WALK and TALK THERAPY (WATT)
with Lisa Wessan
LICSW, CLYL, RM
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WATT @Cranberry Bog, Carlisle, MA (2022)
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I think many wired and
tired humans today have a Nature Deficit Disorder, too much screen time and not
enough green time! Yes, being in nature deepens your connection to
all life... As William Shakespeare said,
Onward and Upward✨ Lisa Wessan |
09.09.20 - ABC News/The Boston Chronicle,
featured my Walk and Talk Therapy in this
Inside/Outside episode. Finding Peace in the Great Outdoors.
WATT @RiverWalk, Tarrytown, NY (2022)
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In every walk with nature
one receives far more than he seeks.”
~ John Muir Henry David Thoreau
struggled with melancholia, what we would call depression and anxiety today.
Being in nature helped him to heal and recover from his malaise. According to Thoreau researcher Richard
Higgins, "Trees were his allies in his battle with melancholia."1 There is growing
evidence that exercise interventions are associated with significant benefits
for patients who struggle with depression, mood disorders, anxiety, addictions and obsessions. These findings have led to more
evidence that exercise may serve as an alternative or a supplement to
traditional forms of therapy2. Both personally and
professionally I have also come to believe that walking in nature has
powerful and restorative healing effects, and for those who are able to
participate there are excellent benefits: Mental health benefits3:
3) A heightened
sense of presence. 4) Decreased states
of aggression. 5) Reduced anxiety and depression. Cognitive benefits4:
"When I walk in the woods, my mind becomes
unclutched..." ...says one of my
friends when we go hiking. Being in nature and allowing your mind to relax
helps to create a positive environment to safely defrost difficult thoughts
and feelings.5 Walk and Talk Therapy is not
new...thought leaders such as psychiatrists Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud often
took their patients out for long walks as part of "the cure." For today, we keep our walks within the
therapy hour. More recently, Steve Jobs, co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of
Apple Inc. was known to insist on conducting his one on
one meetings on walks. He always preferred walking to get the ideas going.
Jobs knew that our brains work at a much higher capacity and provide peak
performance when we walk and talk. Our WATT consists of
approximately 45-60 minutes of walking at a comfortable pace. (This is not
meant to be your cardio or HIT workout.) If you want to walk less or more,
that's up to you. Towards the end of
your WATT session, we review and summarize what you were sharing on the walk,
and then contemplate your solution-focused next steps while we gaze out at
the lake (or river) and allow ourselves to be filled with nature's healing
energy. WATT is not for
everyone...clearly if you hate to walk, or loathe being outdoors, or live too
far away from this walk, WATT is not
for you (unless you want to practice your DBT Skill of Opposite Action!) In addition, the
comfort of having a Zoom session in your home is always an option should you
change your mind. If you are a current
client and would like to experiment and try a WATT session, just let me
know. If you are new, we
will have our first two initial consultations on Zoom or another virtual
platform. After that, we can start
your WATT program. Click HERE to request a free introductory phone call and explore
the possibility. |
FAQs for WATT Q: Why are the first two WATT
sessions held on a Zoom meeting? Q. What hours are available for WATT? Q: Where is this walk held? Q: Approximately how far do we walk? Q: Is this a hilly walk, or flat? Q: What happens if it rains? A: We re-schedule or
have a Zoom session. Q: How do I get started? 2.. If new to my
practice, complete the therapy registration forms and the WATT Waiver that I will send you
after we have spoken. Then we can schedule your initial consultation. --------------------------------------------------------- References: 1. Higgins,
R. (2017). Thoreau and the Language of Trees. University of California:
Oakland. 2. E.W. (2008). Physical activity
in the prevention and treatment of anxiety and depression. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry. Vol. 62; 25-29. 3. Hays,
K.F. (1999). Working It Out: Using Exercise in Psychotherapy. American
Psychological Association: Washington, DC. 4. Macpherson, H. et al (2017). A life-long approach to
physical activity for brain health.
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. May 23;9:147. 5. The Week (July 17, 2015). Nature's Cure for Anxiety.
Shinrin-Yoku
(Forest Bathing) is a well known
Japanese practice for managing stress and connecting with Nature.
WATT @Thanksgiving Forest, Chelmsford, MA (2018)
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Seen at the Salmon Hatchery in Sitka, Alaska (September
2017).
On display at the Visitor's Center at the Mendenhall
Glacier
(Juneau, Alaska, September 2017).
Source: The Week, 07.28.18
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