272: Nature-Based Therapy for Youth: How Hearty Roots Supports Mental Health in Maine

In this episode Will speaks with Haley Bezon, founder and executive director of Hearty Roots—a nonprofit nature-based wellness organization serving youth in Maine. Drawing on her own lived experience with mental health and a diverse work background in education and wilderness therapy, Haley shares how Hearty Roots was born from a desire to reimagine mental health care for children. Frustrated by the long waitlists and barriers many families face in Maine, she built a program that brings therapy outdoors—where kids heal through connection, movement, and the steady presence of caring mentors.

Listeners will hear how Hearty Roots blends evidence-based social-emotional learning with the simplicity of time in nature—whether it’s hiking, paddling, or gathering around a fire. Haley describes their Taproot program, which replaces traditional office therapy with outdoor, trauma-informed sessions led by licensed clinicians, and she emphasizes the importance of proactive mental health care before crises arise. For parents in Maine and beyond who are overwhelmed by limited options or seeking more human-centered support for their children, this episode offers both inspiration and a real-world solution grounded in nature, community, and heart.

Hearty Roots Website:  https://www.heartyroots.org/