Outdoor Therapy
It’s been well documented that spending time in nature can help our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
What is outdoor therapy?
Outdoor therapy is when a counsellor and client have the counselling session outdoors while in nature and can be either seated or walking. The combination of counselling and nature can be powerful in creating change and awareness as well as reducing stress, depression and anxiety.
Who might it help?
Outdoor therapy is helpful to anyone seeking counselling. It can be particularly helpful to clients who may find face to face counselling too intense and the therapy room too restrictive especially when they are feeling overwhelmed by life events, situations, thoughts and emotions.
Walking/sitting side by side can feel more comfortable and a client may feel less vulnerable and awkward.
The sights, smells and sounds of nature can help reduce depression, stress and anxiety and offer new ways to process and manage thoughts, behaviours and emotions and can be used to support the issues which led you to have counselling.
Outdoor therapy can enhance problem solving skills and there many metaphors in nature which can be helpful and we can observe and be a part of the world around us.
How it works?
Our first session will take place in my counselling room where we will talk through how I work, what you would like to work on, your levels of fitness and mobility and how we will manage if we meet other people during our session. We will then meet in an agreed place which I will have risk assessed and you can have as many sessions as you feel is helpful.
FAQ
Parking and toilets: Where possible we will start and end our sessions in a public place which has access to parking and toilets. It may not always be possible to be near a toilet during the session so it may be necessary to use the surrounding countryside if needed.
Do I need to be fit? No we walk at your pace and take breaks as and when you need to.
Confidentiality: This cannot be guaranteed in the same way as in the counselling room. In our initial session we will talk through and agree how we will manage seeing other people during our walk and talk session.
The weather: if the weather is too hot, cold, rainy or windy we can have the therapy session in my counselling room which is surrounded by nature. I also have access to an outdoor space which is partially sheltered from extreme weather.
What do I need to bring? Clothes/footwear suitable for the weather and terrain, a drink/snack and any medication you may need ie asthma inhaler.
What if I don’t like outdoor therapy?
We can have our sessions in my counselling room or in the outdoor space surrounding it.
Please contact me with any questions you have about outdoor therapy.