"You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars. You have a right to be here."
- Max Erhmann
Eco-therapy
What is eco-therapy?
In essence eco-therapy is therapy practiced in nature-based settings. It combines the health-boosting benefits of being outdoors with the attention of your therapist by your side to work on whatever issues you are seeking to resolve in your life.
It expands the frame of psychology from personal and societal to include an ecological worldview, acknowledging that we humans have evolved out of the context of the natural world, and that we remain profoundly affected by it - whether we are aware of it or not - and the healing ourselves progresses into a closer connection with the web of life.
So it is an invitation to inhabit our bodies and the world we live in more fully; a place to find refuge, healing and to blossom into presence; an opportunity to develop a sense of fundamental belonging in and to the world that extends beyond our human relationships, in all their complexity and fluidity; a chance to reconnect with an archetypal language of the soul in which our deep-time ancestors have conversed for aeons.
Who am I?
I am an Integrative Counsellor and Ecopsychologist with twenty years experience in the 'field'. I find myself drawn to working at the intersection of human and planetary health, which I believe are intrinsically linked.
I initially worked in addiction and eating disorder rehabilitation settings such as the Roehampton Priory in London, bringing a deep interest in mindfulness and spirituality as part of my approach. As my awareness of our growing ecological challenges grew and my longing for a deeper connection to nature peaked I embarked upon my own journey into the natural world. This lead me to walk from London to Land’s End, study indigenous wisdom traditions at Schumacher College, and eventually move to a smallholding in Devon (via Bristol), and train with Ecopsychology school Natural Academy, where I now teach healthcare professionals to work with people in nature.
I practice ecotherapy here at the Hearth and have my conventional practice in Totnes & online.
My approach
I combine my practice working with individuals and groups as an Integrative counsellor with my Natural Academy training as a nature-based therapist and breathworker.
Initially we take stock of where you are, your resources, orientation, experiences and aims. From there we identify the realm(s) of practice you’d benefit from exploring and set a timeframe for therapy.
Depending on your circumstances sessions might include grounding, checking in, walking and talking, resourcing, elements of mindfulness, creative expression, ceremony, tracking the reflections of your ‘process’ in the mirror of the natural world, and on into deeper transpersonal terrain. It is incredible what revelations can come when we open to the intelligence of nature interacting with our own unconscious and how spending time immersed in that place can support the integration of these insights into our everyday lives.
Booking a session
Sessions usually last 90 minutes, though more or less is possible, where appropriate.
We meet at the Yurt and usually venture out into the surrounding landscape.
Please get in touch to discuss rates and availability - email us at contact@thehearthdevon.com or phone me on 07737092625 to enquire.
What's needed - waterproofs, suitable footwear, a flask, a journal for note-taking, and the ability to get to The Hearth (10mins drive from Totnes, 40mins walk from Harbertonford).
What previous clients have said about eco-therapy with me...
"The ecotherapy sessions in the woodland setting gave me the space I needed to processes issues I was aware of in my life, and to begin to understand past trauma in a way that has made me more mindful and able to move on in a positive direction."
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