One of the things I offer in my practice, and which strangely came out of Lockdown, when meeting outside with social distancing in place was deemed safest, is Walk and Talk therapy.   

This is the same as for an hour of counselling, in terms of it being a therapy appointment dedicated to the client’s needs, but for this, we meet somewhere in the countryside, or a park or a quiet part of town, and walk together during the appointment.   

I safeguard the situation by ensuring that we drop our voices where there is a risk of being overheard, or stopping talking if someone is coming towards us – hence the need for the space we walk in to be somewhat less populated and as quiet as it can be to allow for reflection. 

The idea behind doing this is that we’re outside in nature and the outdoors, experiencing the mental health benefits of walking, and at the same time fostering our resilience in relation to other elements: the unpredictability of the weather, temperature, terrain etc.. 

This therapy facilitates us in slowing down, calming and re-alkalising the body through breathing in fresh air and a mindful approach.  If extended to other situations in our lives, it can begin to help us cope in times of overwhelm.  

You may already go for walks anyway and I always encourage clients to get out in nature if that’s available to them.  I’d suggest that to gain the most benefit, you pause from time to time to enjoy the view and notice the sounds around you, but most of all, that you try not to mask the experience with headphones, messaging or making calls.  

If you’d like to try this form of therapy, please let me know.  The cost is the same per session, and we generally allow up to an extra 20 mins within that price range to allow for any interruptions or situations where we cannot be in a therapy space.