Healing in Nature In The City: Walk and Talk Therapy

Walk and Talk Therapy

There’s growing evidence that Walk and Talk Therapy is beneficial for mental health (Denton, 2022¹; Revell & McLeod, 2016²; Cooley et al., 2020³). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8892051/

Who Benefits Most From Walk and Talk Therapy?

Walk and talk therapy is particularly effective for individuals experiencing anxiety, stress, and burnout (Denton, 2022; Stubbs et al., 2017). Clients who feel confined or stuck in traditional office settings, those who find it easier to talk while moving, or those who simply love being outdoors often report especially positive outcomes (Cooley et al., 2020). The format has also shown benefits for behavioral and emotional regulation (Doucette, 2004).

People have found that it is especially great at reducing anxiety, stress and burnout. Research specifically shows that combining therapeutic conversation with walking in natural settings significantly reduces anxiety symptoms and improves overall wellbeing (Stubbs et al., 2017⁴; Doucette, 2004⁵). We are always recommending getting outside, getting natural light in our eyes and breathing fresh air. Natural light exposure helps regulate circadian rhythms and mood (LeGates et al., 2014⁶), while spending time in nature—ideally at least 120 minutes per week—is associated with better mental health outcomes (White et al., 2019⁷).

It has been known to help gain better perspective. This aligns with Attention Restoration Theory, which explains how natural environments restore mental capacity and reduce mental fatigue (Kaplan, 1995⁸; Berman et al., 2008⁹) I think it’s because when we see the lake and the sky we see that there is so much more to life and the world than whatever is spinning in our anxious minds. Nature experiences have been shown to reduce rumination and improve cognitive function, providing psychological distance from stressors (Bratman et al., 2012¹⁰; Bowler et al., 2010¹¹). For my clients who can get there, healing in nature in the city is a wonderful thing.

Clients who have participated in Walk and Talk Therapy often says things like, “Being outside seems to open up something in me that being in the office just can’t.” This experience reflects research findings that outdoor therapeutic settings can reduce psychological barriers and facilitate deeper emotional processing (Jordan & Marshall, 2010¹²; Clinebell, 1996¹³).

Clients tell me that walking side by side is also helpful and empowering in a different way than sitting across from each other. The side-by-side positioning during walk and talk therapy creates a less hierarchical dynamic and can feel less confrontational than face-to-face settings, which many clients find empowering (Revell & McLeod, 2016¹⁴). Additionally, walking itself enhances creative thinking and problem-solving abilities (Oppezzo & Schwartz, 2014¹⁵).

The Science Behind Walk and Talk

Walk and talk therapy combines multiple evidence-based elements: physical exercise (Sharma et al., 2006¹⁶), natural environment exposure (Bratman et al., 2012¹⁷), natural light (LeGates et al., 2014¹⁸), and therapeutic conversation (Revell & McLeod, 2016¹⁹). The simultaneous activation of body and mind during walking can enhance emotional processing and cognitive flexibility (Erickson et al., 2019²⁰), while the outdoor setting provides restorative mental benefits that indoor environments cannot replicate (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989²¹).

Research Shows Walk and Talk Therapy:
∙ Reduces anxiety and stress more effectively than indoor therapy alone (Stubbs et al., 2017)
∙ Enhances creative thinking and problem-solving (Oppezzo & Schwartz, 2014)
∙ Provides cognitive restoration through nature exposure (Kaplan, 1995)
∙ Creates a more egalitarian therapeutic relationship (Revell & McLeod, 2016)
∙ Improves mood through natural light exposure (LeGates et al., 2014)

How To Get Started:

Have at least a first session and discuss if it’s right for you.
Sign a Walk and Talk Therapy consent form that acknowledges your physical mobility is up to it and that you understand that we will be in public spaces and so it may be necessary to stop certain discussions if we are surrounded by people in earshot. Your confidentiality is important whether we are in an office, telehealth or walking along the lakefront trail.

Questions? debdettman@wisewomantherapy.com

Ready now? Set up free phone consultation.

Individual therapy: $200/session. I provide Super Bills for clients seeking reimbursement from their insurance companies. PPO plans often reimburse 60-80%. Limited availability for reduced fee for those with financial need.

References

1. Denton, H. (2022). A systematic review of walk and talk therapy: Evidence, mechanisms and future directions. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 78(4), 614-632.
2. Revell, S., & McLeod, J. (2016). Experiences of therapists who integrate walk and talk into their professional practice. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 16(1), 35-43.
3. Cooley, S. J., Jones, C. R., Bragg, R., & Tillmann, S. (2020). Assessing the impact of a walking-based therapeutic intervention for adults experiencing mental ill-health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(13), 4781.
4. Stubbs, B., Vancampfort, D., Rosenbaum, S., Firth, J., Cosco, T., Veronese, N., … & Schuch, F. B. (2017). An examination of the anxiolytic effects of exercise for people with anxiety and stress-related disorders: A meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research, 249, 102-108.
5. Doucette, P. A. (2004). Walk and talk: An intervention for behaviorally challenged youths. Adolescence, 39(154), 373-388.
6. LeGates, T. A., Fernandez, D. C., & Hattar, S. (2014). Light as a central modulator of circadian rhythms, sleep and affect. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 15(7), 443-454.
7. White, M. P., Alcock, I., Grellier, J., Wheeler, B. W., Hartig, T., Warber, S. L., … & Fleming, L. E. (2019). Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 7730.
8. Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The experience of nature: A psychological perspective. Cambridge University Press.
9. Berman, M. G., Jonides, J., & Kaplan, S. (2008). The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature. Psychological Science, 19(12), 1207-1212.
10. Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., & Daily, G. C. (2012). The impacts of nature experience on human cognitive function and mental health. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1249(1), 118-136.
11. Bowler, D. E., Buyung-Ali, L. M., Knight, T. M., & Pullin, A. S. (2010). A systematic review of evidence for the added benefits to health of exposure to natural environments. BMC Public Health, 10(1), 456.
12. Jordan, M., & Marshall, H. (2010). Taking counselling and psychotherapy outside: Destruction or enrichment of the therapeutic frame? European Journal of Psychotherapy & Counselling, 12(4), 345-359.
13. Clinebell, H. J. (1996). Ecotherapy: Healing ourselves, healing the earth. Fortress Press.
14. Revell, S., & McLeod, J. (2016). Experiences of therapists who integrate walk and talk into their professional practice. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 16(1), 35-43.
15. Oppezzo, M., & Schwartz, D. L. (2014). Give your ideas some legs: The positive effect of walking on creative thinking. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 40(4), 1142-1152.
16. Sharma, A., Madaan, V., & Petty, F. D. (2006). Exercise for mental health. Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 8(2), 106.
17. Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., & Daily, G. C. (2012). The impacts of nature experience on human cognitive function and mental health. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1249(1), 118-136.
18. LeGates, T. A., Fernandez, D. C., & Hattar, S. (2014). Light as a central modulator of circadian rhythms, sleep and affect. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 15(7), 443-454.
19. Revell, S., & McLeod, J. (2016). Experiences of therapists who integrate walk and talk into their professional practice. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 16(1), 35-43.
20. Erickson, K. I., Hillman, C., Stillman, C. M., Ballard, R. M., Bloodgood, B., Conroy, D. E., … & Powell, K. E. (2019). Physical activity, cognition, and brain outcomes: A review of the 2018 physical activity guidelines. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 51(6), 1242-1251.
21. Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The experience of nature: A psychological perspective. Cambridge University Press.