A calming place to be
You don’t need research to tell you that being out in nature is intrinsically good for you. A long walk or even a short, brisk walk can blow the cobwebs of everyday life away allowing you to come back feeling refreshed. Experiencing the world through our senses allows us to be ‘in the here and now’, distracted for a while from the thoughts about what we’ve done, what we haven’t done and all those other preoccupations that are pulsing at high speed round our brain, leaving us exhausted and stressed. We can forget about the upcoming business or family meeting that we’re not looking forward to, what needs to be added to the shopping list, the difficult phase our child is going through, the worry of an ill parent or partner, etc. Spending time in nature is like pressing the pause button on our stress and anxiety; it can have a soothing effect on us for a little while at least.
Deeper therapeutic benefits
However, it is our interplay with nature – when we allow ourselves to interact with and respond to the natural environment that we are a part of – that really offers us health and well-being benefits, and opportunities for personal growth and healing. In all areas of my work, I invite those I am working with to deepen their relationship with the natural world by connecting with the thoughts, feelings and body responses that nature elicits in them as a starting point for exploration. Nature is invited into the work as a model and a mirror for our experiences. For example, by observing the area of a wood that a therapy client is drawn to because it feels safe and comfortable, they can be encouraged to reflect on what does or doesn’t feel safe and comfortable in their everyday life. By inviting a supervisee to find a natural object that holds similar energies and qualities to a client they are working with, they are invited to explore a broader understanding of their client and their relationship with them.
Being in nature gives us space to take things more slowly and reflect on what is happening and/or has happened in our lives. The ’head’ has usually developed a set narrative about who we are and our life experiences and it can feel impossible to challenge this – we have been who we are for such a long time. If, however, we allow ourselves to connect with our body and the unconscious self initially through the senses, we may find that our internal self can offer us a different perspective, insights and opportunities for growth, change and healing.
What does a therapy session look like?
In a therapy session, we take our time as we move through the woods; stopping, focusing on what the client notices in their bodies and outside in nature and reflecting on the connections and what these may mean for them and their life. A particular flower or tree may remind the client of a significant time in their life; a muddy patch may mirror a difficult experience the client is struggling with; the sun bringing light into the dark woods may offer hope. I help the client to work with the metaphor (often through artwork and somatic responses) to deepen their understanding of themselves. This can lead to new insights about who they are and their life experiences, a changed perspective, a solution to a difficulty or even healing a part of themselves.
Connecting to the natural world that we are a part of – and not apart from – in this way provides us with a doorway to what is happening in our unconscious mind and body. This is often where our authentic, connected and responsive self resides, free of the anxieties, fears and projections that are generally part of how we meet the world. Another benefit of working in nature, is that it has no ego, it doesn’t judge and is always there for us to turn to when we need to feel calm and resourced.
Clients, supervisees and workshop/group participants often find this way of working to be powerful, moving and healing.