‘There is only one healing power, and this is nature.’

Arthur Schopenahauer

We are turning more and more to nature to help us get through the difficult times we face on a global scale. Who doesn’t love connecting with nature on some level? We all know nature is good for us, yet we are sadly losing the skills and natural means to do this based on how we live our lives and don’t always approach nature with nature’s best interests at heart. We are missing out on the simple things that can restore our balance.

There is a wealth of evidence to support that nature connection is good for our physical, emotional, and mental health:

  • Studies have shown that just a glimpse of the outdoors can boost overall mood, mental health, and life satisfaction
  • Research suggests that people who have access to nature are more likely to demonstrate environmentally friendly behaviours, people not exposed to green spaces are less likely to adopt environmentally friendly approach
  • Plants and access to green spaces, even via a window or a picture, are more likely to have increased productivity and a greater sense of well-being
  • A ‘forest’ atmosphere lowers stress hormones, cortisol, and adrenaline levels. It increases cognitive function, mental health and strengthens the immune system. Whilst on the contrary, urban experiences raise blood pressure and stress levels
  • Nature connection can combat loneliness and brings communities together
  • ‘20 minutes in nature lowers stress hormones and improves immune functioning’ *

As humans we have an innate love of nature and the natural world around us, this is called biophilia. Our biophilic connection blends the personal, social, and ecological spheres of our natural self. Connecting with nature on a deeper scale leads to a positive and flourishing relationship with our ecological self. This in turn helps us move on an individual level from ego-centric to eco-centric and hopefully on a local, national, and global scale.

Our interconnectedness and interdependency with nature has been forgotten in many parts of modern culture.  The modern world has dominated nature for the purpose of human benefit. This has led to the ecological destruction that we are faced with right now. With this brings a human crisis of well-being and health.

If we can restore our love of nature, increased awareness, and connection to the natural world not only can we help protect our world and mother nature, but we will find our own path to wellness, healing, and a deeper purpose.

Working with people in nature helps them to explore their personal healing and development journey and how they can find the resources to be more fulfilled, cultivate wholeness and harmony for self-healing.

Here are some accessible ways you can connect with nature:

  • Your garden is the perfect healing place, using all your senses, pay attention to the colours of different plants, they are not all the same green. What shape are they and what do they feel like? Focus on the smell of each plant, which scent resonates within you? Listen to the sounds in your garden, separate them out and investigate how the sounds make you feel
  • Cherish and nurture your plants, build a new relationship with them, talk to them, listen to them
  • Plant a new plant that has healing properties that you can utilise in your home, such as herbs or something colourful to optimise happiness – pink, orange, yellow or red are perfect colours or perhaps easy to grow and edible flowers such as nasturtiums
  • Feel grounded and connected and find a safe spot to walk barefoot on the grass
  • Whilst walking in the woods find a safe spot to stop and use all your senses to feel a connection with all aspects of the natural environment

Wild & Green facilitates your healing journey by integrating nature practises with nature connection to awaken the senses, restore balance and healing in a variety of styles on a one to one or group basis, these include:

  • Grounding and nature-based mindfulness and outdoor meditation
  • Forest and mindfulness walks where you immerse your senses in the forest, taking a slow walk through the forest, focussing, and tuning in to your senses in the multitude of ways the forest surrounds you
  • Sensory green therapy and creative consciousness sessions exploring nature through all of our senses, delving into colour therapy in the plant and flower world to facilitate healing and balance
  • Creative sessions using seasonal, local, and holistic herbs, plants and flowers to support creativity and well-being making seasonal wreaths and floral arrangements etc. Linking the lost meanings of plants and flowers and their traditional and folklore roots. All materials are eco-friendly with a zero-waste philosophy
  • Subtle energy healing (and distance healing), energy and chakra balancing with a connection to plants, flowers and colour
  • Discovering and sourcing healing and holistic plants for your home or workspace

For more ideas and inspiration please contact wildgreentherapy@gmail.com

About Alex from Wild & Green Therapy.

Originally from Yorkshire, I started out as a Personnel Manager where I became an ambassador for the Fit for Work scheme, facilitating employees returning to work after long term illness. I became somewhat disillusioned with the corporate world following the birth of my daughter, who was born with a rare medical condition. I struggled with low self esteem and anxiety, and this is when I found my happy place at a spiritual centre, where I went from participating in meditations to facilitating a weekly mediation group. This is also where I discovered my healing gifts.

After the birth of my second child, we relocated to Cumbria, where it’s impossible not to connect with nature. I was lucky enough to start part time work in a florists. I absolutely loved working here, I fell in love again with plants and flowers, which I had enjoyed so much as a child, although I struggled with the environmental and waste aspects of the job. Unfortunately, the florists closed, I was unable to take on a retail commitment, so decided to follow a different path focusing on connecting people with nature and holistic, healing plants and flowers through creative sessions and workshops, with strong environmental awareness and a zero waste philosophy.

So my Wild & Green journey began.

*Mary Carol. R Hunter, Urban Nature Experiences Reduce Stress… Frontiers in Psychology, 2019