Walk & Talk Therapy
Walk and Talk Therapy encourages healthy activity for adults and teens. Research has consistently shown that exercise can significantly impact anxiety and stress while improving overall mood and mental health.
Walk & Talk Therapy
Walk and Talk Therapy is just like it sounds—the client and the therapist are outside walking during therapy instead of sitting inside an office. Many clients say that Walk and Talk Therapy is a more relaxed environment than the counseling office. Walking, while sharing, can also be meditative.
Research also indicates that exercise promotes creativity. This is likely due to the physical impact of the action itself. Among other things, it increases circulation, boosting blood flow to the brain, and enhancing cognitive performance. This can all support the process of confronting and overcoming difficult issues.
Green Spaces
Walking while talking changes the overall dynamic between client and therapist. Facing forward rather than maintaining eye contact can make the situation feel less intense. This more casual approach often empowers people to talk more freely and easily – especially when discussing difficult or sensitive issues.
Additionally, alongside therapy itself, both exercise and spending time outdoors, especially in green spaces, have long been linked through a multitude of studies with both a reduction in symptoms associated with depression, stress, and anxiety and an improved overall mood.
Generally speaking, being outside can inspire relaxation, and when people loosen up in this way, it becomes easier for them to talk. Issues can be explored more thoroughly. So pairing exercise and being outdoors with therapy actually works as a natural extension of the treatment, potentially increasing its effectiveness.
In terms of spending time around nature, people frequently report that just a little taste of the outdoors leaves them feeling more awake and alive than they otherwise do. This rejuvenating effect goes well beyond that of simple physical activity.
In fact, it could even be linked with greater exposure to natural light. This tends to instantly elevate people’s moods as well as their energy levels. Studies show that as little as five minutes of so-called ‘green exercise’ can result in improved mood and also in higher self-esteem.
