EcoTherapy is offered in person in the Clarkston, MI Area or individually in your hometown via phone sessions

A person of average build, with red hair in a bun and a fur-lined hooded jacket, has their back to the camera and is walking down a tree-lined, dirt trail in the woods. It is autumn and the leaves in the trees are yellow and there are dried leaves lining the edges of the trail.

What is EcoTherapy?

You may have heard of EcoTherapy before. EcoTherapy is an umbrella term that refers to an innovative therapeutic methodology that takes traditional counseling sessions to the outdoors, allowing you to engage with nature. EcoTherapy recognizes that we are part of a larger ecosystem and that connecting with the natural world offers a positive impact on psychological and physical well-being.  To name a few examples, EcoTherapy can take many forms, such as Green Therapy/Nature Therapy, Walk and Talk Therapy, and Adventure Therapy.

Green Therapy and Nature Therapy

Green Therapy and Nature Therapy are often used interchangeably. Both refer to therapy that takes place in natural surroundings such as greenspace, parks, forests, beaches, lakeshores, and other nature-based settings. Activities can include walking, sitting, resting, biking, kayaking, hiking, and many more outdoor related activities. Even hammocking!

Walk and Talk Therapy

Walk and Talk Therapy is a specific form of Green Therapy where the therapist and client have their session while walking outdoors, instead of in a traditional office setting. It can be a great way to incorporate physical movement and nature into therapy, and can also provide a more relaxed and informal setting for some clients.

Adventure Therapy

Adventure therapy is another type of Green Therapy.  It often involves being active and can be more intense than other Green Therapies, though the pacing is typically based around the client. Activities for Adventure Therapy may include rock climbing, hiking, rafting, paddle boarding, canoeing, roller blading, and other physically involved and stimulating tasks.

Services I Offer

In the local Clarkston area, I can provide sessions where we can sit, rest, walk, hike, bike, roller blade, kayak, and even paddle board in nature. EcoTherapy services are individual and adjusted to your needs. Physical movement is not required to participate in EcoTherapy, with the exception of getting from your home to the destination in which we meet. Depending on the activity you would like to do, you may need to obtain and bring your own equipment. You set the pace and I will follow your lead. When incorporating EcoTherapy, it is important to listen to your body. Know that at any time we can stop, sit, and rest.


If you are not local to the Clarkston area, but are still interested in EcoTherapy, it is possible to hold phone sessions while you are outside in nature at a greenspace of your choosing, even if it is your own backyard.

EcoTherapy benefits may include:

⟡ Enhanced creativity 

⟡ Reduced autonomic arousal

⟡ Positive impact on self-esteem

⟡ Improved social and familial relations

⟡ Increased energy

⟡ Stress reduction

⟡ Improved mood

⟡ Reduced pain perception

⟡ Enhanced ability to direct attention

⟡ Enhanced task-performance

⟡ Physical health benefits

⟡ Improved personal well-being

⟡ Improved mental well-being

⟡ Enhanced emotional states

Increased feelings of connection

⟡ Increased working memory performance

⟡ Cognitive benefits

⟡ Decreased anxiety

⟡ Decreased rumination

⟡ Increased focus

⟡ Increased serotonin production

⟡ Improved sleep

Sources: 
  1. Summers JK, Vivian DN. Ecotherapy - A Forgotten Ecosystem Service: A Review. Front Psychol. 2018 Aug 3;9:1389. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01389. PMID: 30123175; PMCID: PMC6085576.
  2. Chaudhury P and Banerjee D (2020) “Recovering With Nature”: A Review of Ecotherapy and Implications for the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front. Public Health 8:604440. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.604440

Client Hours:

Monday - Thursday: 9am - 3pm

Friday: Administration and Consultation only

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed


Contact:

Email: Hello@RelationshipsWithMonica.com

Phone: (248) 982-0589


Neurodivergent-Affirming Therapy for Women in Michigan & Vermont

Offering EcoTherapy and Nature Therapy


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