Green Therapy: How Nature Can Help Heal Mental Health | Carepatron

What is green therapy?

Green therapy, also known as ecotherapy, nature therapy, is a therapeutic practice that harnesses the healing power of the natural world to promote both physical and emotional well-being. This approach involves outdoor activities such as hiking, gardening, forest bathing, and animal interaction to help individuals address mental health issues like stress, anxiety, and depression.

The primary idea behind green therapy is that spending time in nature decreases stress, enhances mood, and promotes overall well-being. The therapeutic effects are related to natural sensory experiences such as the soothing sounds of birds singing, the sight of greenery, and the calming touch of a gentle breeze.

Green treatment has also been proven to lower cortisol levels, blood pressure, and heart rate, all of which alleviate stress (Jimenez et al., 2021). Green therapy provides exceptional services that help people heal and reconnect with themselves by embracing nature-based methods, making it a one-of-a-kind alternative to mental health care.

What problems can green therapy treat?

Green therapy is a powerful tool for addressing various mental health challenges. It promotes relaxation, mindfulness, and emotional healing through nature-based activities and help in managing and treating the following:

Stress and anxiety

Green therapy helps reduce stress by lowering cortisol levels and promoting relaxation. Activities like forest bathing and nature walks provide a calming effect, helping individuals manage anxiety and find mental clarity.

Depression

Nature's sensory experiences, such as the sounds of birds and the sight of greenery, can improve mood and foster feelings of happiness and contentment, making green therapy an effective complementary treatment for depression.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Spending time in natural environments has been shown to lower heart rate and blood pressure, helping individuals with PTSD regulate their emotions and experience a sense of safety and peace.

Burnout and mental fatigue

Nature therapy gives individuals a break from the fast-paced demands of daily life, helping to recharge mental and physical energy. Green therapy activities foster relaxation, effectively treating burnout and mental fatigue.

Social isolation

Like outdoor therapy sessions, group-based green therapy creates a supportive environment in natural settings to help individuals facilitate social connections and combat feelings of loneliness.

Different forms of green therapy

Green therapy encompasses a variety of approaches, each designed to leverage nature’s healing properties in different ways to improve mental and physical well-being. Below are the some types of green therapy:

1. Horticultural therapy

Horticultural therapy promotes healing via gardening and other plant-based activities. Participants establish, cultivate, and manage gardens, which can help decrease stress, boost mood, and promote mindfulness. This type of treatment helps people to connect with nature while also providing a sense of success and purpose.

2. Forest bathing

Forest bathing, also known as Shinrin-yoku, is a Japanese technique in which people immerse themselves in the forest environment. The goal is to alleviate stress and improve emotional well-being by engaging with nature through all five senses, such as listening to birdsong, breathing in fresh air, and studying the natural environment.

3. Animal-assisted therapy

Animal-assisted therapy entails working with trained animals to facilitate emotional recovery. This may include therapy with dogs, horses, or other animals. Animals' calming presence helps to alleviate anxiety, depression, and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms while also instilling a sense of connection and trust in people who are suffering from social isolation or trauma.

4. Wilderness therapy

Wilderness therapy combines outdoor adventure with therapeutic support in a natural setting. Often used with adolescents or individuals facing behavioral issues, it involves hiking, camping, and survival skills training. Wilderness therapy encourages personal growth, self-reliance, and emotional resilience by challenging participants to face their fears and build coping skills in a remote environment.

5. Eco-art therapy

Eco-art therapy integrates nature with creative expression, using natural materials such as leaves, stones, and clay to create art. This form of therapy helps individuals process emotions, reduce stress, and explore their inner thoughts by creating nature-inspired art. The therapeutic act of creating in natural environments promotes mindfulness and emotional healing.

6. Green exercise

Green exercise refers to outdoor physical activity like walking, running, or cycling in natural environments. Exercise in nature improves physical health and has significant mental health benefits, such as reducing anxiety and depression, improving mood, and boosting cognitive function.

Potential benefits of green therapy

If you’re looking for an effective, natural way to support your clients’ mental well-being, green therapy might be the missing piece. Whether it’s through forest bathing, community gardening, or simple outdoor mindfulness practices, spending time in green spaces offers profound therapeutic benefits.

Nature as a stress-relief tool

Green therapy may reduce stress by lowering cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone. Time spent in natural environments whether it’s walking through a park, listening to birds, or tending to a garden helps clients slow down, regulate emotions, and cultivate a deep sense of calm.

A natural mood booster

Nature has an incredible way of improving mood quality and reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. The sights, sounds, and textures of outdoor spaces engage the senses, promoting relaxation and emotional balance. Encouraging clients to spend even 20 minutes outside can create noticeable improvements in their mental state.

Sharpening focus and clarity

Spending time in nature isn’t just good for emotions. It’s also great for the brain. Outdoor activities improve focus, memory, and cognitive function. For clients struggling with brain fog, attention difficulties, or burnout, green therapy can help them regain mental clarity and sharpen problem-solving skills.

Strengthening social connections

Team or group-based outdoor therapy sessions, community gardening, or even nature retreats create opportunities for clients to connect with others in a relaxed and supportive environment. These shared experiences help reduce feelings of isolation and foster a sense of belonging.

Main takeaways

Green therapy is an innovative and effective approach to improving mental health by leveraging the healing power of nature. Through activities, such as horticultural therapy, animal-assisted therapy, and eco-art therapy, green therapy addresses a range of mental health issues, helping individuals find relief from stress, anxiety, and depression.

So, whether it's through nature walks, creative expression, forest bathing, the mission remains to support clients' or individuals' emotional and mental states. Green therapy is about offering services and empowering people by providing an experience that fosters growth, healing, and strength.

Reference

Jimenez, M. P. (2021). Associations between nature exposure and health: A review of the evidence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094790