Ecotherapy

Thank you to my colleague Jane who provided the inspiration for today's post which is about Ecotherapy.  

Ecotherapy is about creating connections with nature to help make you feel better. The concept is a newly emerging therapy for people in Western cultures who are depressed or suffering from other mental illness.  Spending time in nature is invigorating and good for well being and even if you are not clinically depressed, there is evidence to suggest that it can be an effective part of a treatment regime.

If we are connected with nature and understand how we and planet earth is interconnected with the greater universe, then we potentially have greater personal sustainability and also a greater understanding of why we must maintain natural systems.

Image source: Wikimedia

There is a very good discussion on the SustainableMan website which clearly explains the current disconnect we have with nature.  For those of you that still don't recognise it, this is probably the first thing to overcome when starting to get your head around the change required to feel connected with our environment.  A connection with nature will help cement the idea of strong sustainability.

Ecotherapy in your life could be just getting out and gardening or going for a walk in a natural environment, it also could include getting involved with other people in outdoor community projects like community gardens, beach clean ups, tree planting or volunteering for DOC.  Contact your local residents association or local or regional council to help you connect with these groups.

To listen to a BBC podcast on Ecotherapy click here.

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Have a great week.