What on Earth is Nature-Based Therapy?
It probably comes as no surprise to you that we at The Woods love the natural world. While we have each followed quite different paths to get to this place, we share an understanding of the sacredness of the planet, that we are intimately woven into the web of the natural world, and that we strive to live in ways that honour, heal, and protect all plants, animals, and landscapes.
While these values underpin our personal lives, they also are an essential part of the work we do as professional healers, and we are committed to our ongoing development as Nature-Based Therapists through our connection to the Human-Nature Counselling Society in Victoria.
‘‘Regular immersion in natural green environments such as forests and mountains, and waterways such as lakes, rivers, and oceans has been shown to improve physical health (lower blood pressure, slow heart rate, increase immunity), mental health (reduce anxiety, ease depression, and generally calm and regulate the nervous system), and even allow for experiences of transcendence or spiritual connection.’’
Even though Nature-Based Therapy is a relatively new practice in the field of Western mental health care, it has already been well researched around the globe, drawing on Indigenous, cultural and ancestral wisdom and practices, including the practice of Forest Bathing (shinrin-yoku) in Japan.
Forest bathing is typically seen as a solo practice. Regular immersion in natural green environments such as forests and mountains, and waterways such as lakes, rivers, and oceans has been shown to improve physical health (lower blood pressure, slow heart rate, increase immunity), mental health (reduce anxiety, ease depression, and generally calm and regulate the nervous system), and even allow for experiences of transcendence or spiritual connection. In addition to academic research, I also know from my own nature-based spiritual practice how deeply healing my regular experiences of being in natural environments is and how much this supports my wellness and growth. I think most of us instinctively know that being outdoors and putting away our electronic devices for a while is good for our wellness. It invites us to actively experience the world that we are part of rather than being passive consumers of images and information on a screen, and this enlivens our senses and helps us regulate our physiological and neurological systems.
Nature-Based Therapy, in contrast to practices such as Forest Bathing, is offered by a trained and registered mental health practitioner and can be a one-to-one or group experience. It is a practice based on the principles of Eco-psychology, which is interested in the psychological impact of our relationship with the non-human natural world. A main tenant of eco-psychology is that the severance of this relationship is a cause of suffering for many, and nature-based therapy is working to heal this disconnection through direct sensory experience of the natural world.
Our work as Nature-Based Therapists at The Woods is varied and can be adapted to meet your needs and abilities. It can be as simple as contemplating natural items we have found while in the therapy spaces inside and noticing the stories and memories they invoke. It might be noticing the trees, birds, and butterflies outside the studio and how your mood changes or your body responds to connecting this way. And it might also be going with your therapist into the woods and noticing what you are drawn towards (or pushed away from) and what meaning you might make from those experiences. Sometimes we go into the woods with a clear question or intention, and sometimes we simply go with an open mind and an open heart to see what gifts or messages nature has for us that day.
‘‘Sometimes we go into the woods with a clear question or intention, and sometimes we simply go with an open mind and an open heart to see what gifts or messages nature has for us that day.’’
As creative therapists, we might also include artmaking, sound, movement, storytelling, poetry or sensory work as part of the process. This could include ethically harvesting found and foraged natural items to make an installation in the woods or by the creek or bringing items back to the studio to make something. Or it might be noticing how each of your senses responds to being outdoors and how that impacts your sense of wellbeing. Storytelling, creative writing, and sharing nature-based memories can also be part of the experience. On a recent nature-based expressive arts therapy training course I made pigments from blueberries, cranberries, and mustard powder and used feathers, sticks, and pinecones to paint, which I found incredibly freeing and playful. It also brought in my curiosity as I had no idea how these colours and tools would function together and so had no preconceived ideas about the process or expectations of myself as an artist.
If you are curious and would like to know more about Nature-Based Therapy at The Woods, please contact us to book a complimentary 20-minute video consultation.
If you would like to know more about the science of Nature-Based Therapy, I can highly recommend:
