Breaking Down Barriers to Care
Hi Friends,
Welcome back to Wildmind Publications for Rooted Wild + Wildmind Retreats! There was still so much to say following my first post about the benefits of Zines, and I wanted to announce additional ways that we are actively challenging barriers to care here at Rooted Wild. We will start with the theoretical framework, then move to the solution.
First and foremost, let’s address the elephant in the room: in 2025, despite widespread access to technology, in-person mental health care can be elusive and costly. In fact, most forego care because it is more important to eat than go to therapy for most. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a foundational understanding that grounds my practice in all client care.
Like with any pyramid, you have to start with a sturdy base.
Until your basic survival needs (food, water, shelter) are met, you can't move on to the next level. Safety & Security means personal safety, employment, health, etc. Many never reach the top-most level of self-actualization. Additionally, your location on the pyramid can change rapidly depending on life circumstances.
Understanding this idea of motivational driving forces makes it easier to give oneself grace for prioritizing general health and safety over pursuing lofty dreams. That being said…it is human to dream and want more for yourself and your life.
One of my favorite elements of Recreation Therapy is resource awareness and being able to address barriers experienced, real, perceived, unacknowledged, all of them. In addressing barriers to care, let’s make one thing super duper clear: leisure is a fundamental human right. While historically it was preserved for higher socioeconomic classes and those living a life of privilege, play is also a key developmental social learning strategy engaged in by all children. That need doesn’t just disappear once you are no longer a child; by the way, it just gets moderately easier to ignore. The benefits available through a variety of leisure pursuits, be it photography, music-making, scrapbooking, whittling, reading, or literally anything else that your heart desires, have some degree of transferable skills and elements of problem-solving required to be successful.
This is a plea to find something you are passionate about or even just mildly curious about, but it is also an invitation to take an active role in your healing journey. To make more resources accessible to those who need them, I started this blog to share evidence-based solutions WITHOUT A PAYWALL. I recently started a podcast for those who prefer to engage aurally without having to jump through the hoops of finding a therapist covered by an insurance plan or fretting about the premiums charged for niche psychiatric support and care. Healing should be accessible. Gatekeeping the best-kept wellness secrets can be harmful to those who need them most.
So, for those of you who have made it this far, I want to invite you to check out The Rooted Wild Podcast, available through your preferred podcast host like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many others, where you can tune in for extra recreation therapy tips and guiding fundamental theories to enhance your leisure engagement. If you only have 15 minutes a week, I can help you maximize the time you have or tap into the benefits of your preferred leisure outlet.
Keep doodling, hiking, swimming, or crafting, whatever it is that brings you joy. There is value to letting yourself have moments of levity in this fast-paced world. Whenever you want to tune in, Rooted Wild will be releasing content through a variety of outlets to meet your needs.
Stay Wild, friends!