Mental health treatment often takes place inside fluorescent-lit, sterile, and windowless rooms. But what if there was a more effective way of healing?
For Zach Bird, the founder of Utah Outdoor Therapies, the outdoors have always been more than just adventures — it’s been an outlet and space to heal. Bird was inspired to create an organization that would help people in ways that traditional therapy couldn’t. Having faced personal struggles with his mental health, he discovered the power of getting outside, as it gave him a new purpose and drive. Now, he hopes to bring that same idea of healing to others struggling through Utah Outdoor Therapies.
To help bring his vision to life, Bird enrolled in the Master of Business Creation (MBC) program at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business. The award-winning program provides one-on-one mentorship, applied curriculum, marketing support, and more to help founders grow their businesses.
“The MBC program is pushing me to take risks and helping me feel like even if I failed, I had the support to recover,” Bird said. “Before a lot of the ideas, I had were just ideas, but the deadlines in the program are pushing me to put a timeline to trying to make those ideas a reality.”
Utah Outdoor Therapies is a nonprofit that combines outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking, biking, and more with a cognitive therapy approach to support individuals prioritise and protect their mental health. By allowing patients to immerse themselves in nature, the program encourages physical activity and mindfulness, giving patients a new sense of fulfilment and emotional healing. This approach allows people to reconnect with themselves while having the chance to stay connected to their loved ones.
Bird has seen the hardships and struggles of addiction by witnessing his father, who struggled with his mental health and used alcohol as a suppressant. He watched his father cycle in and out of various treatment facilities, all ending up right back to where he started. This was discouraging to Bird, as he knew his father had so much potential to thrive, but the tools given to him just weren’t helping. Witnessing his father’s battle with depression and addiction, a passion for understanding mental health ignited within him. After he completed his mission with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, he was drawn to pursue a degree in clinical psychology at Brigham Young University, where he realized the power of healing in nature.
Utah Outdoor Therapies combines outdoor activities with a cognitive therapy approach.
Through these experiences, Bird discovered a crucial personal insight: spending time outdoors – rock climbing, hiking, and backpacking – provided significant relief and stability. From then on, a seed was planted within him and his entrepreneurial vision began to sprout. During and after his undergraduate, he spent time working at a drug and alcohol medical facility, only reinforcing his belief that the traditional approach to mental health needs is lacking.
While brainstorming the startup process, Bird knew his purpose.
“I want to build something that gives people the opportunity to be involved in outdoor treatment while still being near their families, both for clients and employees as well,” he said. “Something that could be effective, inspire, and change people but didn’t require leaving behind jobs, family, and basically all the support systems and resources that are in place in your community.”
Bird felt a sense of fulfilment being able to help people, and decided his program would focus on healing through outdoor activities in nature.
The process of building a startup in the rehabilitation space comes with its hurdles, as specific regulations and funding are inevitable in the process. Despite this, Bird perseveres and remains very committed to his mission. He has made and continues to make the necessary steps to create the first community-based nonprofit outdoor rehabilitation organization.
With the help of the MBC program, Bird has been able to give himself deadlines and plans, keeping him on track to take the company public. The MBC program has helped him shape the organization’s identity and connect it with those in need of its services. Utah Outdoor Therapies is now on its way to building recognition for providing outdoor day treatment.
As Utah Outdoor Therapies continues to grow, Bird envisions partnering with various outdoor brands, like Columbia and Cotopaxi, in supplying equipment for the company’s outdoor endeavours, along with his current relationships with Patagonia, REI, and EMT Utah. Bird’s established partnership with the Utah Lakes Neuroscience Mental Health Center provides mental health services for the program. Additionally, the company plans to integrate cognitive therapy through outdoor activities like hiking, backpacking, paddleboarding, and potentially even more. Utah Outdoor Therapies isn’t just about getting to heal outside; it also heavily enforces a sense of community and promotes strong family ideals.
Bird made it his goal to create a better way of rehabilitation. He envisions an organization where people can heal beside rushing rivers and stunning mountains, with their families nearby. As Bird looks to the future, his mission is to provide an effective, community-based approach to mental health that empowers individuals to find strength and healing in the great outdoors.
Learn more about Utah Outdoor Therapy at utah-outdoor-therapies.org.
Utah Outdoor Therapies Excursions Planned for Spring 2025
Registration is open now for one-day wellness excursions from Utah Outdoor Therapies in spring 2025 to introduce individuals to the outdoor treatment model and connect them to the resources they may need. Scholarships are available for anyone enrolled in therapeutic services at Utah Lakes or who has outstanding mental and financial needs.
The first wellness excursion will include: a 1-hour workshop lead by a mental health counsellor, access to a full-time behavioural health life coach, a full-service catered dinner, a hiking backpack, outdoor safety training, instruction on outdoor activities (such as rock climbing, backpacking or paddle boarding), a full day of guided hiking, a water bottle, a skills work book, access to a personalized nutrition plan, assistance connecting to additional therapeutic resources and a Utah Outdoor Therapies hat.
