Benefits to Working Outside:

• Improved mental health: Spending time in nature has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, reduce symptoms of depression and increase feelings of well being.
• Increased mindfulness: Being in nature can help you become more present and mindful, which can lead to increased self-awareness and improved coping skills.
• Client autonomy: You can choose the speed, path and direction of the work, both emotionally and physically.
• Enhanced connection: Working with nature can foster a sense of connection and belonging, which can continue long after the formal work has ended.

Ways of Working:

I offer different ways of the outside being involved in our work. Some clients simply like being in the outdoor environment and so opt for a ‘walk and talk’ type of session. These sessions are taken at the clients own pace, where we may walk for the whole session or find somewhere to sit and talk.

Others prefer for the environment to be part of the therapeutic process, and so we more pro-actively involve nature in the session. This helps us to identify and work with the issues that the client brings in a different way. There is opportunity to connect and deepen the relationship with nature, and your understanding of your place within it.

Single Focus Sessions:

For those that don’t feel they are in a place to commit to ongoing work but would still like to explore a particular issue, I offer single focus sessions. These are longer sessions which clients use to focus on one area of their lives they would like to have a better understanding of, as a way to learn more about themselves or to work on their connection with nature.

Beforehand we will talk to discuss what you might want to get out of the session and where you would like the focus to be. The sessions typically last two hours long – although this can be negotiated depending on what you think you might need. If you think this may be of interested please do get in touch so I can explain more about the process.

Location:

The area I work in is in a beautiful quiet woodland in East Grinstead. It is a public area, but with few passersby, which makes it ideal from a confidentiality point of view. However, if you have a preferred location I am happy to discuss this as an option.