A breath of fresh air - the benefits of walking therapy

Nature is the source of every rhythm, and so it makes sense to me as a therapist, to use the natural world to support my therapeutic work with clients. At difficult times in our lives when we may feel confused, distressed and stuck, nature can support our own natural healing and help us settle. By simply stepping outside and taking a few steps in the fresh air, we naturally start to feel better and gain a sense of freedom, and this can help us reflect on whatever is causing us distress.

What are the benefits of walking therapy?

A pure sense of freedom. Connecting to nature opens up communication and parts of ourselves that enable exploration and personal growth. The breath-taking beauty of a running stream, a hazy fog stretching over a dewy field, livestock grazing freely on the pasture and the glorious expanse of fresh space that supports work during sessions, provides a fantastic environment to build a therapeutic relationship and tackle those difficult issues that are causing distress.

It can feel less intense than sitting in a therapy room, enabling softer interactions when needed, and allowing the natural environment to support the work. Being able to take a break when needed is so comforting, overlooking the magnificent expanse of the natural world, allowing time to reflect on the beauty not only of the natural world but the beauty of the therapy itself.

Walking therapy is not only moving physically, but it also stimulates our thought processes. Walking during sessions naturally promotes the movement of thoughts, the feeling of moving forward is ever-present as the session progresses. Being able to quicken the pace in sync with the speed of the work, or slow things down when the heaviness of what is being explored together feels difficult to move and shift. 

Natural reflections as the seasons change. Walking familiar routes and revisiting areas where we have been working, week after week, allows us to notice changes in the natural landscape as the seasons naturally change. What was once a cold and icy pathway, gradually changes into a soft, well-trodden path, flanked with beautiful meadow flowers. The awakening of spring, buds forming and growth emerging, an ever-present reminder that change happens gently and with fascinating consistency, no matter how cold the winter just passed. 

Familiarity breeds connection. We all know the feeling of turning up to a situation for the first time where we don’t know anyone. Our first gym class, our first day in a new job, our first day at a new club we’re trying, and the awkwardness that we can feel not knowing the environment or anyone there. But if we stick it out, after the first few weeks, we begin to recognise people and they in turn recognise us. Someone takes the first step in saying ‘hello’, and the conversation gradually develops week after week, until all of a sudden it no longer feels new, but something that is a meaningful part of our lives.

The familiarity of attending a group, the familiarity of seeing the same faces week after week, means that we naturally form a connection through that familiarity, and we can begin to make positive connections that support us in life. In walking therapy, the client and therapist not only connect with each other during the therapeutic work, but they also form a connection with nature in the routes they take, which gradually become familiar week after week, deepening meaning not only to the therapy but to the natural world itself.

An improvement in health. Walking during sessions not only promotes our thoughts and generates movement of feelings and emotions, but it also provides an opportunity to improve our health. The action of walking increases our steps each week, gets our blood pumping faster, and improves our cardiovascular health. Combining walking with therapy is an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, a supportive and nurturing space to work through whatever may be causing us difficulties and distress, whilst also helping us become more active by encouraging more movement, which naturally helps us feel better too.

A real sense of natural connection. Reconnecting with nature during sessions allows us to ground and comfort ourselves in a world that can feel ever-changing and hectic. Being outside in the great outdoors allows us to connect, reflect and explore issues in an environment that always knows exactly what we need. 

Within my private practice, I offer clients the option of walking therapy sessions. If clients choose to work in this way, then counselling sessions are held outside in the local countryside, where we have access to beautiful walks near rivers and fields, and we can really embrace the great outdoors and all it has to offer. Working in this way can be so satisfying, and introduces clients to a form of natural self-care which they can access whenever they may need.