What is Eco-Psychotherapy?
Eco =The relation of living things to their environments.
(e.g. Humans within the ecological system of nature)
+
Psychotherapy = The practice of being with another person
in a skilled way that is helpful or healing.
Offered from August through to May (weather permitting).
June/July more focused on “in room” restorative/spiritual and preparatory Eco-psychotherapies.
Is Eco-Psychotherapy just an expensive bushwalk?
No. Eco-Psychotherapy has profound therapeutic potential that goes beyond traditional Psychotherapy. Emerging studies show that it transcends many issues associated with traditional psychotherapy.
Health and wellbeing practices in cultures in other parts of the world deeply engage the natural environment. The natural world is not integral to the theory and practice of mental wellbeing within Western Psychology. I question why?
By casting out nature we become lost,
we lose our connection to ourselves.
Western Psychology largely ignores the profound importance of the human relationship to nature; however Eco-Psychotherapy creatively explores ways to foster the need to experience deep connection to oneself and others through connection to the natural world.
Some of the ways we will engage with our natural environment include;
Vision Walk (inspired by traditional Vision Quests)
Bird Watching
Forest Bathing (Shinrin-Yoku)
Nature-based Meditation and Mindfulness
Soul-Craft Practices: From the works of Bill Plotkin
Nervous System Regulation: From the works and teachings of Stephen Porges & Deb Dana
Nature/Plant Spirit Communication: From the teachings of Sharon Bolt
Nature Sit-Spot Practices: From the works and teachings of Sean O’Carroll
Recommended Eco-Psychotherapy Session Framework & Pricing
Offered August - May, weather permitting.
Eco-Psychotherapy is for people who are open to exploring their inner landscape as it relates to their outer landscape.
It is for people who feel a yearning for a sense of belonging and a deeper nature connection.
This offering is a 3 session package :
The Discovery Session
The Outdoor Experience
The Follow-up Session
Total Investment: $670.00
Please book The Discovery Session first, and we will schedule The Outdoor Experience and The FollowUp Session when we meet.
It is generally recommended that sessions be two weeks apart to allow for your preparation, reflection and integration.
The Discovery Session is a 2hr exploration of why you have come and to further focus on establishing an understanding of what you hope to gain from your journey into Eco-Psychotherapy. We will collaboratively establish an agreed upon protocol for managing variables that don’t normally occur within the indoor setting, such as:
• What do we do if we happen upon someone we know whilst outdoors?
• What do we do if it rains, or if it’s too hot or too cold?
• How do we protect your privacy whilst in a public space?
The Outdoor Session is a 2hr session and it is where the real magic begins. We will attend to your personal concerns as we engage Mother Earth in all her wisdom, as your teacher. I will support and guide you to experience a deepening of your connection to yourself, nature, the community in which you live and to Great Spirit, through a multi-modal mix of therapies and Ancient Shamanic Practices.
The followUp Session is a 1.5 hour integration session where we review your experiences and explore your journey which will guide us towards a natural direction and then together we will create a ‘Where To From Here?’ plan that is just right for you.
There are two beautiful natural environments in very close proximity from the Plein Air Therapies location. Moonee Ponds Creek Parkland is a two-minute walk from the Westmeadows Clinic and Woodlands Historic Park in Greenvale is an 8 minute drive from the Westmeadows Clinic. Both of these places are a magnificent offering of natural Australian bush lands with plentiful flora and fauna to make your Eco-Psychotherapy both restorative and magical.
“After our first session, I walked away feeling amazed at how the whole session went.”
— Jodi Anderson, Horse Industry
