Ecotherapy stems from the belief, and research, that being outside has therapeutic benefits. Simply put, getting outside can feel good. At times of celebration, communities flock outside – picnics, beach trips, etc. At times of chaos, or crisis, spending time outdoors can be powerful, too. You know yourself best. You’ll have the best idea of what’ll be safe and grounding for you. I would never recommend something I haven’t thoroughly researched and/or experienced myself. I know in my own life that incorporating the outdoors in my self-care practices has been deeply enriching.
The field of ecotherapy is broad, developing, and exciting. Going for a walk can reduce stress hormones. Mindful time outdoors can enhance emotional resilience, meaning the ability to navigate complex feelings. Ecotherapy can also mean gardening or Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT). Being able to incorporate moments of tranquility into your day increases what’s known as your distress tolerance. In other words, finding peace and comfort in nature can build resiliency.
Research even indicates that ecotherapy can improve sleep, which has a host of benefits, including improved concentration. And some researchers even argue that having a relationship with nature can build a more secure attachment style.
A quote that speaks to me is “What if the actual therapeutic potential lies in the complex web of relationships with everything, not just between the microcosm of client and therapist and their relationship?” (Key et al., 2023)
Developing a relationship with the natural world is just that, a relationship. Finding peace and comfort with nature can foster a lifelong connection. In addition to a connection with nature, some folks who participate in therapy animal programming also find relational healing with the animals.
As you can see, ecotherapy practices are dynamic: you could find a certified nature-informed therapist, (a trained and licensed mental health provider who brings nature into their work through hiking, nature-informed meditations, etc.), you could join a group, or you could engage in a solo-practice that feels right to you (or all of the above!).
Indeed, ecotherapy is expanding with training programs being established globally. The Center for Nature Informed Therapy in Maryland offers workshops for clients and advanced training for clinicians. Similarly, Wilderness Reflections in Washington State offers a range of programming.
Now that you have an overview, I’m going to break this blog post down into ecotherapy practices/examples and then a deeper dive into the research. My hope is to paint an overview of possibilities rather than focus too narrowly on any one practice.
Prompts for solo nature engagement:
Sitting Meditation: Sit in a quiet spot in nature for 15 minutes, or more. What do you hear, smell, see? What’s in motion (i.e. squirrels, rustling leaves). What thoughts and/or feelings come up for you?
Walking Meditation: If you’re somewhere you know well, walk slowly with no agenda. Let your intuition guide you.
Stargazing: Looking at the stars, let your mind wander. Counting stars can be meditative, too.
Forest bathing: This is an ancient Japanese practice involving developing a deeper connection with a forest. If you are able to spend time in a forest, sitting or walking, consider asking yourself: what have I received from nature? What have I given to nature? What troubles or difficulties have I caused nature?
Nature Journaling: The premise is to use words, pictures, and numbers to collect your observations. This allows you to pay greater attention to your surroundings. The practice invites you to jot down observations, qualities you see around you, record quantities of heart shaped stones, or bluebirds, whatever catches your fancy. Be specific with your feelings and observations. Write down questions. Any questions. Feelings? Impressions? Mindfulness journaling means judgment-free observation. Mindfulness requires patience and diligence. There’s no “right” or “wrong” way to observe. We live in a distraction rich world. Journaling, with a trained guide, allows individuals to observe their thoughts and emotions and transmit them. Anxieties, fears, worries, become words on a page. This allows for neutrality. It allows individuals to be present and gain perspective. This, in turn, results in wellbeing. Journaling allows for creative expression. Individuals may doodle, draw, write poetry, in the process of translating their experience onto the page.
Research into ecotherapy
Ecotherapy can be particularly potent for survivors of harm. While clinicians have historically used a top-down approach for trauma healing (talk therapy), Dr. Cheryl Fisher advocates for a bottom-up approach that prioritizes the whole body, drawing from relevant scholarship on somatic responses to trauma. Nature-informed therapy allows for a full-sensory experiences and for clients to find comfort and safety in their bodies as it focuses on the present moment. Nature isn’t simply the setting, but rather a participant in ecotherapy for complex trauma. Clients are both empowered and supported by engagement with a natural setting (i.e. navigating a hiking trail, tossing stones in a lake). (Fisher, C., 2023) She presents a case study in which a teenage survivor heals through a combination of psychotherapy and re-engaging with her natural landscape.
Gardening too can be powerful for folks to develop a hands-on approach to wellness. A study in Germany found that gardening reduced depression scores among patients at an in-patient psychiatric unit. (Joschko, et al., 2023) This study, using a mixed-methods approach, hypothesized that nature-based therapy has a positive effect on individual mental health and relationships to nature. The study draws from academic literature positing that connectedness to nature is positively associated with participants’ happiness, physical and mental health, and life satisfaction measurements.
The authors further investigate an idea that individuals can form attachments to nature, using Ainsworth’s secure/insecure attachment language. Participants in the study chose nature-engagement tasks voluntarily, fostering autonomy. Additionally, participants’ attention was drawn to the incremental changes they observed in nature and participants were encouraged to take a plant they’d cared for with them after leaving the hospital. Once a week participants spent a structured hour in the garden for four weeks. Clinicians offered the participants a poem based on themes that emerged in group psychotherapy sessions. Participants were given autonomy in choosing what to do in the garden (weeding, etc.). Clinicians paid close attention to what interventions best served the unique needs of the clients. For instance, a client who had trouble establishing boundaries was encouraged to pull weeds at the edge of the garden, as a hands-on metaphor.
Additionally, Animal-Assisted Therapy can be beneficial, especially to younger survivors of harm. In the article, “Equine Facilitated Therapy for Complex Trauma (EFT-CT)”, the authors of this exploratory study note that prolonged exposure to trauma is typically relational and that addressing attachment wounds through Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is promising. (Naste et al., 2018)
In addition to meeting the diagnostic criteria for PTSD, the children studied in this article exhibited affect regulation, concentration and impulse control impairment, negative self-image, aggression/risk-taking, attachment challenges, somatic complaints, including dissociation – the hallmarks of C-PTSD. Recent scholarship indicates that therapeutic interventions that addresses clients’ somatic dysregulation are beneficial. Equine Facilitated Therapy for Complex Trauma (EFT-CT) involves a trained professional guiding a client through a session involving getting to know the horse (touching the horse’s mane, placing a saddle on the horses back, sitting on the horse, etc.).
However you find yourself on your healing journey, if you’re feeling stuck in your self-care practices, or overwhelmed, I invite you to consider engaging with nature. Going for a walk, journaling outdoors, or sitting in meditation (solo or with a group) can all lead to greater feelings of contentment and resiliency.
References
Center for Nature Informed Therapy. https://www.natureinformedtherapy.org/
Fisher, C. (2023). Trauma-Informed Nature Therapy: A Case Study.
Naste, T. M., Price, M., Karol, J., Martin, L., Murphy, K., Miguel, J., & Spinazzola, J. (2018).
Equine Facilitated Therapy for Complex Trauma (EFT-CT). Journal of Child &
Adolescent Trauma, 11(3), 289–303. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-017-0187-3
Key, D., & Tudor, K. (2023). Ecotherapy: A field guide. Routledge.
Ecopsychology, 15(3), 214–221. https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2022.0064
Joschko, L., Pálsdóttir, A. M., Grahn, P., Hinse, M., & van Dijk, J. P. (2003). Nature-Based
Therapy in Individuals with Mental Health Disorders, with a Focus on Mental Well-
Being and Connectedness to Nature—A Pilot Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 2167. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/2167
Wilderness Reflections. https://www.wildernessreflections.com/
