ECOTHERAPY PRACTICE

Learn to apply different Ecotherapy Solutions to meet different Therapy needs.

• To relieve stress
• To rehabilitate injuries
• To hasten recovery times
• To build positivity and motivation.

Ecotherapy may be practiced professionally as a full or part time profession using a narrow or broad variety of approaches. Whether horticultural therapy, forest bathing or animal therapy or something else - ecotherapy is a practice that is soundly underpinned by proven research and experience.

Who might benefit from this course?

• Anyone working in health support or wellbeing industries
• Practitioners seeking to broaden the services they wish to offer their clients.
• Professional development for people who work with nature and/or wellbeing - from yoga teachers and wellness coaches to ecotourism operators and horticultural teachers.

Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. Nature and Scope of Ecotherapy
2. Theory of Ecotherapy
3. Ecotherapy Clients
4. Intake Assessment and Ecotherapy Resources
5. Environment-Based Ecotherapy
6. Plant-Based Ecotherapy
7. Animal-Based Ecotherapy
8. Indoor Ecotherapy
9. Creativity based Ecotherapy
10. Holistic Wellness incorporating Ecotherapy

What is involved in Ecotherapy?

Ecotherapy is a type of therapeutic treatment involving exposure to nature. Although it is often done through outdoor activities related to nature, it is not strictly necessary to be outdoors. Nature and natural objects can be experienced indoors. For instance, wooden furniture can provide a connection with trees, natural stone flooring can provide a connection with mountains or rocks, a painting of flowers can provide a connection with plants - as could a television program on the natural world. 

Also, it is not just about seeing natural things. Our experiences with nature can be through any of the sensory modalities – sight, touch, sound, smell, or taste. The experiences could also be through our sixth sense of ‘proprioception’ i.e. awareness of our body being in a natural environment.       

There is no single satisfactory definition of ecotherapy, but it tends to refer to activities that include:

• Support the individual or group by a therapist
• Doing something in a green environment
• Exploration and appreciation of nature and the natural world around us
• Spending time with others and interacting with them at your own pace and in your own way

The focus of ecotherapy is on the activity rather than the person’s health or mental health. I's affect on health is subtle in this way, but no less significant.

Ecotherapy can be run on its own or in conjunction with other forms of therapy, such as animal therapies, creative therapies (e.g. art therapy, music therapy, drama therapy), horticulture therapy, play therapy, and so on. It may also be used in conjunction with more traditional types of therapy, such as solutions-focussed therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), or counselling.