“To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles.”
— Mary Davis
Benefits of Ecotherapy & Nature Connection:
Relax and reduce stress
Improve mood
Restore attention and mindfulness
Boost immune function
Improve sleep
Greater sense of peace
Experience more awe and wonder
Increase empathy and reciprocity
Stimulate creativity
What is Ecotherapy?
It goes by many names: ecotherapy, nature therapy, green therapy, forest bathing, shinrin yoku. The common denominator is Saying Yes to nature for guidance, healing, and relaxation.
Ecotherapy integrates the natural world into the counseling process as a mechanism of healing and transformation. Participating in mindful nature connection helps create a sense of stability, grounding, and connection and can help contain and transform difficult and powerful emotions and experiences.
Each outdoor therapy session is unique and depends on what is on your mind for that day, goals you might wish to address, as well as what comes up in the natural world around us during your session.
Nature walks are full of sacred, surprise, and synchronicity. Particular animals might appear as we are walking, standing, or sitting, and changes are always happening in the rhythms and life cycles of all the plants, animals, waters, and soils, so that each day reveals something new and interesting.
Nature Deficit Disorder
The research is abundantly clear that nature is a force of healing, yet many people are not getting nearly enough Vitamin N—Nature (or Vitamin D, for that matter).
Richard Louv, author of The Nature Principle and The Last Child in the Woods, coined the phrase “Nature Deficit Disorder.” Although not a real psychiatric diagnosis, it conveys the real costs of disconnection from the natural world.
If Business As Usual is no longer sustainable for your MindBodySoul and you want to Say Yes to more nature connection, physical movement, and mindfulness in your life, then counseling with an ecotherapist may be a good fit for you.
What does an outdoor Ecotherapy session look like?
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Beginning: Arrival
Upon arrival at the natural setting, we choose a place to start. I invite you to check-in about your intention for the session. We take a breath and cross the threshold together.
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Middle: Presence & Deepening
We move forth into the natural area with mindfulness. I may invite you to notice what catches your attention, drop into a sense, or connect with a nature ally. We walk and talk and work with whatever comes up in your mindbodysoul. -
Closing: Integration
We reflect on takeaways from your walk and how to integrate the experience in your daily life. We close our session with a ritual of gratitude and reciprocity.
Ecotherapy FAQs
Where do the walks take place? Outdoor sessions are held at a local greenspace in Sugar Land, Texas. I will share specific location details with clients.
Do I need to be in great physical shape? Not at all! Walks are easy to moderate in intensity, depending on the trail we choose to take. Please let me know prior to participating in mindful outdoor session if you have any health-related conditions that need to be taken into consideration.
How far do you walk? Distance and duration will vary based on your session length, pace, specific nature-based activities, the weather, and conditions of the trail.
What about confidentiality? When counseling sessions occur outside in public, it becomes potentially more difficult for confidentiality to be maintained. To the casual observer, your outdoor session will appear like two people simply sitting, walking, or hiking together.
However, if we happen to be seen by someone you or I know, and they also know I am a therapist or coach, they may assume you are a client, thereby potentially compromising your confidentiality. Should someone you or I know approach us during an outdoor session, I will follow your lead and will never compromise your confidentiality. As in any situation, if you wish to acknowledge me as your therapist or coach, you may choose to do so.
What should I bring? Items to bring include water, comfortable walking shoes, comfortable clothing, medications (if needed), sunhat (optional), sunglasses (optional), rain gear (if needed), snack (optional), journal and pen (highly recommended).
What if there is inclement weather? If the forecast predicts a high likelihood of rain during our session, we can discuss it ahead of time to decide together if we want to postpone the session or go ahead with our plans to meet outside. If needed, outdoor sessions can be changed to online or phone.
Not able to meet outdoors? No problem! Ecotherapy can be done virtually/indoors. I will guide you through an array of nature-based practices for connecting with nature indoors.
Ecotherapy Resources
In this podcast episode, I speak with therapist Quique Autrey about Ecotherapy, Ecopoetry, and Mindfulness in Nature.
Ready to set up a free 30 minute discovery call to see if therapy is right for you?
We will talk about your goals, and I can help you decide if I’m the right fit for you.
FROM "THE COLOR PURPLE” BY ALICE WALKER
Listen, God love everything you love - and a mess of stuff you don't. But more than anything else, God love admiration.
You saying God vain? I ast.
Naw, she say. Not vain, just wanting to share a good thing. I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.
What it do when it pissed off? I ast.
Oh, it make something else. People think pleasing God is all God care about. But any fool living in the world can see it always trying to please us back.
Yeah? I say.
Yeah, she say. It always making little surprises and springing them on us when us least expect.
You mean it want to be loved, just like the bible say.
Yes, Celie, she say. Everything want to be loved. Us sing and dance, make faces and give flower bouquets, trying to be loved. You ever notice that trees do everything to git attention we do, except walk?