Nature-Based Therapy: A Practitioner’s Guide to Working Outdoors with Children, Youth, and Families

by Nevin J. Harper, Kathryn Rose, David Segal

Take advantage of nature’s therapeutic benefits with this guide for counselors, therapists, and educators who work with children, youth, and families. The number of people seeking help for a wide range of mental health concerns is growing at an alarming rate. Unplugging from technology and reconnecting with the web of life is a powerful antidote to the anxiety and stress that tend to exacerbate so many of our mental health struggles. Nature-Based Therapy addresses the underlying disconnection between humans and their ecological home, exploring theories and therapeutic practices designed for children, youth, and families,

Genres: Nature, Counselling

304 pages, Paperback

Published July 2, 2019

About the author

Professor, School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education, University of Victoria & Registered Clinical Counsellor

Reviews

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointingly insubstantial. So much of the book seems spent on long-winded explanations of common sense practices (e.g. a section on how clients may need sessions inside an office sometimes for access to writing materials or consideration for disabled clients when outside) or long-winded and repetitive arguments for why nature is helpful in therapy (something the reader most likely already agrees with). I got bored after the first few chapters and started skimming, and I’m still not finding much in the way of advice regarding interventions or techniques around ecotherapy or detailed discussions of what nature therapy looks like in practice other than what any reasonable therapist can easily infer (walk outside and explore nature together).

[Meaghan Noella · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This book is a valuable introduction to nature based therapy. The authors set a solid foundation for individual and group practices, addressing both the benefits and challenges of a clinical modality that goes far beyond just a "walk in the park". As an active wilderness guide and outdoor educator, I appreciate its extensive references and emphasis on neurophysiology. Its practical suggestions have made a direct positive impact on my guiding praxis. This book helps me develop innovative ways to connect with clients through ever-changing emotional and environmental dynamics. It's made the cut to live on my bookshelf as a heavily-tabbed resource."

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

UPDATE: I HAVE NOW FINISHED THIS BOOK. MY FIVE STAR REVIEW STANDS

I havent finished this yet, but I have too! much! to say! to keep providing little updates. So!!
OKAY!!
1) I think where I tend to acutely disagree with the practices of ecotherapy as thus far presented is the notion of ecotherapy as an opportunity for projecting the inside ONTO the outside without sufficient usage of pulling the outside INTO the inside. That is, the practice of ecotherpay gives lots of space for the individual to expand their inner world OUT but doesn't say much about the forces of the outside world that press in (gently, kindly, etc.) and can be used to help clients develop frameworks to better understand their experiences. I.e. instead of "can you find a tree that looks like your anger?" (projecting the inner world out), the therapist/client duo might encounter a weevil in the wild, leading to the ecotherapist saying, "here is what weevils do to the landscape, here is how they live; does this bring anything up for you?" (pulling the outside in FOR client projection back out).
I believe my issue here is not so much with ecotherapy as it is with the institutional practice of therapy as an insular, introspective thing. Ecotherapy seeks to expand the bounds of that introspection, and honestly it does a fantastic job of it, but I think the next best thing would be a more holistic, community-based, eco-PRACTICE that serves dually as therapy and education. The lack of ecological education in these practices and the focus on anthropogenic actions within environment does a lot for establishing human connection to HUMANITY, but it feels lacking in meaningful, facts-based connection to nature. I love love love the focus on sensory data and individual descriptors of nature; but I think ecotherapy, or perhaps a new offshoot of ecotherapy, would do well to inhabit a place between ecology ed and ecotherapy.


9:34:10 “cannot be understated” I think it’s meant to be “overstated”?

11:48:00 ish. “A healthy ecosystem teaches about…” well yes. But also you as practitioner can’t assume your client will know this. Hence the above argument for ecology Ed in nature therapy

re the point not being about teaching on invasive species. Also around 11:48:00 ish. Strongly disagree.

RE challenging the colonial process and unsettling practices and establishing ecological identities: need a whole book (series of books) on this.

Eco-feminist critique: this is Intersectionalism actually. Love that this was included. Could def be MORE included. Needed more space allocation tho.

[Olvi's Redoubt · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's mostly good but the parts about cultural apropiation and even anti patriarchism are completely out of place.

Not only it's not even clear the intention of the writers, it's also pointless to bring certain hashtags (yeah, i mean, just like in twitter) and add nothing of value to the discussion. For example when they say that certanly patriarchism is a problem in Canada (I'm not from that country but I doubt it's a particullary problematic region taking into account things like gang-rape or genital cutting typical in other countries, but they are sure it is a huge problem in Canada and then ADD nothing remotely helpful to resolve the problem (the very same problem they don't seem to understand).

I hope they erase this part in the next edition. It's a huge manual and they just bring serious problems to our attention to look good. It's pretty problematic to have this attitude and it's not moral. There are serious books that have something to bring to the table fully dedicated to this issues. Just saying that abuse is not okay is scaremongering and using the sad reality of someone else to try to get more sales or look like you are specially interested in helping others and get more clients.

It would have had sense to count with some specialists that could add something of value instead of just filling pages and pages of random concerns that they have indeed no way to resolve, no method, no anything.

I'm not changing the mark of the book because I can see the effort and I suspect it's not the whole team to blame, but it's really annoying and not appropiated to bring topics and give promieses that you can't fulfill, it leaves less room for the books that diserve to be read about social change. Would you like impostors selling books about engines and cars and just here and there giving random opinions about nature therapy? This case is worse because information is key to ensure justice for everyone, and you use misinformation or directly lack of information to sell more often your book than other helpful books.

[Katarina Rose T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this book when completing my masters capstone project which integrated nature based therapy and dialectical behavior therapy skills, and finished the book post graduation. I think this book did a great job integrating educational content of nature based therapy and ecopsychology while describing case studies seamlessly to help the reader further understand critical concepts. I think there are minimal ways nature can be emphasized in and used a tool during in office therapy, however this book did strengthen my desire to eventually become certified in ecopsychology. The only thing I wish there was more of, was more on risk prevention in the last chapter about ethics.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good introductory book. The authors introduced rationale, activities, dynamics, ethics, etc. in a way that is easy to follow. I appreciated the examples from their practice. I would probably rate it a 3.5 overall.

[Anna SoRelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty dry, which is to be expected I guess. I picked up a few helpful things but as someone who has been in the environmental education field (and therapy) for several years, I didn’t learn much I didn’t already know. Would be great for someone newly learning about the topic.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wanted way more examples of actual nature therapy interventions. The ones included were helpful, but far too few. Lots of theory