GREEN THERAPY

After my time outdoors, I feel grounded, renewed, energized and much more clearheaded than before I started. ~Laura Durenberger

GREEN THERAPY Ecopsychology and the Nature Cure

by Ronica A. O’Hara F orclientsoffamilytherapist ChristianDymond,thepathto wellnessbeginsonhis10acresof woodsandmeadowsinMilton,Vermont, walkingalongsidehim,sittingbyababblingbrook,watchingsquirrelsgathernuts orthesunslowlyset,breathinginthepiney air.“Thereisasenseofsafetythatcomes frombeingintheforest,”Dymondsays. “Safetyisnecessaryinorderfortheclient toopenupandsharethemselveswith anotherhumanbeing.”Children,too,readilyrespond:“Gettingachildoutsideinto naturecanbringlifebackintotheireyes. EverydayIseethishappen.” ThesweepingSantaBarbarabeach istheofficeofclinicalpsychologistMaria Nazarian,Ph.D.,assheaccompanies clientsonhour-longbarefootwalksthat mightincludeamindfulnessexercise, goal-settingandmeditation—allwhile watchingwavesfoam,pelicansglideand sun-sparklesonthewater.“Whenwefeel connectedtotheworldaroundus,we experiencemorejoyandbelonging,less depressionandlessanxiety,allofwhich increaseourthinking,creativity,wellbeingandgenerosity,”shesays. Theirpractices,knownasecotherapy,greentherapyornature-based therapy,areanoutgrowthofaballooning branchofpsychologyknownasecopsychology,whichinvestigatesthecritical linksbetweennatureexperiencesand humanwell-being. Inexaminingsuch mattersasourneurologicalresponsesto nature,howclimatechangeandweather disastersleadtoanxietyanddepression, hownaturedeprivationaffectschildren, andwhynaturecanproducetranscendentawe,thefieldisreshapingtheway thattherapistsanddoctorshelpboth adultsandchildrenheal. Ecopsychologyisarelativelynewdiscipline.Littlemorethantwodecadesago, historianTheodoreRoszakpointedoutin Psychology TodaythatintheDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association,oneofthemost-diagnosed categoriesinvolvedsex:“Inmappingsexual dysfunction,therapistshavebeenabsolutely inspired… [but] thevolumecontainsonly onelistingremotelyconnectedtonature: seasonalaffectivedisorder.” Now,astheplanet’sdireplightbecomesasourceofmountingconcern,that

professionalneglectisrapidlychanging. Thefieldofecopsychologyhasproduced morethan100authoritativestudies linkingnaturetonotonlyphysical,but mentalhealth. Researchershavefound thatspendingtimeinnaturesettings helpslowerstress,anxietyanddepression, boostspositivemood,improvesresilience andimmuneresponse,increaseslifeexpectancy,decreasesanger,reducesblood pressure,easescomputerfatigueandenhancesenergy,concentrationandcognitivefunctioning. Recently,Danishresearchersfoundthatchildrenraisedin theleast-greenneighborhoodswere55percentmorelikelyto developaseriousmentalillnessthanchildrenthatgrewupin thegreenestneighborhoods,regardlessofsocialstanding,affluenceorparentalmentalillness.ABritishstudyofnearly20,000 peoplepublishedinScientific Reportsconcludedthatspendingat leasttwohoursaweekinnature,whetherinbriefbreaksorlong stretches,isanoptimalamountoftimetofeelasenseofbetter healthandwell-being. Puttingthesefindingsinmotion,doctors,therapists, naturopaths,nursepractitionersandotherhealthproviders areincreasinglysuggestingandprescribingtimeinnature,especiallyforchildren.AsofJuly2018,therewere71 provider-based nature-prescriptionprogramsin32states,potentiallyinvolving hundredsofthousandsofpatients,accordingtoasurveybythe InstituteattheGoldenGateNational ParksConservancy. Ecopsychologyresearchprograms areopeningatmedicalcentersand universities,andecotherapyclassesare beingaddedtoacademicdegreeprograms fortherapists. Majorhealthinsurersare financingpilotprogramstomeasuretimein-natureoutcomes,andelectronichealth recordsarestartingtoincludenature prescriptions,aswellaspharmaceuticals. Happily,it’satherapythatcanbeself-prescribed.AfterLaura Durenberger,whoblogsatReduceReuseRenewBlog.com,gave birthtoherson,shefoundsymptomsofhergeneralizedanxiety disorderatanall-timehigh,andultimatelylinkedittorarely leavingherhouse.Whenshegoestoolongwithoutbeingoutside, shesays,“Myanxietyspikes.Iamirritable.Myenergyislow. Idon’tfeelmotivatedorcreative.” Now,evenduringthefierceMinneapoliswinters,sheis dedicatedtospendinghalfanhouradayinnature:“Aftermytime outdoors,Ifeelgrounded,renewed,energizedandmuchmore clearheadedthanbeforeIstarted.” AsecotherapistDymondputsit:“Natureisalwaystherefor peopletohealthemselvesin.” Ronica A. O’Hara is a Denver-based health writer. Contact her at OHaraRonica@gmail.com. There is a sense of safety that comes from being in the forest. Safety is necessary in order for the client to open up and share themselves with another human being. ~Christian Dymond

How to Practice Personal Ecopsychology

n Spendtwohoursormoreeachweekoutdoorsinnatural settings,ineithershortorlongblocksoftime.

n Takeafreeonlinecoursetogainanin-depthunderstanding ofecopsychologyatTinyurl.com/IntroEcopsychology.

n ReadbookslikeVitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life,byRichardLouv,orThe Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative,by FlorenceWilliams.

n Bringplants,flowers,seashells,pebblesandotherreminders ofnatureintoworkandhomesettings.

n Gardenoutdoorsorkeepakitchenherbgardenindoors.

n Joinalocalbirdwatchinggroup.

n Usenaturescenesaswallartandscreensavers.

n VisitWalkWithADoc.orgtojoininaone-hourgroupwalk withalocaldoctor.

n FindmoreideasatRunWildMyChild.com/incorporatingnature-into-daily-life.

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