4Roots Method
4Roots for Growing a Human is our innovative, science-informed method, which we use across our programs to help young people learn, heal, and thrive. Our method is called 4Roots because the science of healthy development shows that there are four roots for healthy, holistic human development. This method is the core of everything we do. It is also through our 4Roots method that we are transforming the youth behavioral health system in California and beyond.
Overall, our method isn’t one-size-fits-all, and not every outdoor experience is intensive like rock climbing or hiking. Sometimes, we simply take short walks, play, and explore nature in ways that foster belonging within ourselves. We meet each young person where they are — regardless of their physical abilities — and build experiences around their needs so that they feel supported and confident every step of the way.
4Roots Framework
Trusting relationships are the most powerful forces for change in a young person’s life — helping them form meaningful connections with others, face challenges, and regulate their emotions. We invest heavily in building rapport and authentic relationships with every youth we serve. The number one way to encourage young people to make healthy life choices or navigate trauma is by connecting them with a consistent and caring adult — apart from a parent or a caregiver. These trusting relationships provide a “container,” or a safe psychological space that our guides and mentors create with young people to teach self-awareness and the ability to make empowered decisions. Whether it’s used for personal healing or as the basis for scientific inquiries into the natural world, developing a strong sense of self supports all understanding.
Spending time in nature activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the part of our brain that helps us rest and recover. We use awe-inspiring, sensory experiences to open young people to nature’s beauty and risk and provide powerful opportunities to develop focused, grounded, and immersive physical and emotional states. For example, watching a river flow encourages young people to let their thoughts flow, too—so they can reframe narratives about themselves into positive possibilities. Similarly, navigating challenging terrains promotes a sense of confidence and agency to manage adversity in healthy ways in their daily lives.
Research shows that supporting healthy risk-taking in nature can stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, which helps us respond to stressful situations. We intentionally cultivate immersive experiences in nature where youth are able to experience just enough risk to help them get into a vivid and present state of being deeply connected and attuned with their physical body moving through the space around them. Research shows that these experiences, where our minds and bodies are in harmony and fully engaged, unlock new levels of self-awareness and confidence. We recognize that achieving an embodied peak experience looks different for every young person because each one of them are unique in their experiences and abilities. For some, it could be walking through rough terrain, balancing on a log, or bushwhacking. For others, it could be rock climbing, and they experience an embodied peak experience as they grip the next groove on a mountainside and feel their heart beat a bit faster. Whatever the activity, we support them to lean into that discomfort, taking breaks if needed, intentionally calling attention to the thrill and joy they are experiencing. All along, there is also a continuous reinforcement for them about their physical and emotional strength to navigate life’s adversity and emotions.
Research has proven that helping others leads to thriving — and effectively supports people who are navigating trauma or substance use. We intentionally create opportunities for young people to experience connection with others, including their guides, mentors, peers, families, and the broader community. Making a difference through volunteering and giving back teaches young people empathy and gives them a sense of purpose, community, and compassion for themselves, too. It also teaches them to be attuned to the needs, feelings, and experiences of others and to think about their own challenges and opportunities in the broader context of the world around them.
Our innovative, science-based 4Roots method guides our evidence-informed, promising practice. Our 4Roots method brings together the transformative power of human connection and nature immersion to promote holistic growth, wellness, and healing.
Our approach is centered on nature sensory immersion for young people — which fully activates their sense of sight, smell, and sound, and supports healthy neurological development, positive stress management, and a strong immune system.
We encourage deep curiosity and appreciation for the awe and wonder of nature, which promotes open-mindedness and mindfulness in young people in all aspects of their life.
Through nature immersion, environmental literacy, and volunteer activities for youth, we help build the appreciation and support needed to sustain our natural ecosystems because research shows that people’s relationship with nature profoundly influences their behaviors toward the natural world.
We are pioneers in the nature as medicine movement, which is supported by a deep and growing body of research. The effectiveness of our work aligns with emerging understanding around how nature can unlock connection and healing for young people — often when traditional behavioral health interventions don’t resonate.
We strive to stay connected to the most current and evolving practices in the treatment of childhood trauma. At the same time, the research we’re leading to study the impact of nature sensory immersion on growing brains and bodies is adding to the knowledge and practice of others working to understand and treat trauma.