What is the difference between Green and Eco Therapy?

Not a lot.

They are basically the same thing but with different names and practitioners. Whichever you choose to go with this type of therapy concerns one of the most basic human needs - the connection with the natural world. The “therapy” part of it relates to the interactions we have with and within nature which contribute to the healing and personal growth of the individual.

If we become disconnected from this need, as we have in the western industrial society, we suffer. Many mainstream thinkers and influencers now recognise what ancient and indigenous cultures such as Native Americans or First Nations people, have long believed and practiced, that the wellbeing of human beings is intimately linked with the environment and the natural world. Our behaviour has an impact on the natural world which in turn impacts on us, on our behaviour and on our life in general.

Ask yourself: Are the summers getting hotter? Are the storms getting stronger? Do the extremes in the weather impact on you and how you live your life?

It’s a connection which we break at our peril.
There is also the term Blue Therapy which is again based in the natural world but more specifically applies to water based therapy and can include anything from sitting by the sea or a lake to white water rafting or surfing the waves.

It has been extensively researched, and scientifically proven, that being in nature can be good for our brains. Walking in a natural setting, or simply looking out at a natural vista of parkland or the ocean, listening to the waves lap against the shore, the breeze in the trees, or even caring for a pet or a houseplant can all enhance our cognitive functioning, specifically our directed attention abilities. (Berman, Jonides & Kaplan, 2008)

Many of us already have the sense, intuitively, that being in nature can be very grounding and restorative. Research into the amount of natural connectedness we need has shown the more connected we are the more positive our overall wellbeing. Mindfulness in a natural setting is one way to achieve this which is easily accessible to everyone and needn’t cost any money to practice once you have the basics.

According to research (Buzzell & Chalquist, 2009: Mind, 2018) the activities listed below are all considered to be Green Therapy and are often termed Ecotherapy.

• Nature Meditation - Meditation practice in a natural environment, like the sea or a park, where you can reflect and focus.
• Therapeutic Horticulture
• Gardening activities such as weeding or growing your own food and flowers
• Taking your run or bike ride or yoga class in an outdoor setting
• Wilderness Therapy - usually a group activity based on living skills off grid
• Adventure Therapy - maybe rock climbing, kayaking down a river, paddle boarding or wild swimming
• Conservation Therapy - caring for the planet, usually with others. Activities could be beach cleaning, planting the right trees in the right places, coppicing, or any of the other thousands of projects being conserving the environment
• Animal Assisted Therapy - building a relationship with an any animal through care and compassion
• Arts and Crafts in Nature - making art from natural products, either in a natural setting or using the material in your home or workspace.
• Talking therapy - counselling in a natural setting utilising the natural environment as a therapy tool, often referred to as Walk and Talk therapy..

References

Berman, M.G., Jonides, J., & Kaplan, S. (2008) The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature. Psychological Science, 19 (12), 1207-1212

Buzzell, L., & Chalquist, C. (2009). Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind. Sierra Club Books

If you found this interesting, and would like to know more about working with in nature please take a look at my “What I Offer” page or get in touch by email: hello@fionacollis.co.uk