From 19–22 May 2026, the fifth edition of GATE (Gathering for Adventure Therapy in Europe) took place in Sint-Joris-Weert, near Leuven, Belgium. Held every two years, GATE is Europe’s leading conference for professionals, researchers, therapists, educators, and practitioners who use adventure, nature, and experiential learning as tools for personal development, education, and therapeutic practice.
The theme of this year’s conference was “Growing (Up) Through Outdoor Experiences.” Over four inspiring days, participants took part in practical workshops, keynote presentations, discussions, and shared outdoor experiences. The conference placed a strong emphasis on exchanging knowledge, learning from one another, and strengthening the European network of professionals working in the field of adventure therapy. A special Experience Day offered participants the opportunity to engage directly in therapeutic outdoor activities set in the beautiful Belgian landscape, including climbing, water-based activities, and forest-based programmes.
The conference brought together professionals from more than fifteen European countries. In addition to keynote lectures, participants could choose from over seventy workshops focusing on work with diverse client groups, innovative methodologies, current research, and examples of good practice. Informal networking and the development of new international partnerships were also an important part of the event.
The Open Door – Nature for Social Inclusion project consortium was represented by members of Terapie divočinou (Czech Republic), Asociación Experientia (Spain), and Babilon Travel Association (Romania). Together, we presented the outcomes of the Erasmus+ project, which aims to improve access to therapeutic and developmental nature-based programmes for young people with disabilities. We shared experiences from the project’s testing phase, presented research findings, and introduced the developing methodological outputs, including the Manual and Standards for inclusive nature-based programmes. As part of the conference programme, we also facilitated an inclusive outdoor workshop, allowing participants to experience nature-based therapeutic activities in practice.
Participating in GATE 2026 was not only an opportunity to present our work to the European adventure therapy community, but also a chance to gain new inspiration, establish valuable international connections, and strengthen future collaboration. The conference confirmed that the Czech Republic has much to contribute to the development of adventure therapy and that our experiences are an important part of the growing European community of practice.
We would like to thank the Belgian organisers for creating such an inspiring and welcoming space for sharing knowledge, experience, and ideas. We look forward to continuing this collaboration and meeting the European adventure therapy community again at future GATE conferences.
