Ecotherapy, also known as nature therapy, is the applied practice of the emergent field of Ecopsychology, which explores the ways in which humans are part of the web of life, and posits that our psyches are deeply intertwined with our living environment. Ecotherapy practices involve reflection and connection with the earth and the elements, and leans on nature’s innate ability to help us self-regulate, allowing for improved mental, emotional, and physical health. Ecotherapy’s underlying principle suggests that personal and planetary well-being are inseparable from one another. In effect, by coming back into reciprocal connection with the natural world, we can heal not only ourselves, but the planet.

Who Can Benefit?

Ecotherapy will benefit you if you want to:

Experience the fullness of your emotions in a safe, nonjudgmental, expansive container.

Marvel at nature’s intricate beauty, organization, and chaos.

Learn new techniques for self-care.

Access healing and growth nurtured by healthy interaction with the Earth. 

Recover your primal sense of connection with the Earth and re-wild yourself in the places you call home.

Ecotherapy can also benefit you if you are struggling with any of the following:

• Stress, Anxiety, & Panic

• Depression & Self-Isolation

• Grief & Loss

• Addiction or Screen Burnout

• Exhaustion & Insomnia

• Lack of Clarity or Direction

• Climate Anxiety & Eco-Grief

How does it work?

Ecotherapy offers you a chance to reconnect with nature as a source of calm, clarity, and connection with yourself and the living world. Through facilitated individual and group experiences in nature, practitioners of Ecotherapy offer structure, support, and invitations to look to nature as a reflection of yourself, and begin to connect with insight and healing.

Techniques include:

• Forest Bathing (Shinrin Yoku)

• Mindful awareness and embodiment practices (i.e. walking barefoot and exploring textures)

• Breathing exercises and other techniques to release tension.

• Herbal & Plant Medicine

• Equine (and other animal-assisted) therapy

• Journaling & Creative Writing

• Earth rituals, prayer, and creation of altars or mandalas.

• Deep listening and curious observation of trees & animals

• Childlike play & games (great for both children & adults).

Benefits of Ecotherapy

A growing body of research highlights the positive benefits of connecting with nature. In 2007 researchers at the University of Essex found that 90% of a test group suffering from depression felt higher self-esteem after a walk through a country park, and almost 75% felt less depressed. Another survey by the same research team found that 94% of people with mental illnesses believed that contact with nature put them in a more positive mood. More benefits include…

• Scientifically proven health benefits (i.e decreased cortisol levels; better sleep & immunity)

• Improved mental health (greater self-confidence, deeper sense of trust).

• A new (or renewed) sense of meaning and purpose in your life.

• Released inhibitions & fears.

• Healing from childhood or ancestral trauma.

• Emotional regulation.

• Tapping into parts of yourself (wonder, play, imagination) you thought had disappeared.

• Improved community, cultural and ecosystem health.

There is no end to the benefits Ecotherapy can offer. And best of all… it’s fun! Reach out to schedule a free consultation today.