practices in Malta.
The research project was supported by the Tertiary Education Scholarship Scheme (TESS) administered by the ministry for education, sport, youth, research, and innovation.