AUTUMN BLOG

OUTDOOR THERAPY IN AUTUMN

The sun is shining in early October 2023.

I went for a walk in our local park today; Hinchingbrooke in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.  Despite feeling a little anxious today, the walk did the trick of rebalancing my mood and helping me to engage in what I have to be positive about.

Hinchingbrooke Park is such a peaceful and well maintained nature area.  You can walk off the main paths and in seconds be in the woods.  There are logs to sit on and secret dens.

The colours are amazing and they range from greens to oranges and the floor has a carpet of leaves and conkers.

There are a number of water areas too and I found somewhere to sit and enjoy the coffee I brought with me.  I wasn’t there long, just enough time to regulate and lower my stress response.

I was amazed at how many memorial benches are there.  It means plenty of great locations for places to ‘sit awhile’ so you can take time out.  Some of them are slightly hidden.  It also calls me to think about the loss of loved ones and in who’s memory they are for.  Most of the plaques encourage taking the time to sit and enjoy the space to relax.

Therapy doesn’t have to be punishing and heavy going.  Therapy might be permission to access nature, de-escalate your stress and anxiety and if you feel you would like to talk and process, what could be better than doing this with a therapist by your side?  What could be better than using nature’s therapy room, connecting with your inner child and play with the leaves and conkers?

And remember, connecting with nature, noticing the seasonal changes is a healthy way to ground yourself and be in touch with the natural world that you may be missing out on due to the pressures of life.

Contact me if you think you’d like to try outdoor therapy and we have the option of meeting in Hinchingbrooke Park - amanda@human2human.co.uk