OUTDOOR THERAPY
I offer outdoor psychotherapy in a local park as a way to mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID-19, reduce quarantine-based isolation, enhance connection to the natural world, and provide a much-needed respite from telehealth meetings.
Outdoor Therapy Information
Outdoor (or walk/talk) psychotherapy can include walking on paths or exploring public green spaces, as well as sitting outdoors on a park bench, while addressing therapeutic goals and topics. You will be invited to set the walking/sitting pace that feels appropriate for you, and to choose preferred areas in the environment that feel most comfortable.
Potential Benefits
NOTE: I offer an initial telehealth appointment to determine if we are a good match to work together and if this an appropriate modality for you, as well as to collect detailed intake information. (Telehealth remains an alternative when in-person meetings are not possible).
Outdoor Therapy Information
Outdoor (or walk/talk) psychotherapy can include walking on paths or exploring public green spaces, as well as sitting outdoors on a park bench, while addressing therapeutic goals and topics. You will be invited to set the walking/sitting pace that feels appropriate for you, and to choose preferred areas in the environment that feel most comfortable.
Potential Benefits
- Meeting outside of the typical office environment can provide a change of scenery and help in getting unstuck in the therapeutic process
- Meeting in person instead of virtually can enhance presence and connection
- Evidence that bilateral rhythmic movement (i.e. walking) can evoke potentially helpful changes in brain chemistry and enhance processing difficult therapy material
- Expanded options for grounding, relaxation, or mindfulness strategies
- Less formal/clinical setting can increase accessibility and comfort
- Empirical evidence that contact with nature decreases rumination and negative mood states, and positively impacts attention and concentration
- Greater connection to the natural world and the environment has been shown to improve well-being
- Other specific benefits related to the treatment plan (gradual exposure for phobias, social anxiety, etc.)
NOTE: I offer an initial telehealth appointment to determine if we are a good match to work together and if this an appropriate modality for you, as well as to collect detailed intake information. (Telehealth remains an alternative when in-person meetings are not possible).
More information about the potential benefits and risks of engaging in outdoor therapy can be found on my Informed Consent for Outdoor Therapy During COVID-19 Public Health Crisis:
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