Nature as a Teacher: Eco-Therapy
Many people come to therapy because they feel disconnected from themselves or other people. Sometimes, people also come to therapy because they feel disconnected from the rest of the natural world due to a felt sense of helplessness in the midst of climate change. While relational healing, both human and non-human, can feel difficult and doesn’t always have a clear path forward, Eco-Therapy and the rest of the natural world have been wise teachers for me in this area.
A particular memory from facilitating a therapy group outdoors comes to mind as an example. Many of the people I was working with at the time decided to attend these therapy groups because the groups were held outdoors. They mostly thought that it sounded nice to be hiking or to be outside instead of sitting in chairs in a circle in a conference room. What they did not know is that engaging in Eco-Therapy could mean so much more than just walking outdoors or talking about mental health in the woods.
The group met regularly and over time, I got to know different participants fairly well, learning about some of the ways they felt disconnected from themselves and others. This led me to think that an activity that could foster greater connection with another natural being may be supportive. About halfway through one particular group session, I asked all of the participants to find a being around us on the trail that they felt drawn towards. This could be because they were curious about this being, they liked this being, or they just even weren’t opposed to spending some time with this being. I asked them to spend the next fifteen minutes sitting with this being and seeing if they could learn anything from them.
One participant raised their hand and sarcastically said, “So, you think talking to a tree is going to make me feel better? Great.” I simply smiled and shrugged, not suggesting that it could fix how they were feeling but curious what they would discover. They begrudgingly sat with the tree they had selected for the next fifteen minutes.
Upon returning to the group, I invited everyone into a discussion about what they had noticed. There was no expectation for this discussion, just curiosity about their experiences. Many people shared that it was helpful to slow down, to actually notice the world around them, to recognize another being’s life. I was prepared for a list of complaints when the participant who sat with the tree raised their hand. But instead, they surprised me and shared that they had no idea they could learn from another being in this way. They had no idea that spending a few minutes actually being with another being could allow them to feel something different within themselves, to learn something about their own life’s journey and the challenges they were facing and potentially some steps forward. They were in awe, as was I.
This is just one of many moments that I have had the honor of witnessing and personally experiencing where Eco-Therapy inspires much deeper insights and connections than I could imagine; where I have seen and felt people realize that connection with other beings, both human and non-human, can teach us so much and can help us to begin to heal both ourselves and our relationship with the planet.
If you are interested in learning more about Eco-Therapy and/or working together in some capacity, please reach out to me at amber@inthealpenglowtherapy.com