Nature Therapy Explained: How Eco-Therapy Exposure Supports Healing

With most of modern life taking place indoors, time spent outside has to be intentionally set aside and sought out. Nature therapy takes that experience a step further and turns your time outside into a tool for healing.

What is Nature Therapy?

A study in the National Library of Medicine describes nature therapy, also known as eco-therapy, as “[incorporating] natural elements or environments to promote health and well-being.” Like any approach, eco-therapy is a tool that will supplement traditional approaches rather than replacing them. Work with a professional to find the right combination of applications that is right for you, but time outside can almost always integrate seamlessly.

Eco-therapy has a wide range of applications and is highly customizable to each person’s specific needs. If it feels like there are too many options and you are overwhelmed with where to start, try to think of what you enjoy doing in nature and adjust from there. Eco-therapy can also be done self guided, with a group, and/or with a mental health professional present.

What Nature Offers for Mental Health

• Grounding sensory elements with natural light, sounds, breezes, etc.
• Calming outdoor activities like nature walks, gardening, birdwatching, or cloud gazing
• An open environment allows for relaxation, destressing, and a good meditation setting

How Nature Regulates the Nervous System

Humans have an innate affinity for natural environments. Whether it is an evolutionary instinct or a Pavlovian response, nature has a positive effect on our stress response.

When we encounter a natural setting, we experience increased parasympathetic activity, which is the nervous system engaging in rest and recovery. These natural environments also reduce the pressure of mental demands and concentration and alleviate the feeling of overstimulation.

According to Harvard, spending at least 20-30 minutes in nature on a regular basis can lead to a drop in cortisol levels, which is the hormone associated with stress. UCLA Health also posits that time spent outdoors can lead to a more regulated circadian rhythm, lower blood pressure, and increased levels vitamin D. The psychosomatic effects of mental health can be detrimental, and spending time in nature in some cases can help address both at once.

PTSD & Substance Abuse

A study in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine examined nature therapy for people who have both post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder, which are frequently comorbid. The findings revealed that “nature-based activities offer promising adjunctive benefits, including the reduction of PTSD symptoms and craving levels.” Given the nature of these disorders it is always best to work with a mental health professional for guidance.

Eco-Therapy in Practice

Eco-therapy is largely driven by implementing practices and routines based on your own needs and routines. For some that may just mean spending time outside, while others prefer structured rituals:

• Outdoor activities: Hiking, running, swimming, biking, gardening, etc.
• Grounding: Connect with physical sensations and the natural environment
• Sensory walks: Focus intentionally on sights, sounds, smells, and textures
• Shinrin-yoku: Also called “forest bathing,” immersement in your natural surroundings
• Sit spots: Pause in one natural place and observe without distraction

Sit Spot vs Meditation

While there is some overlap, sit spots and meditation have different intentions and goals. Sit spots are a nature-focused practice of revisiting the same place to observe and connect to what is happening around you, where meditation is the broader practice of awareness that can be practiced anywhere.

Nature Forward Healing

Low risk, high reward. The benefits of being outside for mental health are why nature-based practices are increasingly being explored as a complement to traditional mental-health care. Get in touch with Barn Life Recovery if you are looking for a recovery plan that heavily integrates the healing power of being outdoors.