Ecotherapy

Vibrant colors. Taking a breath of fresh air. The breeze gently pushing the trees. Feeling the sun shine on your face.

You can have all of that while you work through tough stuff in your therapy session.

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

No really. What about you?

There’s 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?

Because 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 known as Walk and Talk Therapy and Nature Therapy, Ecotherapy provides us with the opportunity to occasionally take sessions outside of the traditional office setting, which allows you to combine the benefits of therapy with movement and nature.

Benefits to Ecotherapy

Human Connection

Stress Recovery (Alvarsson, Wiens & Nilsson, 2010)

Improved Mood & Coping

Promotes Creativity

Improved Cognition & Focus (Weir, 2020)

Improved Sense of Well-being

Improved Physical Health (Midpeninsula Regional Open Space, n.d.)

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

Grief

Social Isolation

Substance Abuse Recovery

Alzheimer’s Disease

Chronic Stress

Chronic Pain

How does Ecotherapy work?

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.

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

Clinical Consultation

For therapists and clinicians looking to add Ecotherapy and Nature-Based Therapy practices to their work, I do offer paid clinical consultation here.

Ready to get started?

References

Alvarsson, J. J., Wiens, S. & Nilsson, M. E. (2010). Stress Recovery during exposure to nature, sound, and environmental noise. Retrieved from: NIH

Midpeninsula Open Space. (n.d.). Health Benefits of Nature. Retrieved from: OpenSpace.org

Rogers, K. (2019). Biophilia hypothesis. Retrieved from: BH

Weir, K. (2020). Nurtured By Nature. Retrieved from: APA