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Learn more about nature therapy
Nature therapy is a therapeutic approach that uses natural environments as an active part of the healing process. Sessions take place outdoors, in parks, forests, coastal settings, or other natural spaces, with a trained practitioner guiding the work. The natural setting is not a backdrop; it is a therapeutic tool.
Research consistently shows that time in nature reduces physiological stress markers, improves mood, and restores attention. Nature therapy builds on this evidence by combining intentional time outdoors with clinical or coaching-based therapeutic practice.
In nature therapy, the therapist and client work together in a natural setting. The practitioner uses the environment deliberately, drawing attention to sensory experience, using natural metaphors, and creating space for reflection that the outdoors often opens more readily than an office.
Sessions may involve:
- Walking and talking: using movement and the outdoor environment to support reflection
- Mindful attention to the natural world: slowing down and noticing what is present
- Using natural settings as metaphor: what the landscape reflects about inner experience
- Somatic awareness: noticing how the body responds in an outdoor environment
- Creative practices such as writing, drawing, or sitting in silence within nature
Nature therapy is particularly effective for presentations where stress, depletion, and disconnection are central.
Depression
Depression often involves withdrawal and a narrowing of the world. Nature therapy offers a gentle way to re-engage with sensory experience and the present moment. Research supports outdoor exposure as a meaningful adjunct to depression treatment, particularly for people who find indoor therapy environments limiting.
Burnout
Burnout is characterised by exhaustion and a loss of capacity. Natural environments have a restorative effect on attention and nervous system regulation that is distinct from passive rest. Nature therapy provides a structured way to access that restoration alongside the therapeutic work of understanding what led to burnout.
Stress
Contact with nature is one of the most consistently supported interventions for reducing physiological stress. Nature therapy uses this effect as the foundation for a broader therapeutic process, helping clients develop greater awareness of their stress responses and build more sustainable daily habits.
Climate anxiety
For people experiencing anxiety about the environment and climate change, nature therapy offers a distinctive form of support: reconnecting with the natural world rather than withdrawing from it. This can support both emotional processing and a renewed sense of agency and connection.
Choosing an approach isn't something you have to do alone. IC's matching can pair you with a therapist whose approach suits your situation. Get matched
It's Complicated is a therapist-founded mental health platform connecting clients with verified practitioners in over 60 languages. We work with over 2,500 vetted therapists, with in-person availability in Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Lisbon, Vienna, and other major cities, alongside online sessions across the globe.
Finding a nature therapy practitioner with genuine clinical or therapeutic training, rather than a wellness background alone, requires knowing what to look for. Our matching service is built to remove that friction. You complete a short survey, our psychologists combine data-driven insights with human judgement to identify the right therapists for your situation, and you choose from a shortlist of strong candidates. You can also browse our directory directly if you'd prefer to choose yourself.
Get matched with a nature therapy practitioner, or browse all nature therapists in the directory.
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