Self-Worth & Nature-Based Therapy
“I don’t trust myself anymore.”
“I am scared that I’m going to fail.”
“I have been so mean to myself lately.”
“It’s hard for me to believe that I am good enough.”
These kinds of statements are unfortunately things I hear often in therapy sessions. So many of us have learned to question our worth and value. In my work and in my own life I have learned a great deal about how we can begin remembering our worth and value through a relationship with the rest of the natural world and here are a few invitations that I hope could be helpful for you on your path back home to yourself.
Seeing the Value of Other Beings Can Be an Invitation to Begin Seeing Value Within Yourself
Have you ever been asked what you would say to a friend in a similar situation you are facing? Many times, you could be asked this because you may feel more able to give kindness and support to others than yourself. The practice of recognizing the value of other beings can be a stepping stone to start offering these same things to yourself. Is there an animal, a plant, a place outdoors, a garden or greenhouse that you love? What do you love about this being or place? Is there a way that you feel when you are connecting with this being or place? You could also consider finding a sit spot (which you can learn more about here) to begin building a deeper relationship with the rest of the natural world. In time, I wonder if you could start to see what qualities draw you to this being or place and notice how you may embody some of these values yourself.
Recognizing Your Own Capacity
Being outdoors can sometimes require you to face difficult or uncomfortable circumstances. Maybe the weather is hotter, colder, wetter, or drier than you enjoy. Maybe you are engaging in a type of recreational activity that asks you to physically and mentally challenge yourself. Maybe you realize some of the plants you are growing in your garden are no longer thriving. Maybe you are asked to spend leisure time outdoors and slowing down feels hard. In all of these circumstances, if we choose to engage, we are given the chance to recognize that we are capable of doing the difficult thing and/or able to problem solve how we may need to adjust to take care of ourselves in the midst of it. These may feel like small things in the moment but, over time, they act like marbles in a jar, collecting more and more until you can feel a greater sense of your own capacity which can increase your sense of self-esteem.
Learning How to Pause
Negative thoughts and narratives about ourselves can be primary ways that our self-esteem sinks. Whether they are internal or external, we can begin to spiral down into them until we are completely lost and may also start to believe them. When we are able to pause, we can often get some space from the thoughts or narratives and recognize that they do not define us. Engaging with the rest of the natural world gives us many opportunities to pause. A way to practice pausing could be picking one of your senses that you enjoy, such as sight, and letting yourself really notice your environment, tuning into anything that you are enjoying or curious about with that sense. If you notice negative thoughts begin to arise, see if you can fully participate in the environment you are within and see if the pause, the turning towards something different, can allow for the intensity of negative thoughts to decrease.
You have inherent worth & value because you exist and because you are you. The other beings around you also hold this same value. I recognize that self-worth can be challenged in many ways in our daily life and, the rest of the natural world is always here as a place to reconnect, to remember the value each and every one of us, human and non-human, holds.
If you are curious to learn more about Eco-Therapy/Nature-Based Therapy and/or want to learn more about what working with me could look like, please reach out to me!