About
Mission statement:
Key Elements Health is dedicated to enriching lives through nature-inspired therapy. Our mission is to use the power of outdoor adventures (with adventure being a broad term) to support mental, emotional, spiritual and physical wellness, helping clients better understand these fundamental elements and their impact on wellbeing in order to achieve a balanced and fulfilling life.
Our Story:
Key Elements Health came about from the combination of these different elements:
Camping, hiking, surfing and spending time in nature as a child
Working with at risk youth and seeing the benefits of engaging in activities out in nature
Completing a degree in occupational therapy and working in mental health
Being in the outdoors as a way of maintaining balance and managing our own mental health
Being guided by other practitioners in seeing the benefits of engaging in meaningful activities out in the elements
Seeing a need for adventure based therapy around the Gold Coast
Combining a love for outdoors adventures with experience working as a therapist
Keegan
Keegan is an occupational therapist (OT) who enjoys helping people engage in everyday activities and connect/reconnect with meaningful occupations.
Keegan has worked in a variety of different areas of the occupational therapy profession including neuroscience rehabilitation, general medicine, acute mental health for young people and adults and community mental health. During his time in these varied roles, Keegan has completed functional assessments, cognitive assessments, and provided client led interventions and education to a wide variety of people from different age and cultural groups.
Prior to working as an OT, Keegan worked with at risk children in adventure-based learning programs and studied a certificate 4 in youth work.
When Keegan is not working as an occupational therapist, he is fathering, mountain biking, surfing, skating (on a longboard skateboard), hiking, rock climbing or playing music at a professional level.
Twin falls at Springbrook (can you spot the OT?).
Keegan climbing mountains in Peru.
Keegan bungee jumping in Canada.
Keegan snowboarding in Whistler Canada.
Keegan climbing inside an ice cave in Canada.
Keegan mountain biking with mates in New Zealand.
Keegan exporing Machu Picchu Peru.
Keegan hiking in Yosemite National Park USA (check out his hiking boots).
Keegan canoeing in Canada.
Keegan climbing mountains in Australia with mates (Keegan took the photo).
Keegan abseiling on the Gold Coast with mates (Keegan took the photo).
FAQs
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When trying to understand occupational therapy, people tend to get stuck on the word occupation, relating it purely to a job. Occupational therapist use the word "occupation to mean the things we do everyday, how we occupy our time. Therefore Occupational therapy is therapy for things we do everyday.
Occupations include looking after ourselves (self cares or pADLs) such as eating, dressing, bathing, toileting etc; looking after/organising our environment (self management or iADLs) such as washing, cooking, cleaning, shopping, engaging in meaningful activity.
Occupational therapists work with people to find ways to complete these tasks that may have become difficult after a change.
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There is growing evidence to support nature based therapy and the benefits of physical activity and connection with nature.
Check out Outdoor Health Australia for more information.
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Adventure means a lot of different things to different people. What might be exciting and fun for one person might be terrifying for another. We can work with you to help you find the "just right" level of adventure you need where it is engaging and challenging for the level you are at. Reach out to discuss different options/suggestions.
We acknowledge and pay respects to the people of the Yugambeh language region of the Gold Coast and all their descendants both past and present. We also acknowledge the many Aboriginal people from other regions as well as Torres Strait and South Sea Islander people who now live in the local area and have made an important contribution to the community.
We acknowledge people with lived experience of mental ill-health and recovery and the experience of people who have been carers, families, or supporter
