Long-Term Group Nature-Assisted Therapy for Veterans Diagnosed with Chronic PTSD

ABSTRACT Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among veterans. However, many veterans who deal with this condition avoid therapy, and innovative therapeutic solutions are needed. The current article presents a case study of combining nature and group therapy in a long-term, group adventure therapy program for veterans with chronic PTSD. Qualitative data were collected during four focus groups with 10 participants. Thematic content analysis was employed to conceptualize this intervention’s therapeutic components. Three main themes were identified, highlighting how this program enhanced participants’ skills in coping with PTSD avoidance symptoms, because group relations constituted a platform for promoting rehabilitation efforts. Nature was described as a pivotal curative factor, providing added value to this therapeutic model. These findings suggest nature-assisted therapy is a promising supplementary intervention, particularly for clients who fail to gain sufficient improvement via other individual or trauma-focused therapies.