This webinar will explore how outdoor programs for military veterans create therapeutic landscapes that support mental health and well-being. Dr. David Havlick will discuss how nature immersion, outdoor recreation, and social dynamics contribute to recovery—particularly for veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress. We will also discuss the unique role of public lands in fostering these healing environments.
Key Takeaways:
- Learn how outdoor environments and program variations contribute to healing and therapeutic benefits.
- Understand why the diverse and individualized nature of these programs can make outcomes difficult to quantify—yet still effective.
- Discover how public lands provide unique therapeutic opportunities.
- Gain insights into how outdoor programs can continue to evolve to better support veterans' well-being.
Speaker
David Havlick is Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. His research on therapeutic landscapes, ecological restoration, conservation, and public lands has been supported by the National Science Foundation, American Geographic Society, and US Forest Service. He has published in journals including Science, Environmental Ethics, Progress in Physical Geography, and Social Science and Medicine and other scholarly journals. He is also the author of Bombs Away: Militarization, Conservation, and Ecological Restoration, No Place Distant: Roads and Motorized Recreation on America’s Public Lands; and co-edited (with Marion Hourdequin) Restoring Layered Landscapes: History, Ecology, and Culture.