The Healing Power of Nature: Exploring the Benefits of Outdoor Therapy
What Is Outdoor Therapy?
Counseling In The Great Outdoors
The possibilities are endless! I could meet a client on a trail allowing them to process their thoughts while also having the opportunity to move around. We could stand at the edge of the water practicing relaxation while syncing up our breath with the waves. We might explore difficult emotions while also exploring a new place and observing its plants and wildlife. In outdoor therapy, it’s not my office the client is visiting. It’s our shared space where nature acts as a catalyst and my role is to guide them through the process of therapy and orient them to a deeper relationship with themselves and ideally the world around them. Outdoor therapy is reflective, metaphorical, playful, calming and a great way to take down the walls of the therapeutic relationship.
As a former school counselor, I see outdoor therapy (an umbrella term for nature-based therapies such as eco-therapy or adventure therapy) as an extension of the play therapy that’s often used with children. Outdoor therapy invites the client to explore their experience in a mindful, creative way. It’s not just about getting fresh air during the session (although this may be an added benefit). It's about taking the work of therapy to a deeper level while simultaneously experiencing a calming presence that is grounding for the client.
Nature is a catalyst for change. In our daily lives we often don’t have the capacity to slow down and notice. Taking therapy outdoors allows the client to work in a space that is constantly changing seasons, adapting to hardship, introducing the unknown and showing that there is beauty in the world—even when things are tough. What a metaphor for life! I believe that the work of therapy when done outdoors gives a constant message of hope. Whatever challenge the client is facing it’s powerful to do the work in a place that is expansive. Outdoor therapy invites all the senses into the session subtly teaching mindfulness, quietly taking the client into the present moment and gently providing a reminder of what it’s like to have a nervous system that isn’t in overdrive or shutdown.
I arrived at the decision to create a practice centered in the outdoors through my own experience. When I was beyond the point of burnout as a school counselor I was feeling anxious, checked out, and a sense of dread that was spilling beyond my work day. The burden of burnout challenged me to rediscover myself. I wanted to integrate the hope of therapy with what I find most enjoyable. In my personal life I love long distance cycling, animals, hikes, snowshoeing, paddleboarding and cold water plunging. I’m playful at heart and I like to explore and learn best by experiencing. I visited Joshua Tree National Park in the midst of trying to figure out my purpose--It was the absolute stillness of the desert that helped me realize my purpose. I wanted to take my interests and experiences and help others find the possibilities of “an open road.”
In my work I focus on stress, anxiety, burnout, life transitions and men’s issues. I believe that outdoor therapy is a great fit for people wanting to find more direction in their life and calm their nervous system. I enjoy working with men, in particular, as outdoor therapy helps break down the stigma and barriers for men accessing mental health support. Anyone can benefit from outdoor therapy, however, clients who are looking for a great level of privacy may want to access telehealth (which I offer) or work with a therapist who provides in-office sessions.
Therapy can be hard. The work asks questions that can be painful to face. It can also be deeply rewarding. I believe that adding the outdoors to a client’s process is an active way to help them find healing within.
Interested in working with us?
