Connect with Nature Through Outdoor Therapy
What is outdoor therapy?
Outdoor therapy, also known as Walk and Talk Therapy or Nature-Based Therapy is a form of counselling that takes place outdoors in natural surroundings rather than within a traditional therapy room. Sessions can involve walking together at a comfortable pace or sitting in a suitable outdoor location, depending on your preferences and needs. Being in nature can create a calming environment that supports emotional well-being.
Outdoor therapy combines the benefits of professional counselling with the restorative effects of spending time in the natural world. All routes and locations are carefully risk assessed to help ensure your safety and comfort.
Who is it for?
Outdoor therapy is suitable for anyone interested in the combination of counselling and being in outdoors in nature. It can be particularly helpful for those who find counselling in a therapy room too overwhelming as outdoor therapy can feel less formal and more relaxed than sitting face-to-face in a therapy room.
Further to this, for those clients who feel ‘stuck’, processing these issues whilst engaging in physical movement can help facilitate moving out of the feelings of ‘stuckness’ and offer a fresh perspective.
Outdoor therapy can also be beneficial for those who find eye contact challenging as sessions usually occur with the client and therapist sitting side-by-side or walking together rather than being face-to-face. Further to this, some clients find they talk more openly when not maintaining constant eye contact so outdoor therapy can facilitate easier communication and therapeutic engagement.
What Are the Benefits of Outdoor Therapy?
Outdoor therapy may support people who are experiencing:
- Anxiety
- Stress and burnout
- Loneliness and social isolation
- Low mood and depression
- Low self-confidence
- Feelings of being stuck or overwhelmed
Natural environments affect us on a physiological level and can help reduce stress and promote a greater sense of calm and relaxation. They have also been associated with increased pleasant emotions. Being outdoors can encourage greater awareness of the present moment helping to reduce overthinking and rumination which can be a symptom of, but also a contributing factor to, increased anxiety.
Further to this, exposure to daylight and outdoor environments can support overall well-being, energy levels, sleep patterns and healthy daily routines.
Is Outdoor Therapy confidential?
Confidentiality remains an important part of outdoor therapy. However, because sessions take place in public outdoor spaces, there is a possibility of encountering other people during our time together.
Before beginning outdoor therapy, we will discuss how confidentiality will be managed and agree on a plan for what we would do if we meet someone either of us knows. For example, we may simply introduce each other as friends out for a walk or use another explanation that feels comfortable for you.
Your privacy, comfort and sense of safety will always be considered throughout the therapeutic process.
What happens if it rains?
The British weather can be unpredictable and outdoor therapy can often continue safely in light rain if you are comfortable doing so.
If weather conditions make an outdoor session unsuitable, we can discuss alternative options, including:
- Meeting in the therapy room
- Online counselling sessions
- Telephone counselling
- Rearranging the session where appropriate
The decision will always be made with your comfort, safety and well-being in mind.
Is outdoor counselling effective?
Yes. Outdoor therapy can be an effective form of counselling because the therapeutic approach remains the same; the primary difference is the setting in which therapy takes place.
For many people, being outdoors in a more relaxed and natural environment, helps them to feel comfortable discussing difficult thoughts and emotions. Nature can provide a sense of grounding and perspective that supports the therapeutic process.
In modern life, many of us spend significant amounts of time indoors surrounded by technology. Outdoor counselling offers an opportunity to slow down, reconnect with nature and create space for reflection and personal growth.
Clients often describe feeling calmer, more present, and more connected to themselves, others and the natural world following outdoor therapy sessions.
If you would like to explore whether outdoor therapy could be right for you, please get in touch to arrange an initial conversation. Together we can discuss your needs and whether this approach feels like a good fit for your therapeutic journey.
