A radical nature-based agenda would help society overcome the psychological effects of coronavirus

There are more and more programmes explicitly aimed at helping people with experiences of distress by providing structured contact with nature. These are variously referred to as nature-based interventions, ecotherapy or green care. A growing evidence base suggests they are effective in alleviating distress and fostering recovery and resilience – for people but also, at least potentially, for nature too.

 An Ecotherapeutic Meditation in Ten Steps

This is an exercise to help your body release the stress of constantly bracing for a disaster.

 Ecotherapy aims to tap into nature to improve your wellbeing

One type of therapy that is starting to become more popular is “ecotherapy”; which advocates claim can improve mental and physical wellbeing. Sometimes referred to as green exercise or green care, this type of formal therapeutic treatment involves being active in natural spaces. It’s also sighted to be one of 2020’s biggest wellness trends, though the practice is far from new.

 Nature Therapy Is a Privilege

Science is learning more about the health benefits of going outside—at a time when access to wild spaces is ever-more unequal.

 The Japanese practice of ‘forest bathing’ is scientifically proven to improve your health

The tonic of the wilderness was Henry David Thoreau’s classic prescription for civilization and its discontents, offered in the 1854 essay Walden: Or, Life in the Woods. Now there’s scientific evidence supporting eco-therapy. The Japanese practice of forest bathing is proven to lower heart rate and blood pressure, reduce stress hormone production, boost the immune system, and improve overall feelings of wellbeing.

'Forest Bathing': How Microdosing on Nature Can Help With Stress

The practice, long-popular in Japan, is gaining traction in the U.S. as a way of harnessing the health benefits of being outdoors.

Ecopsychology: How Immersion in Nature Benefits Your Health

A growing body of research points to the beneficial effects that exposure to the natural world has on health, reducing stress and promoting healing. Now, policymakers, employers, and healthcare providers are increasingly considering the human need for nature in how they plan and operate.

Ecotherapy – A Forgotten Ecosystem Service: A Review

Natural ecosystems provide important services upon which humans depend. Unfortunately, some people tend to believe that these services are provided by nature for free; therefore, the services have little or no value. One nearly forgotten ecosystem service is ecotherapy – the ability of interaction with nature to enhance healing and growth.

Ecotherapy: A View of the Field from a Natural Expert

“Most come away with a validation of self, saying ‘This is who I am.’ People are deeply grateful to have the opportunity to experience a therapy session outside, and are surprised that Ecotherapy is so helpful.”

Gardening Is Better Than Antidepressants for Some Mentally Ill Patients

UK eco-therapy program MindFood uses the growing and selling of produce and other foods to help residents recover from and cope with severe mental illness.

Is There an Ecological Unconscious?

Albrecht’s philosophical attempt to trace a direct line between the health of the natural world and the health of the mind has a growing partner in a subfield of psychology.

Tree Therapy? ‘Forest Bathers’ Say It Helps

They call themselves forest bathers, part of a growing movement that believes immersing oneself in nature and in the chemicals plants and trees emit has unexpected medical benefits.

How Nature Benefits Your Mental Health

Recently, scientists have been working out whether grass and trees could be used to treat depression and anxiety.