“Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.” —Gary Snyder

Vibrant colors. Taking a breath of fresh air. Trade winds gently pushing the trees. Feeling the sunshine on your face.

A little about me—I love long walks on the beach.

No really. What about you?

There is just something about connecting with nature that just brings you a sense of peace, calm, and relaxation.

When you think of your “happy place”, it’s usually somewhere outside. We know this is true, but why?

Nature is nurture.

Psychoanalyst Erich Fromm coined the term Biophilia Hypothesis in 1973, which is the “idea that humans possess an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life […] the passionate love of life and all that is alive,” (Rogers, 2019).

Also called “Nature Therapy” or “Green Therapy”, Ecotherapy provides us with the opportunity to take sessions outside of the traditional office setting. This allows you to combine the benefits of therapy with movement and nature. Ecotherapy gives us the opportunity to have an occasional alternative to telehealth sessions and invite safe human connection.

Mental & Physical Benefits of Ecotherapy

Human Connection

Stress Recovery (Alvarsson, Wiens & Nilsson, 2010)

Improved Mood & Coping

Promotes Creativity

Improved Cognition & Focus (APA)

Improved Sense of Well-being

Improved Physical Health (Boosts Immune System, Mitigates Pain, Reduces Inflammation)

Who Benefits from Ecotherapy?

While everyone can benefit from time in nature, there is a lot of emerging research that shows that Ecotherapy directly helps improve symptoms associated with:

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Anxiety

Depression

Chronic Stress

Grief

Social Isolation

Substance Abuse Recovery

Alzheimer’s Disease

Chronic Pain

How Does It Work?

We get outside.

We meet in a safe public space like a beach, park, garden, or trail.

We go slow.

While one of the benefits derived from Ecotherapy is light exercise, the main purpose of the session is therapy. We walk at a gentle pace and focus the time on connecting to our mind-body experience.

Confidentiality

I take your right to privacy and confidentiality in therapy very seriously. Since Ecotherapy occurs outside, we will discuss all privacy concerns before we venture out.

Where Do I Start?

If you live in the Indianapolis area and are interested in adding this occasional option to your treatment plan, let me know.

Check out my website for more information on my practice to see if we’d be a good fit. www.HoosierMentalHealth.com.

If you’re a therapist who is looking to add Ecotherapy into your practice, check out my website for information on case consultation. www.HoosierMentalHealth.com/ecotherapy. I look forward to connecting with you there!

Works Cited

Aloha-Hawaii.com. (2009). Hawaiian Language. Retrieved from: https://www.aloha-hawaii.com/hawaii/language/

Alvarsson, J. J., Wiens, S. & Nilsson, M. E. (2010). Stress Recovery during exposure to nature, sound, and environmental noise. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2872309/

Openspace.org. (2021). Health Benefits of Nature. Retrieved from: https://www.openspace.org/nature-health-benefits

Rogers, K. (2019, June 25). Biophilia hypothesis. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/biophilia-hypothesis

Weir, K. (2020). Nurtured By Nature. Retrieved from: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature