Ecopsychology
All people need to experience themselves as part of the natural world, to know they belong and are unified with all of life. Ecopsychology joins psychology and ecology to assist us in remembering we are part of a very big life process and that we are embedded in nature. Ecological, social, spiritual and emotional crises mirror one another. What is harmful to the earth is also harmful to humans, and what benefits and respects the earth brings wholeness and well being into human life as well. It is our birthright and responsibility to restore our understanding of community; to deeply value the preciousness of human existence and also to cherish our utter interdependence with the larger world.
EcoTherapy: Applying Earth-based Healing Practices within Psychotherapy
When people come to therapy they are often longing for a more soulful, connected and meaningful experience of being human. Through aligning with direct experience, we encourage deep embodied awareness. We help activate the practice of presence, sensing and aliveness, as well as explore the barriers to this inherent vibrancy.
Personal stories are respected and held within a large context, which works to heal the isolation felt by so many. There is an understanding that one's pain, suffering, beauty and gifts are related to the world, and can only be deeply expressed and transformed within that relationship.
Significant experiences in nature, with land, plants, and creatures have often been considered merely metaphoric in traditional therapy, if considered at all. The guidance, healing and wholeness that can accompany these experiences are then lost and not available for the psyche's maturation. Creating an environment in which this consciousness of relatedness can flourish is an important aspect of ecotherapy. It may mean teaching clients to be sensitive to what the natural world is mirroring to them. Tasks outdoors may be suggested, such as gardening or walking, to help foster more openness, inner quiet and direct interaction with the earth.
The practice of ecotherapy also means meeting with clients in offices that reflect this connection with the soul's wholeness and the earth through plants, fresh air, good natural light and the sound of moving water through indoor fountains. The elements of nature within the consulting room are an important support for the exploration of soulful, related therapy.
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