Outdoor Therapy Risk Assessments Explained

An outdoor therapy risk assessment is a structured way to think through foreseeable risks before working with clients in outdoor settings. It should support professional judgement, not replace it.

The aim is to identify relevant hazards, consider who may be affected, decide what control measures are reasonable, and review the plan when circumstances change.

Useful risk assessments often include weather, terrain, route difficulty, privacy, access, mobile signal, emergency access, client-specific considerations, environmental hazards, boundaries and alternative plans.

For walk-and-talk work, therapists may also consider meeting points, route exits, expected session timing, what happens if the client becomes distressed, and how to manage unexpected public encounters.

Risk assessments should be living records. A route may be safe in dry summer weather and unsuitable in winter, after storms, during flooding, or when a client's circumstances change.

Regular review dates, clear notes and linked safety check-ins can help outdoor therapy feel considered, professional and responsive.