OUTDOOR & NATURE THERAPY

In Brentwood and Franklin, tennessee
RECONNECT WITH NATURE & RESET YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM

There is a reason you feel better outside. Nature is a natural healer.

Outdoor therapy, also called Nature therapy or walk & talk therapy, has been a part of healing traditions for centuries and has gained popularity in western cultures do to our fast paced, digital life. Nature therapy gets you outside where your senses have the opportunity to ground and reset to your natural environment. Nature therapy helps with:

  • Getting back to our roots. Studies show we now spend ~99% of our time enclosed & indoor, often behind a screen or multi-tasking. Nature therapy allows us to reconnect where we belong.

  • Nature therapy helps to remove the noise and allow us to truly disconnect from unnatural stimuli and allow our senses to access what’s surrounding us.

  • Promotes relaxation, mindfulness & immunity. Time in nature has been proven to decrease heart rate & stress while promoting relaxation and strengthening mindfulness. It als

  • Time in nature promotes immune system recovery by decreasing cortisol levels (stress hormones), blood pressure and pulse rate and improving nervous system function, all critical items in mental wellness. Healing the mind directly impacts the body.

  • Promotes better sleep. Exercise and access to natural sunlight both play a significant role to sleep quality.

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

Truly curated to meet your needs

Whether you rarely move your body or you’re super active, we will find the right setting, terrain or path to ensure your comfort and safety.

Outdoor Therapy may be for you if:

  • You find conventional therapy settings awkward or uncomfortable. 

  • You generally find it easier to talk when moving. 

  • You really enjoy being in nature. 

  • You think you may benefit from the physical activity aspect of therapy. 

After meeting to discuss therapy goals, we’ll determine an appropriate, pre-arranged setting to hold the session. The client sets the pace and the therapist guides the sessions to support the overall goals. This type of therapy can be used as part of a treatment plan for depression, anxiety and trauma, including EMDR & Brainspotting.

Ways to incorporate Outdoor Therapy into your sessions with Erin

WALK & TALK

If verbal processing, making sense of your ‘parts’ and talking through scenarios to practice skills is your goal, then walk & talk therapy can play role. Incorporating the outdoors and your senses can help shift your mindset and process emotions in a unique way.

EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EDMR) is a great fit for the outdoors for some clients. The walking movement alone is a form of bilateral stimulation which is central to EMDR. Incorporating special areas of tree lines and paths only helps to reinforce that work.

BRAINSPOTTING

Brainspotting in nature is a great way to reprocess challenging beliefs or memories, or just general ‘stuckness’. Preforming Brainspotting in nature utilizes the senses and bilateral stimulation in a distinct combination and promotes mindfullness, allowing a unique experience.

Ready to get started?

You Deserve to Feel Better.

Let’s Take That First Step.

Grab your weighted vest and let’s go!

faqs

Common questions about Outdoor Therapy

  • After talking with Erin, the two of you will determine a favored location based off of convenience, privacy and therapeutic needs. The pre existing spots are all local, Williamson County Parks offering safety and convenience. We’ll account for all needs to pick a place that is best suited for you.

  • All of the locations that have been identified have shelters but if storms are expected, we’ll work to together to adjust. Because of complex logistics with scheduling, we’ll have an identified backup planned ahead of time, if needed.

  • Like in-office sessions, outdoor sessions last about 50 minutes. We’ll choose a path or trail depending on the goal of the session. For EMDR and Brainspotting, I have chosen a few more private spots to help reduce interruptions while still getting the benefit of the outdoors. We will either walk & talk, or hike & talk. For EMDR and Brainspotting, we’ll walk & process or find a comfortable spot and sit and process.

Outdoor Therapy Can Help With:

  • Anxiety & Worry

  • Depression

  • Burnout

  • Mindfulness

  • High Stress

  • Traumatic Reprocessing

  • Emotional Dysregulation

  • Poor Sleep