The Healing Power of Nature

Engaging the Healing Power of Nature in Therapy. The power of being in nature can be profoundly healing. Moving through vibrant landscapes, breathing in fresh air, and being grounded has a way of recalibrating our nervous system and helping us to feel connected to something greater than ourselves. This knowledge is instinctual, but there is plenty of science to back it up. Exposure to nature has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression; while improving mood and self-esteem. The physical benefits also amplify the effects on our mental well-being.

In recent years, outdoor therapy has gained significant traction as an innovative approach to mental health treatment. Also known as ecotherapy or nature-based therapy, this approach involves holding sessions in the natural environment rather than traditional indoor offices or through screens.

You might be asking yourself if nature therapy is so great, why is it not more common. Having sessions out in the world does toss a few more variables into the mix. The potential for evolving weather or trail conditions requires greater flexibility and contingency planning. Also, there is less ability to control for certain factors such as encountering others on the trail, poison oak, or wildlife. Despite these challenges, many clients find the benefits of outdoor therapy outweigh the potential drawbacks. In fact, engaging with these challenges can become opportunities for growth and resilience that are not available in a therapy office. The options for sparking in sight and enacting positive self-exploration in nature can be far more plentiful than what can be contained within four walls.

So who is this type of therapy good for?

Nature therapy can be adapted to almost any person or issue, but there are some things to keep in mind when discussing it with your therapist. If you have allergies, mobility issues, or transportation considerations, it can be important to account for them when finding out if this is right for you. Some combination of nature therapy and more traditional therapy might be appropriate for some who would benefit from having some sessions with more increased confidentiality to talk about sensitive topics.

Even outside of the office confidentiality is still able to be preserved to a great degree, but it is impacted by the possibility of encountering others along the way. As long as the limitations are communicated and processed, these new borders to confidentiality can usually be navigated without issue. For some clients, however, this may be something to consider when determining if this is a pathway to healing that is worth exploring.

Benefits of Ecotherapy for Kids:

Exploration and adventure can create a state of openness and engaged presence that is native to the way that children interact with the world. Many children connect intuitively to their internal resources and at tune to their emotional state with movement and having fun. Not only is this state of being therapeutic itself, it can create the ideal conditions build meaningful frameworks upon. This is especially true for kids who may have a harder time communicating about their thoughts and feelings in words but find it easier to express with non-verbal interaction with the natural world.

Benefits of Ecotherapy for Teens:

Sometimes teens can find it a bit overwhelming to sit across from a therapist and share about topics they spend a lot of time and energy keeping to themselves. Walk-and-talk therapy allows for the therapist to be side by side with the teen, which can reduce some anxiety of feeling put on the spot. When the stakes feel lower, anxiety can be reduced so that it takes some of the pressure off for them to be able to open up more easily.

Many kids these days find themselves more on their phones and getting less physical activity. Ecotherapy creates an opportunity to experience the benefit of cutting the cord for a while, and for building the habit of getting a dopamine boost from healthful activities.

Benefits of Ecotherapy for Adults:

Besides the health and well-being benefits already mentioned, many adults might also seek connection with nature as a way to enhance spiritual connection or exploration. Different stages of life can bring up new existential questions or perspectives on purpose. It is not uncommon for adults to enter periods of reflection upon their life lived so far and contemplate what the journey ahead might look like. At these pause points on life’s path, people often find a return to the elemental power of nature can provide lessons and clarity that can help with the bigger questions.

Benefits of Ecotherapy for People with ADHD:

Studies have shown that exercise is liked to a reduction in impulsivity and hyperactivity, improved quality of attention, and executive functioning performance for people with ADHD,(Mehren, et. al, 2020).

Benefits of Ecotherapy for Trauma:

The founder of EMDR Francine Shapiro first developed her theory on a walk outside in nature. Later she would come to understand the relationship between bilateral stimulation and inducing a state of lowered reactivity to traumatic processing. Walking and moving arms back and for create a rhythm of stimulation in the brain that, similar to EMDR, can allow for processing and integration of traumatic material with the support of a trained therapist.

If you would like to invigorate your therapy by tapping into the intrinsic healing properties of nature in addition to the support offered by a trained psychotherapist feel free to reach out to find out how nature therapy might be help you achieve greater well being. For more information about the benefits of outdoor therapy, you can also check out some of the studies listed below.

References:

Cooley, S. J., Jones, C. R., Kurtz, A., & Robertson, N. (2020). ‘Into the Wild’: A meta-synthesis of talking therapy in natural outdoor spaces. Clinical Psychology Review, 77, 101841.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101841Fuller, R. A., Irvine, K. N., Devine-Wright, P., Warren, P. H., & Gaston, K. J. (2007).Psychological benefits of greenspace increase with biodiversity. Biology Letters, 3(4),390-394. https://10.1098/rsbl.2007.0149Mehren, A., Reichert, M., Coghill, D., Müller, H. H. O., Braun, N., & Philipsen, A. (2020).Physical exercise in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – evidence and implications for the treatment of borderline personality disorder. Borderline personality disorder and emotion dysregulation, 7, 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-019-0115-2Richardson, M., Passmore, H-A., Lumber, R., Thomas, R., & Hunt, A. (2021). Moments, not minutes: The nature-wellbeing relationship. International Journal of Wellbeing, 11(1), 8-33. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v11i1.1267White, M. P., Alcock, I., Grellier, J., Wheeler, B. W., Hartig, T., Warber, S. L., Bone, A.,Depledge, M. H., & Fleming, L. E. (2019). Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and well-being. Scientific Reports, 9(1), N.PAG.https://doi-org.dominican.idm.oclc.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44097-3