EcoTherapy

Ecotherapy is based on the idea that people are connected to and impacted by the natural environment. A growing body of research highlights the positive benefits of connecting with nature. I began doing this kind of therapy when the pandemic began in March 2020. I decided to take my in-person work outdoors and quickly noticed how the process of walking and talking in a nature trail helped not only loosen are thinking but enhanced a sense of peace during the therapy hour.

Ecotherapy is based on the idea that people are connected to and impacted by the natural environment. A growing body of research highlights the positive benefits of connecting with nature. I began doing this kind of therapy when the pandemic began in March 2020. I decided to take my in-person work outdoors and quickly noticed how the process of walking and talking in a nature trail helped not only loosen are thinking but enhanced a sense of peace during the therapy hour.

Ecotherapy is based on the idea that people are connected to and impacted by the natural environment, and a growing body of research highlights the positive benefits of connecting with nature. I began doing this kind of therapy when the pandemic began in March 2020. I decided to take my in-person work outdoors and quickly noticed how the process of walking and talking in a nature trail helped not only to loosen our thinking but also to create an enhanced sense of peace during the therapy hour.

I have been practicing ecopsychology for over 10 years. This may include using plants and pictures of plants or a nature scene, or it may include meeting in person (when possible) on the beach or in the woods. The use of nature provides for a deeper level of healing that may increase empathy for oneself, others and the planet.

We’ve long understood the benefits of “talk therapy” for the treatment of emotional distress. Science also proves that nature is a powerful medicine. Getting outside the traditional setting of an office may help you feel more comfortable while discussing painful issues. Ecotherapy has been linked to lower levels of stress hormones, increased attentiveness, decreased rumination, and improvements in mood. ​

I'm experienced in working with climate anxiety and climate grief, as well as with ecological anxiety and grief in general. I also help people reduce stress through increasing their connection with nature. In person, I offer nature-based therapy and hiking therapy for established clients.

Nature is the most crucial element of my self-care, and I have walked beside many clients who have benefited from the integration of ecotherapy (or nature therapy) in our work. Sometimes this means meeting for a walk outside instead of in the office, or sometimes it means bringing elements of nature into the session.

Ecotherapy recognizes that our dis-ease as humans stems from living a life that is disconnected and out of harmony with the natural rhythms of the earth. To place mental illness solely in personal reality is a delusional repression of actual experience. Our lived experiences - on freeways, in food deserts, and concrete jungles - has separated us from our own rhythms. Our goal then, is simply to welcome you back to the rhythms of your body and the earth.

Nature Therapy & Eco-Therapy use connecting with nature as a way to support mental health. I respect nature as an ally in healing. How we interact with nature depends on your interests. It could be as simple as taking a hike, cooling our feet in a stream on a hot day, or building a campfire while we talk. If you’d like to go deeper, we could explore cultivating relationships with specific plants, animals, or streams, or consider how the changing seasons may reflect internal changes within you.

Ecotherapy aims to connect individuals therapeutically with nature. Walk + Talk sessions are available in order to bring about the mind/body connection in your therapy process, as well as, getting you grounded back with nature.

Ecotherapy centers in the inborn wisdom that humans are a part of nature and that our relationship with nature predicates our mental health. When we are more connected with wider nature around us, we feel more joy, calm, awe, grounding, or a childlike curiosity. This can feed a natural inclination to care for the Earth, and recognize the preciousness of our ecosystem. Ecotherapy then seeks to source us in nature and help us to uncover our place in the interconnected web of life.

I am a Certified Forest Therapy Guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. Forest therapy is rooted in the practice of forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, a Japanese tradition known for its immersive connection to the natural environment. This practice helps individuals take rediscover their true self, and remember their purpose and how they can contribute to the world. while improving mental and physical health.

Ecotherapy combines the healing power of nature with traditional therapeutic techniques. Exposure to nature can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, and increase concentration. We can help you develop a plan to increase your contact with nature – including increasing outdoor activities, engaging in nature-based grounding exercises, or adding natural elements to your home and work environments.