The healing side of nature
When you come to Vision Psychology, you will see a wall of green plants. They are green, they are lush. Our admin staff are dedicated to keeping them alive and thriving. I even think an app is used that alerts the team when a sprinkle of water is needed. Why have we bothered to have a wall of green plants? It is just for aesthetic purposes or is there more to it?
I am going to reveal part of my inner nerd because I have actually looked into the healing affects of green spaces. Being in and connecting with nature has been connected to improved mental health, increased resilience and overall wellbeing. Getting into nature regularly can add to your enjoyment of life. It sounds pretty simple, yet how many of us don’t prioritise the time to go outside. I know I am guilty of going from home to work back to home then starting the routine again tomorrow.
This allows stress to creep up into our lives and create big problems in our ability to function at home or at work. Some symptoms of stress include:
- Headaches
- Stomachaches
- Insomnia
- Over or Under Eating
- Irritability
- Restlessness
- Memory problems
- Lack of motivation
- Concentration issues
By taking the time to be in and connect with nature, the symptoms of stress can decrease. Research has found that by getting into nature, people are able to re-engage in work and rate increases in work satisfaction. There are increases in working memory performance, attention and concentration. This means when we are able to decrease the effects of stress on our bodies and in our lives, and the risk of burning out at work decreases too.
Outside of work, when we are being with and connecting with nature, we can regain a sense of hopefulness. This hopefulness positively influences our capacity for social functioning, improves our mood, and increases our abilities in resilience. Any anxiety, or ruminating on negativities tends to decrease as hopefulness increases.
The wall of greenery at Vision Psychology looks pretty, but I think there is more to the wall than just green beauty. I think some of the healing effects of being in nature can be felt when you chose to be present in the room. You might also notice in my counselling room that there are deliberately placed pictures of nature scenes. If you can’t get into nature, let’s embrace the pictures of nature.
In a counselling session, we could even deeper your connection to nature by participating in mindfulness activities that incorporate nature. One of my favourite mindfulness activities is getting out the sand tray and immersing in the sensory experience. This could be by creating patterns in the sand or observing the feel of sand falling through my fingers. Guiding you through a mindfulness visualisation could strengthen your connection to nature and it could be done in the comfort of the couch in the counselling room.
If you are interested in exploring the healing effects of nature, looking for ways to manage stress or are wanting to increase your overall wellbeing, please get in touch. To make an appointment with Cassia, you can Book Online. Alternatively, you can call Vision Psychology Brisbane on (07) 3088 5422.
References
Beute, F., & Van Den Berg, A. E. (2021). Walk it off! The effectiveness of walk and talk coaching in nature for individuals with burnout and stress related complaints. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 76. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101641
Mayo Clinic. (2023). Stress management. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987
Slocum, J. (2024). Walk and talk therapy: psychotherapy on the move. Iowa State University ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. https://www.proquest.com/docview/3116758195?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true&sourcetype=Dissertations%20&%20Theses
Walker, C. (2023). Walk and talk therapy with adolescents: therapists’ perspectives. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2917392831/fulltextPDF/8070A4ADA2974CD5PQ/1?%20Theses&accountid=44549&sourcetype=Dissertations%20