Mental health practitioners represent a promising pathway to promote park-based physical activity

Abstract

Physical activity has increasingly been viewed as an essential component of mental health treatment, but therapists may feel ill-equipped to provide formal physical activity recommendations to clients, or may not have considered unique approaches such as park prescriptions (ParkRx). This mixed-methods study used surveys (N = 125) and focus groups (N = 14) to assess therapists' current physical activity counseling practices and receptiveness to integrating ParkRx into their clinical practice. Many survey respondents (62.8%) reported asking clients about physical activity and providing verbal physical activity recommendations (59.7%). Most agreed that it is important to educate clients about the benefits of physical activity (94.4%) and said they would be willing to prescribe park-based activity to clients (80.8%), but fewer said they were comfortable counseling clients about physical activity (68.8%). Focus group participants identified several existing skills to facilitate physical activity counseling, including assisting clients with coping planning, recommending enjoyable movement instead of ‘exercise’, and using ‘baby steps’ to facilitate mastery experiences. Therapists appreciated ParkRx's emphasis on holistic health and wellbeing and believed clients would be receptive to outdoor activity. Some disliked the idea of ‘prescribing’ physical activity and felt it could conflict with their therapeutic approach, particularly for clients presenting certain concerns (e.g., eating disorders, feelings of shame, suicidal ideation). A majority of survey and focus group participants were receptive to completing a ParkRx training. Given therapists' existing behavioral counseling skills and openness to implementing ParkRx in practice, they represent a promising pathway for promoting park-based physical activity to enhance physical and mental health.