What Is Ecotherapy?
Ecotherapy, also called nature therapy, is the practice of connecting with
nature to help with growth and healing, especially mental health.
Many people find that spending time outdoors improves low moods and promotes relaxation and calm.
Ecotherapy can involve loosely structured activities, such going for a hike and or walk in a forested area or park. You can also choose to participate in more formal approaches, often with guidance from a therapist.
Many ecotherapy practices will get you out of the house and moving. Even gardening, which may not seem so strenuous at first, involves plenty of movement.
Exercise can help improve sleep and other aspects of physical health, of course, but it can also have a positive impact on mental health.
Simply enjoying some fresh air outdoors can lift a bad mood, and some sunshine may have a more direct effect on relieving feelings of depression or anxiety.
Some of these approaches include:
- Gardening - Gardening offers the chance to grow your own produce, build relationships, and spend time working outdoors. Some programs also teach basic farming tasks like tending animals or crops.
- Wilderness or adventure therapy - This approach to mental health treatment teaches coping techniques and therapeutic skills to teens and young adults as they camp and/or hike in the wilderness with their peers.
- Park prescriptions - Increasing numbers of healthcare providers and mental health professionals are starting to recommend that people spend a specific amount of time each week visiting a park or pursuing other outdoor activities.
- Forest bathing - More than just a walk in the park, this practice encourages the mindful use of your five senses as you ramble through forests or similarly tree-heavy settings.
- Animal-assisted therapy - Petting, playing, or working with animals like horses, dogs, and birds outdoors can offer another way to manage stress.
- Outdoor meditation and/or yoga - Yoga and meditation offer well-established benefits, but they might prove even more rewarding when done outside.
Many ecotherapy practices also prioritize building a two-way relationship with nature by giving something back to the area, whether that’s collecting trash or planting trees.
Here’s a look at some other benefits:
- More opportunities for social connection
- A sense of oneness with nature can feel great, but you probably need some human connection, as well.
- Ecotherapy can take place in group therapy settings or single one on one.
- Community gardening, can reduce loneliness, acquaint you with new people, and increase feelings of community solidarity.
- There are plenty of people with a fondness for hiking and nature walks that prefer to go in groups. There are many websites that can help you find others interested in similar nature activities nearby.
- Motivation to exercise
- Increased mindfulness
When you spend time in a natural environment, you’re more likely to use your senses to experience your surroundings. Calming sounds, like birds chirping or the rustling of leaves, can help you detach from traffic, work conflict, and ordinary stressors of everyday life.
Come visit golden rainbow ranch and let us help you reconnect with yourself and nature!