Restorative Walks

With the modern day burst of computerised therapy and online appointments I initially felt the pressure to offer more of the same. However, I have also felt that something crucial was being lost along the way; rather I feel that more of our attention needs to lean into the therapeutic experience of being in touch with the physical realm and more specifically, nature.

Our natural immersion in the countryside, woodland, the ocean has shown a gradual attrition over the years such that the mundane activities which re-regulate our body and help us to recover from stress are slowly disappearing from our day to day. I find it interesting that at the most extreme end of psychological illness, ie trauma based disorders the emphasis for healing is on grounding techniques which apply the skill of present moment focus and one of the easiest ways to support that is through our connection with objects from nature; a pine cone, a feather, a stone, a leaf, an ear of corn, aromatic plants like lavender, mint or rosemary.