What is nature therapy?

Together, we collaborate to incorporate nature either as a backdrop or as a focus in your therapeutic sessions.

A recent study, published in April 2020 in the Clinical Psychology Review Into the Wild: A meta-synthesis of talking therapy in natural outdoor spaces states that “time spent in natural outdoor spaces has physiological and psychological benefits, such as reduced stress responses and improved mood.”

In urban environments, Louv writes, we can experience ‘nature deficit disorder.’

Shinrin-Yoku, translated into English as ‘forest bathing’ means taking in the forest atmosphere during a leisurely walk.

A medical, empirical research on forest bathing, Shinrin-yoku: a systematic review by Ye Wen, Qi Yan, Yangliu Pan, Xinren Gu & Yuanqiu Liu in Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine (Dec, 2019) concluded that:

“Forest bathing activities might have the following merits: remarkably improving cardiovascular function, hemodynamic indexes, neuroendocrine indexes, metabolic indexes, immunity and inflammatory indexes, antioxidant indexes, and electrophysiological indexes; significantly enhancing people’s emotional state, attitude, and feelings towards things, physical and psychological recovery, and adaptive behaviors; and obvious alleviation of anxiety and depression.

Forest bathing activities may significantly improve people’s physical and psychological health.”

It is my belief that connecting with nature can also support the deeper, personal need for connection (with oneself, others and the cycles of time).

A walking meditation
A movement meditation
A sensorial meditation
Breath work
Mindfulness/noticing
Savouring
Talk therapy in a nature backdrop
A combination