Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? —Mary Oliver.

WALK AND TALK THERAPY

Don’t have time to exercise? Don’t have time for therapy? 

For many people, most of our days are spent sitting indoors.  With us, you have the option of getting outside to work on yourself while enjoying the many benefits of therapy in the good ol’ outdoors or choosing the convenience of telehealth.   

Walks take place in parks, on hiking trails, or for extra convenience we can take a walk in your neighborhood or your favorite spot.

Benefits of Getting Outside!

  • Mood Boosting

    Even we can have seasonal affective disorder in Arizona. Lack of sunlight can cause depression. Symptoms may include low energy, sadness, sleep difficulties, difficulties concentrating, irritability, weight gain, anxiety, and more. Research suggests that less less sunlight may result in decreased serotonin levels in the winter and too much melatonin. The changes in serotonin and melatonin levels disrupt the body’s normal daily rhythms leading to sleep, mood, and behavior changes. Deficits in vitamin D may further impede serotonin activity.

  • Gut Health

    The importance of breathing in the outside air, especially near the trees, according to Dr. Zach Bush, MD, is amazingly one of the most important things that can be done for gutt health. Dr. Bush urges us to get into as many macro eco systems as possible to repopulate the gut biome. I like how he puts it, “What if our children touched nature more than a remote or screen?” How often do we engage with nature?

  • Self-Esteem & Mental Health

    Think about how guys often time spend time together. Sitting next to each other at a baseball game, physical activities such as mountain bike riding, hiking, or golf, or sitting side by side at the sports bar. This can be the same for women, too, or the very many now diagnosed with ADHD or on the autistic spectrum. It can be easier to think, listen, and open up while sitting or walking side by side. One study showed that synchronous movement with others may result in higher self-esteem.

  • Exercise

    According to the CDC, only 21.6 percent of 6 to 19-year-olds receive the recommended level (60 minutes 5 times a week) of moderate to vigorous physical activity, and only 27.1 percent of high school students participate in at least 60-minutes of physical activity 7 times per week. How about adults?

  • Fresh Air

    In the U.S. people spend about 90% of their time indoors, according to testing done by HomeChem (House Observations of Microbial and Environmental Chemistry), a group of PhD scientists at University of Texas found astonishing results regarding indoor air quality. The air we breathe outside is typically less polluted than indoor air and good air quality is vital to our health.

  • Better Sleep + Sex

    Problems sleeping? Loss of interest in sex? Tired? Problems managing stress? Along with all of the health benefits, the NIH recognizes how exercise can improve mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function.

  • Increased Brain Function

    Movement throughout the day helps us our bodies and brains re-invigorate, helping us to focus and concentrate better. Research has shown that movement during the school day benefits academic performance and improves behavior. Incorporating movement into therapy can also help the brain to better take in information more effectively.

  • Positivity

    Opening ourselves up to a new person can take courage. For many, not feeling boxed into an office can help a person to feel more open and clear.

    There are studies where participants report less depression, less anger, more positive emotions, and quicker recovery from stress when exposed to nature. Children who spend time around greenspace display greater capacity for paying attention, delayed gratification and they get better at controlling their impulses.

What we can work on in Outdoor therapy:

  • Anger management

  • Stress management

  • Self discovery

  • Relationships in individual counseling and couples therapy

  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

  • Bipolar Disorder

  • Depression

  • Borderline Personality Disorder

  • Narcissistic Personality Disorder

  • Dissociative Disorders

  • Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

  • Phobias

  • Social Anxiety

  • Panic Disorders

  • Self-Harm

  • Divorce

  • Bereavement & Loss

  • Trauma

  • Burnout

Let’s move. Let’s get out and do this together!

 FAQs

 

  • Instead of the traditional office session, we meet outside and walk. If you feel like sitting, we sit and talk.

  • In the heat we can go very early or in the evening. If it rains we can bring an umbrella. If there’s a dust storm we can do telehealth or reschedule. In office will surely be an option, again, at some point.

  • Not usually, but you set the pace. We will see together what works best for your session. This is usually slow to moderate walking. Often we stop and at times you might decide that we have our session sitting under a tree. Some clients who have been in therapy prefer to make it a bit of a workout, which is why the hike on Mormon Trailhead is offered.

  • I take your privacy and confidentiality seriously. On the first session we will discuss how you want to handle if you or I see someone we know.