Therapy that uses nature as part of the process is called ecotherapy. Ecotherapy is a specialist area of mine and something I am always happy to introduce into therapy work if clients want to.
What is ecotherapy?
Ecotherapy is the use of nature in therapy. This can mean anything from going on walks in nature, to using natural objects inside a therapy room to explore issues you are struggling with.
The idea of nature being good for our wellbeing has existed for centuries; from relaxing gardens in monasteries and country houses, to Eastern ideas of living in tune with the universe, or animistic traditions where animals represent spirits that guide people’s lives. Nature has been entwined with our wellbeing for longer than we may realise.
With increased attention to the climate crisis, and more time spent outdoors during the pandemic lockdowns, the importance of time in nature for our wellbeing has been gaining even more attention in recent years. As a result, therapists like me are integrating nature into their work to bring benefit to the people we work with.
What would I do in an ecotherapy session?
As ecotherapy is flexible and individual, what we would do in an ecotherapy session would depend on what you wanted to work on.
If you are struggling with your self-esteem, it could be helpful to reflect on all the different plants and animals that make up an ecosystem, how each plays its own role and has its own worth. This can help people feel part of something bigger and to accept that we can all be different and still have value.
For people struggling with anxiety, learning to tune into the sights, sounds, smells and textures of nature can help slow down a whirring mind and focus in on the present moment. This is a kind of mindfulness.
For those overwhelmed by their emotions and struggling to find words, we might use natural objects to explore these feelings without using any words at all. Picking a stone or leaf that represents the feels can help a person begin to feel like their emotions are recognisable and explainable without having to struggle for the precise word.
What problems can ecotherapy help with?
Rather than being specifically focused on a particular kind of problem, ecotherapy is more of an approach to therapy. This means it can be used for all kinds of difficulties; relationship problems, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, finding purpose in life.
Another lovely thing about ecotherapy is that you can continue to spend time in nature outside of the therapy session and so continue to heal and grow.
Ecotherapy gives us a way to work together as therapist and client that brings the healing and supportive power of nature into our work.
A version of this blog appeared on the website for the wonderful Phoenix Counselling where I work: https://www.phoenix-counselling.uk/post/what-is-ecotherapy
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