“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than she seeks.”
– John Muir
Why walk-and-talk
I offer walk-and-talk therapy as a way of deepening the work I do in therapy. Getting outside, getting moving, and being connected to nature are all innately healing and conducive to therapeutic work. And, the movement of walking and the setting of the woods brings out people’s creative side—including creativity with how you relate to the struggles and challenges you are facing!
How it can help
There are a lot of ways that anxiety and fear like to trick us humans, pulling us into spirals that aren’t grounded in who we are or what we care about. In my experience, simply being outside makes it easier to spot the trickery in our minds. We remember our place in the world. Our whole bodies relax. We can slow down and notice. We can see through guises we didn’t notice. We can see more clearly what really matters.
Is it a fit for you?
It can be hard to know whether walk-and-talk is a good fit for you without having done it before. Here are some questions that may help you consider:
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Do you feel relaxed and comfortable with hour long walks in parks like the Wissahickon?
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How would you feel talking about your struggles outdoors and in a setting where you’ll pass by others?
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How do you feel about eye contact in therapy? Some people find less eye contact while walking relieving, others desire more direct eye contact that’s better aligned to an office or virtual setting
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How would you feel if you saw someone you knew while in a session?
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How would you feel if something surprising or unpleasant happened while in a walking session—bee stings, tripping and falling, feeling hot or cold, etc.
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Do you have a gut sense of whether this would work well for you?
If you’re curious about walk-and-talk, I invite you to reach out. We can have a free consultation Zoom call to chat about what it looks like at a practical level, and discuss whether it’s a good fit for your unique situation and what you’re seeking therapy for.
