Eco-family therapy offers the opportunity for families to benefit from spending time in nature as a source of wellbeing whilst providing a safe space to talk to each other about the fears, the worries and the challenges of family or school life.

There is less focus on talking and more on connecting with nature and each other by engaging in activities e.g. making natural art or decorating sticks and having conversations through natural metaphors e.g. rocks are heavy like worries or overwhelming feelings.

It can include a combination of whole family sessions, sessions with parent/s or one parent and a child/children, or couples sessions. This allows a tailor-made approach to each unique family, including single parent families, same sex families and extended family, foster or adoptive families, or couples and the format is negotiated as part of the overall therapeutic goals and reasons for seeking therapy. It can also change and evolve based on ongoing feedback.

Why therapy in Nature?

It is a more friendly and safe way of having therapy by meeting outdoors. Being in nature helps children, young people and adults to feel more grounded and relaxed in their body, they feel calmer in the mind, and more in touch with their feelings through using all the senses.

Further reading - Richard Louv has written an interesting feature on 'Nature-Deficit Disorder®'you can read it on the children and nature website

What to Expect from a family EcoTherapy session

After a gentle walk through the woods, there will be a guided family activity in nature followed by a facilitated family talk about sharing emotions, fears and worries with each other. This will reflect the reasons for therapy, struggles and resources in each family member and the therapeutic goals agreed at the beginning. We finish with reflecting on the session and sharing ideas about improving family life and the kind of family you want to be.