Maurie Lung, PhD, was in second grade when she realized what she wanted to do growing up.
“When I went to summer camp, my little Strawberry Shortcake diary said,” When I grow up, I want to help people outdoors, “says Lung. And that’s exactly what she’s doing today.
Lung oversees the nature-based and adventurous counseling programs at Prescott College and is a licensed therapist and counselor providing nature-based and adventurous counseling to individuals, couples, and families.
What is nature therapy?
Nature therapy, also called ecotherapy, is the practice of being in nature to promote growth and healing, especially mental health. You can also call it green care, green exercise, green therapy, or horticultural therapy. Although people use these terms to describe many outdoor activities, they can also be examples of specific nature therapy programs.
The importance of nature therapy can vary from person to person. In general, however, nature therapy includes the following:
- A trained, supportive professional like a therapist
- A green environment
- Appreciate and explore nature
Types of nature therapy
Because nature therapy programs can include many activities, there are different types of therapies. Some include:
- Adventure therapy. This uses activities that explore nature and can be done in an individual or group setting. Rafting and rock climbing are good examples.
- Animal-assisted interventions or therapy. Both options include spending time with animals. Animal-assisted interventions use locations like farms where you can pet or feed the animals. On the other hand, animal assisted therapy focuses on building a therapeutic relationship with animals such as dogs or houses.
- Arts and crafts. As the name suggests, this guy combines creative craft with nature. You can use your creative skills to paint in a green space like a park or a forest. This type also includes the use of natural materials such as clay, grass or wood or the use of green spaces as inspiration for art.
- Conservation. Conservation combines protected spaces in nature with physical exercise.
- Dark nature. Activities in the dark nature take place at night, so you can practice stargazing, for example.
- Green exercise. Here you do physical activities in green spaces. This can be, for example, running, walking or cycling.
- Therapeutic agriculture. With this type, you take part in agricultural activities so you may have the opportunity to grow crops or look after farm animals.
- Therapeutic horticulture. This includes gardening so you may grow food in community gardens. Sometimes therapeutic horticulture leads to other activities, such as selling home grown crops at a farmers market.
- Wilderness Therapy. This type of therapy works well in a group. They spend time in the wild doing activities like hiking or shelter.
How does nature therapy help?
More research suggests that staying in natural settings can be associated with mental health benefits.
For example, living in a green space has been linked to less anxiety, fewer symptoms of depression, and less stress. Spending time outdoors helps people with depression and children with attention problems think more clearly.
“One of the main benefits we’re addressing is people trying to reduce anxiety or depression and improving relationships and connection,” says Lung. “I also find it super exciting, for children and young people … [and] for people who are reluctant to be in therapy. “
Patricia Hasbach, PhD, a licensed professional counselor and clinical psychotherapist, is another expert in ecotherapy. She is also co-director of the eco-psychology program at Lewis & Clark College.
Hasbach remembers one such person, a patient in a cardiac rehabilitation center, who refused therapy.
“He was quite nervous when he spoke to me and I suggested, ‘You just want to take a walk outside? ‘And I just noticed how his voice has changed, ”says Hasbach. “He’s getting more relaxed … and that was my first ‘aha’ moment when I had to pay attention to something.”
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Researchers have studied the healing effects of nature in a number of areas including:
“[It’s about] to notice what is around you and to increase our own awareness of ourselves in relation to our world and environment, ”says Lung. “Just the symbiotic benefits of being outside.”
Can everyone do nature therapy?
Not everyone who does natural therapy has a mental illness. Everyone can take advantage of ecotherapy.
“In my clinical practice, I really work with the idea that everyone, because we are nature, can benefit from including ecotherapy in their work,” says Hasbach.
You can do nature therapy anywhere, whether you live in rural, suburban, or urban areas. For example, Lungs practice is in a very urban area, but it often relies on county parks and nearby beaches.
Nature therapy can include places such as gardens, farms, forests, or parks. Typically, nature therapy involves experiencing the outdoors (like walking in the woods) or working in nature (like gardening).
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The amount of physical activity you get in nature therapy depends on the person. According to Lung, she adapts the activities she includes in her practice to the people she works with.
“If I’m working with a teen and we’re working through periods of frustration, I might go paddle boarding outside. But I may not do paddle boarding when working with couples because it’s a super individualistic activity. In that case, I could go sailing because it’s a collaborative activity, ”says Lung. “Nature-based interventions have the flexibility to be truly clinically relevant.”
Nature therapy can be combined with other options such as:
“Ecotherapy is an instrument that you have to fall back on in order to strengthen and deepen the work with your customers or patients,” says Hasbach.
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