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Ecotherapy - Walk & Talk

Inviting Nature into Therapy & Inviting Therapy outside into Nature

Ecotherapy is an umbrella term for therapy that brings nature into the therapy room or that invites therapist and client to step out of the traditional counselling office into nature. With Interflections Counselling Therapy, both are an option! ***

There are many ways to invite nature into therapy: 
  1. Coping skills and strategies that call on nature to support regulation and grounding 
  2. Interventions guided by the wisdom nature has to offer
  3. Creating space for eco-grief and eco-anxiety
  4. Connecting with nature in person, outside via walk & talks or sit & talks and beyond...

Ecotherapy is for everyone, and yet all the ways in which we can work with nature may not fit for everyone. This is the purpose of this page: to introduce you to ecotherapy broadly and walk & talk specifically in order to find the right fit for you.

*An Ecotherapy Framework & Ecotherapeutic interventions can be invited into therapy done via telehealth (online/video or over the phone).
**In Person Walk & Talk Sessions are only available in the Bridgewater, NS area.

What to expect...

A Walk & Talk is not always a walk in the park. As we leave the comfort of the traditional four walls of our homes or offices we move into the elements: weather, bugs, animals, dirt, other humans…Therapy thrives on the edge of comfort and yet we want to do our best to maintain a sense of safety that allows us to engage in and keep our focus on the concerns you have brought to therapy.

Though we will be walking on groomed trails in parks maintained by the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg, it is important to be aware of your limits. Remember all interventions are invitational - it is always your choice to participate or to decline.

For those who would like to take therapy outside who have physical limitations Sit & Talk Sessions are also an option.
"Nature has a powerful capacity to heal, to teach, to guide us."

Benefits & Risks

There are many benefits associated both with walking/exercise and time spent outside in nature. 

I invite you to take a moment to imagine a beautiful natural place: a lake, a forest, a river or brook, a beach…tune into all of what that place offers: the sounds, sights, temperature, smells…notice how this impacts you right now in this moment to visit this place in your imagination.......

Time in nature has been shown to improve immunity, affect and cognition. Walking can reduce stress and anxiety, boost mood, improve sleep, increase self-confidence among other health benefits. 

Walk & Talk Therapy combines the above noted benefits of walking and the impacts nature can have on our well-being with the existing benefits of therapy. That said, there are also risks associated with walking/exercise and being outside. Some risks to consider prior to venturing outdoors are: Confidentiality, Dogs/Animal encounters, Allergies, Fears/Phobias, Injury & Weather Conditions. Exploring the above risks is part of the informed consent process and requires an additional Eco-assessment session prior to moving therapy outside into nature.

Getting Started

Step 1: Get in touch to schedule a free consult. This is a time to explore any questions you may have and to discuss where nature might fit into your therapeutic journey.

Step 2: Book an Eco-assessment session. This will be our second session (following our initial intake and assessment session) and will also take place online via video or over the phone. See Services for associated fees and pathways.

Step 3: Let’s take this outside! Once we have completed the above we can start walk & talk sessions. With the weather on our side, we will meet outside and invite nature to join us on your therapeutic journey.

**In Person Walk & Talk Sessions are only available in the Bridgewater, NS area.