Outdoor Mental Health First Aid

Outdoor leaders are often the first to notice when someone is struggling—but many teams lack a shared approach for responding to mental health concerns in the field. This session equips outdoor professionals with practical, respectful skills for recognizing distress, supporting regulation, and responding to crisis situations until additional help is available.

This session is designed to explore:

• Common mental health concerns that show up in outdoor settings

• How stress, exposure, group dynamics, and fatigue affect mental wellbeing

• Supportive response principles: what helps, what escalates, what to avoid

• Psychological safety and prevention: building programs that reduce risk

Participants will be introduced to:

• Signs and symptoms of distress and how to respond without overstepping

• De-escalation tools and “in-the-moment” stabilization strategies

• Group management approaches that reduce shame and increase safety

• Resource navigation and referral pathways when professional care is needed

This session is ideal for:

• Outdoor educators, guides, trip leaders, and instructors

• Park rangers, recreation staff, and camp professionals

• Adventure programs, youth-serving organizations, and nonprofits

• University outdoor programs and student leadership teams

• Organizations wanting safer, more supportive outdoor culture