What is Ecotherapy?

Ecotherapy is the overarching term for creating a therapeutic connection with nature to promote healing and growth. The practice stems from the Ecopsychological understanding that disconnection from the more-than-human world contributes to the distress people feel in their lives. Ecotherapy provides a framework that enables clinicians to integrate time spent in nature (both outdoors and indoors) with other therapeutic modalities, fostering a deeper connection between individuals and the land, and enhancing a person's ability to feel connected to themselves and others. Years of research clearly show that connecting with nature can help alleviate feelings of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and general stress that occurs from living in late-stage capitalism. Modalities within Ecotherapy can range from nature walks to animal-assisted interventions, horticultural therapy, and immersive wilderness experiences.

One cannot discuss ecotherapy without acknowledging that much of our understanding of our connection with nature stems from Indigenous wisdom. As a white therapist, I strive to take a decolonized stance within all aspects of my therapeutic work. In Ecotherapy, this means always taking the time to honor and perform land acknowledgments when I am out on the stolen lands where I practice. In addition, I give credit to where I have learned practices, and always try to work within frameworks that stem from my own Celtic and Italian lineages.