Netherlands

My name is Patrick Kuik, founder and director of ABC Bemmel and the Oerkracht Academy, and the IAANT representative for the Netherlands.

I have over thirty years of experience in youth care, experiential learning and outdoor-based interventions, working at the intersection of treatment, education and nature-based practice. As a passionate outdoorsman – with a background in long-distance trekking, survival expeditions, bushcraft and alpine climbing – I’ve been able to let my professional work and personal passion grow into one unified path: an organic journey of development, curiosity and synergy between two powerful worlds.

At ABC Bemmel, we support children, adolescents and families facing complex emotional, behavioral and systemic challenges. Adventure therapy and nature-based interventions are central in our daily practice, with a focus on movement, empowerment, co-regulation and experiential learning, while maintaining clear therapeutic and systemic goals within a strong safety framework.

Through ABC Bemmel and the Oerkracht Academy, I have the opportunity to innovate, research and inspire practitioners. We offer training, workshops, field visits and intervision for professionals who want to integrate experiential and outdoor-based methods into their work. Our collaboration with the Bundesverband für Individual- und Erlebnispädagogik strengthens our mission to advance adventure learning and nature-based care at a European level.

We conduct practice-based research each year to better understand outcomes and build evidence. We believe that working in and with nature leads to stronger engagement, sustainable behavioral change and greater professional wellbeing.

As part of IAANT, I look forward to sharing knowledge, learning from colleagues worldwide and expanding international exchange. Together, we can strengthen a growing global movement that brings nature, adventure and authentic experience back to the heart of care.

You can email Patrick at Patrick@oerkrachtacademie.nl