In this episode of Plant the Seed of Learning, we explore a powerful and unconventional approach to child therapy with Kate Beckwith, a psychodynamic psychotherapist and arts education specialist whose work challenges traditional therapy models. Kate shares how her practice, Kate’s Garden, integrates nature, animals, movement, art, and play to support children’s emotional well being and development.

We discuss why therapy does not need to be confined to an office, how freedom of choice supports regulation and emotional processing, and why movement and time outdoors play a critical role in mental health. Kate explains how being in nature can trigger dopamine release, support emotional regulation, and offer children new ways to communicate feelings that may be difficult to express with words alone.

This conversation also addresses the rise in diagnoses such as ADHD and autism, how nontraditional therapeutic environments can better meet children’s needs, and how parents and caregivers can be supported alongside their children. Drawing from her TED Talk and clinical experience, Kate offers practical insights into adapting to a world where play and access to nature are increasingly limited.

This episode invites listeners to rethink what effective therapy for children can look like and consider how curiosity, movement, and connection to the natural world can support healing and growth.