Nature Informed Therapy
Connect with nature, connect with yourself, connect with others
If you speak to someone who spends time outdoors, they will likely tell you that there’s something about it that feels calming. As it turns out, science supports this claim. Whether you are hiking, running, biking, skiing, kayaking, or climbing, being present in nature can provide emotional and psychological benefits.
Nature informed therapy (NIT) is an evidence based approach to mental health treatment that involves nature in a variety of capacities. While outdoor sessions are commonly utilized, I incorporate nature into therapy even when it’s virtual. We can learn a lot from nature through plants, animals, the weather, and geography. This approach expands past walk-and-talk therapy, and focuses on fostering relationships between humans and nature.
Nature informed therapy is an alternative to traditional talk therapy and may be a great option for individuals seeking a different format for counseling. Please schedule a consultation so we can determine if this approach is a good fit for you.
“Action on behalf of life transforms.
Because the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, it is not a question of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting.
As we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.”
― Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants”
I am a Certified Nature Informed Therapist (CNIT) through the Center for Nature Informed Therapy in Towson, Maryland. Click here to visit the CNIT website and learn more!
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Nature informed therapy is beneficial for anxiety, trauma, stress, grief, relational issues, ADHD, and overall well-being.
I have specialized training in Body Image & Nature, as well as Attachment & Trauma from a Nature Informed Lens.
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Just like in nature, this therapeutic approach doesn’t thrive alone. NIT incorporates mindfulness and meditation, somatic techniques, CBT, and DBT.
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A relationship with nature continues to have a positive impact long past exposure. You don’t need to actively be in nature to feel its affects. A virtual session incorporates nature in a number of ways. If you have a private outdoor space, you are welcome to log into session from there. I might invite you to bring a nature object into session (such as a flower) or provide ‘homework’ that can be completed outside of sessions (such as an Awe Walk). A nature informed session can simply include looking out the window.
Frequently asked Questions
Taking therapy outside
Research shows that talk therapy in outdoor spaces significantly reduces stress and improves mood (Cooley et al., 2020). The Nature-Informed Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Model with Nature Relatedness Assessment (NIBSMA) was created by the Center of Nature Informed Therapy to analyze outcomes of nature programs on well-being. Findings using the NIBSMA showed that participation improved all 5 domains of well-being. There was reduction in stress, and cognitive clarity, social connection, spiritual well‑being, and nature relatedness all increased.
Play isn’t only for kids
Neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to change and grow) is aided by play. Play activates the brain’s reward pathways that trigger dopamine and serotonin release (Wang & Aamodt, 2012). Play as an adult is beneficial in supporting the brain’s ability to adapt and heal. Nature provides a playground for adults to interact with through curiosity and adventure.
Land Acknowledgement
Gentle Ground Counseling acknowledges that the Laurel Highlands region of Pennsylvania is the territory of the Monongahela, Massawomeck, Osage, and Shawanwaki/Shawnee people. We acknowledge and honor the original caretakers of the mountains, rivers, and forests of this land.
“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing views…where something strange and more beautiful and more full of wonder than your deepest dreams waits for you — beyond that next turning of the canyon walls.”
-Edward Abbey, ‘Benedicto’