Dunstable & Totternhoe nature reserve
Counselling in nature
As the name of my counselling practice promotes its authenticity and nature is no better of a place to show this. Nature does not try to be something it is not, it simply exists as it is and therefore I felt it was important to be able to take my practise outdoors where hopefully clients can engage in a natural space that feels raw and authentic so that they can tap into this in their therapeutic journey.
I have always found natural spaces to be restorative, I remember fond memories as a child when in the outdoors finding the time spent to be filled with curiosity, play and fascination. Along with a sense of feeling free and a space where I could just be. During the pandemic the ability to go outside for a limited time was a life saver for many and personally made me consciously appreciate how important it is to be connected to nature. I believe a lot of people are drawn to the outdoors due to its restorative properties, a chance to breathe from our demanding and pressure driven lives.
Having counselling in nature based settings can have many benefits, many studies show spending time in nature can help with mental and physical health. The beauty and serenity of natural spaces can have a calming effect on the mind. The outdoors can evoke a sense of freedom this can feel liberating and help soothe out emotions. For that reason, spending time in nature can promote a positive mood, reducing stress and mental fatigue.
“People are just as wonderful as sunsets if you let them be. When I look at a sunset, I don't find myself saying, "soften the orange a bit on the right hand corner." I don't try to control a sunset. I watch with awe as it unfolds.”
— Carl Rogers
Who is it for?
Outdoor based therapy can be suited for individuals who find that they are naturally drawn to nature and feel most themselves in this space.
But also for those who may have tried counselling indoors and did not find the setting conducive and in result feeling deadened or overwhelmed by the experience.
Working outdoors can help lessen the anxiety and pressure compared to being in an indoor setting.
For example, you may find being in the outdoors a more enlivening experience due to the land being alive just like us and unlike a room.
Some may find human to human contact difficult especially in an indoor setting which can feel intimidating.
For example, keeping eye contact or awkward silences, a natural space can act as mediator whereby there is no pressure to maintain eye contact and silences may be filled with the rustling of the wind or a bird song.
Furthermore working outdoors can promote greater democracy and increased mutuality between therapist and client due it being a shared space. Walking or sitting side by side can help reduce power dynamics.
What to expect?
Outdoor counselling is basically taking counselling into a natural environment such as nature reserves, parks or woodlands. It involves either walking, exploring an area, sitting together or the combination of all but importantly the choice is yours and can be done at your own pace.
There are also possibilities to bring nature more actively into the session. For some communicating difficult or unclear feelings verbally can be difficult, nature can provide many metaphors which can be useful in counselling to understand what is going on for the individual.
Along with this natural objects can be used to create a piece of art work in demonstrating what is going on for us internally. Changes of the season and weather can also be useful in considering the change in our mood.
Unlike indoor counselling, being in the outdoors will naturally aid movement in the counselling which can help connect us to our bodies, this is particularly beneficial for those who are feeling stuck in different aspects of their life as walking can shift those feelings due to the body storing these emotions. Therefore bringing in movement into the counselling can help us better to connect with what is going on in our bodies.
Nature can help also connect us to our five senses and practise grounding techniques by being able to pause, be present, notice our surroundings, reflect and process.
Counselling in an outdoor space can facilitate curiosity about your inner self in connection to the external world, helping us make meaning in how we relate or identify ourselves in our social circles.