“Ecotherapy is considered a therapeutic application of ecopsychology ranging from efforts for restoring bonds between people, communities and the living world that have been disrupted by violent systems of oppression, to approaches that focus primarily on using nature for improving human mental health.” M.E. Delaney
But what exactly does this mean?
Very simply put Ecotherapy is an umbrella term for Nature Connection Approaches that support physical and mental healing and are guided by a professional.
We are living in times where we can see a large gap between frightening global threats to our environment and the lack of our actual connection to Nature. Modern lifestyles have brought with them time constraints, urbanisation, lack of opportunity, and uncountable methods of distraction with Social Media and Technology at the forefront.
This disconnect weaves itself through all aspects of modern life, including our daily food, our consumer habits, our leisure activities, our health and education, and our overall lack of awareness of the interconnection of everything.
What we should be aware of, is that our need for Nature Connection is not optional, it is imprinted in our DNA. Not only that, when we realise that our “habitat” is under threat, we intrinsically know that our very own survival is in danger, even if it’s just subconsciously. This inbuilt awareness and the gap between the overwhelm of worrying global news and our actual Nature Connection is causing more and more physical and mental health challenges.
With the Climate Crisis gaining traction, we can see a sharp rise in environment-related mental health issues including eco-anxiety and eco-depression. These terms are not yet official pathological diagnoses, yet there is no denying their existence.
In 2021, an extensive study of 10.000 children and young people in 10 countries by The Lancet showed that 59% were extremely worried about the threats of Climate Change, while 84% (!!!) were at least moderately worried. That’s a really sad statistic, don’t you think?
How can Ecotherapy help?
This is where Ecotherapy comes in. Most Ecotherapy modalities put equal importance on human and planetary health as they are based on the eco-psychological view that our psyche cannot be separated from our environment.
Simply put: We can’t have healthy humans on a sick planet and we can’t be separated from the natural world as we are part of it.
So many of us are in need of mental and physical healing. We are desperately looking for ways to ease overwhelm, anxiety and a diffuse feeling of disconnect.
Ecotherapy is an invaluable addition to already existing professions in the fields of mental health/holistic health, education and wellbeing. By integrating various forms of Nature Connection we address our inbuilt knowledge that we are Nature and as such have a desire to care for and protect our planet Earth.
Especially our children need support, assurance and Nature Connection as a priority, not only for their mental and physical health, but also for their education and overall development.
Examples of Ecotherapy Modalities include:
- Horticultural Therapy
- Forest Bathing
- Eco Art Therapy
- Animal Assisted Therapies
- Wilderness Experiences
- Nature Based Meditation and Visualisation
- Embodied/Somatic Movement Approaches
- Activism and Conservation
- Nature Education
- Social justice and cultural inclusion
- Multi-Sensory Nature Immersion, both indoors and outdoors
- Spiritual Nature Experiencing and Rites of Passage
All of us are different and our needs and preferences vary greatly. The beauty of ecotherapy is the opportunity to offer and avail of individual, accessible and inclusive programs both indoors and outdoors.
This makes it possible to offer this vital approach to people who might not be able to access Nature outdoors due to illness, trauma or other limitations.
If you would like to learn more about ecotherapy and the many ways we can integrate Nature into our personal and professional lives: Check out our fully certified Mindfulness Rooted Ecotherapy Practitioner Training. The training is approved through IICT and IMMA as well as CPD accredited.
