Nature Therapy Mental Health

Cr.
SITI FATIMAH ABDUL GHANI KB,PA

HEAD OF INTERVENTION SECTION,
REGISTRAR OFFICE, UNIVERSITY PUTRA MALAYSIA
Nature therapy is an
umbrella term that takes in the
broader 'ecotherapy', or
'ecopsychology', which
involves psychologists
using a more
nature-based approach.
Nature therapy works with
all senses to elevate
mood.
Spending time in nature
has been found to help with mental health problems
including anxiety and depression.
For example, research into ecotherapy (a type of formal
treatment which involves doing activities outside
in nature) has shown it can help
with mild to moderate depression.
 "Nurturing something else into life has really helped my wellbeing – gently
caring for something helped me learn to care for myself.“
 "I’ve been getting out into nature and walking, either on my own or with
dogs, to manage my bipolar disorder for years. It helps to keep me calm and
physically healthy, and I love taking the time to be mindful of all the
beautiful green spaces around me, even when living in a city. Watching the
birds and squirrels always has a calming effect and takes me out of my own
head.“
 "I’ve had mild to moderate problems with anxiety, depression and OCD all
my life, and in recent years volunteering on my local city farm has been the
most therapeutic thing I’ve ever done, besides good talking therapy."
 improve your mood
 reduce feelings of stress or anger
 help you take time out and feel more relaxed
 improve your physical health
 improve your confidence and self-esteem
 help you be more active
 help you make new connections
 provide peer support.
"It is hard to explain the power of nature in
relieving both my physical and mental stress ...
There is little more relaxing then sitting with a
cup of tea looking at a hill through a window
and hearing the nearby stream trickle away.
There is something about the quiet calm of
nature that is contagious, leaving a quiet calm
in my mind."
"Many men are at higher risk for mood disorders
as they age, from dealing with sudden life changes
like health issues, the loss of loved ones, and even
the new world of retirement," says Dr. Jason
Strauss, director of geriatric psychiatry at Harvard-
affiliated Cambridge Health Alliance. "They may
not want to turn to medication or therapy for help,
and for many, interacting with nature is one of the
best self-improvement tools they can use."
 How much time with nature is enough? "Anything from 20 to 30
minutes, three days a week, to regular three-day weekends in the
woods is helpful," says Dr. Strauss. "The point is to make your
interactions a part of your normal lifestyle.“
 Your time with nature could be something as simple as a daily
walk in a park or a Saturday afternoon on a local trail. "You can
even try to combine your nature outings with your regular
exercise by power walking or cycling outdoors," says Dr. Strauss.
Nature connects
Nature soothes According to a series of field studies conducted
In addition, nature helps us cope with pain. Because we are by Kuo and Coley at the Human-Environment
genetically programmed to find trees, plants, water, and other
Research Lab, time spent in nature connects us to
nature elements engrossing, we are absorbed by nature scenes
and distracted from our pain and discomfort.
each other and the larger world. Another study at
Nature heals
the University of Illinois suggests that residents
Being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, reduces anger, fear, and
stress and increases pleasant feelings. Exposure to nature not only makes in Chicago public housing who had trees and
you feel better emotionally, it contributes to your physical wellbeing, green space around their building reported
reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of knowing more people, having stronger feelings
stress hormones. It may even reduce mortality, according to scientists such of unity with neighbors, being more concerned
as public health researchers Stamatakis and Mitchell. with helping and supporting each other, and
Nature restores having stronger feelings of belonging than
One of the most intriguing areas of current research is the impact of nature on tenants in buildings without trees. In addition to
general wellbeing. In one study in Mind, 95% of those interviewed said their this greater sense of community, they had a
mood improved after spending time outside, changing from depressed, reduced risk of street crime, lower levels of
stressed, and anxious to more calm and balanced. Other studies by Ulrich, Kim, violence and aggression between domestic
and Cervinka show that time in nature or scenes of nature are associated with
partners, and a better capacity to cope with life’s
a positive mood, and psychological wellbeing, meaningfulness, and vitality.
Furthermore, time in nature or viewing nature scenes increases our ability to demands, especially the stresses of living in
pay attention. Because humans find nature inherently interesting, we can poverty.
naturally focus on what we are experiencing out in nature. This also provides a
respite for our overactive minds, refreshing us for new tasks.
This session has some tips and suggestions for enjoying nature:
•grow or pick food

•bring nature inside
•do activities outdoors
•help the environment
•connect with animals
Don't worry if some ideas don't feel right for you – see if you can find some
that do, or adapt one to suit you.
 Create a growing space. If you don't have access to a garden, you could plant
salad leaves or herbs in a window box or plant pot.
 Plant vegetables in your garden. (The Carry on Gardening and Thrive websites
have information to help you get started.)
 Grow food together with others. Apply to share an allotment, or look for
community gardens or food growing projects in your local area. (See the National
Allotment Society and Social Farms & Gardens websites for more information.)
 Go fruit picking. Look for local farms or orchards that let you pick fruit to buy.
You might also find fruit growing in urban spaces, for example wild blackberries.
 Learn to find edible plants, also known as food foraging. You could see if a
foraging group meets in your local area. (The Woodland Trust website has more
information on foraging.)
 Buy flowers or potted plants for your home.
 Collect natural materials, for example leaves, flowers, feathers, tree bark or
seeds – use them to decorate your living space or in art projects.
 Arrange a comfortable space to sit, for example by a window where you can
look out over a view of trees or the sky.
 Grow plants or flowers on windowsills. (See the Royal Horticultural
Society website for tips on planting seeds indoors.)
 Take photos of your favourite places in nature. Use them as backgrounds on
a mobile phone or computer screen, or print and put them up on your walls.
 Listen to natural sounds, like recordings or apps that play birdsong, ocean
waves or rainfall.
 Take a walk in green space, such as a local park.
 Get creative. Draw or paint animals or nature scenes, or let them inspire a
poem or song lyrics. If you enjoy writing in a journal, try doing this outside.
 Eat meals outdoors. Have a picnic in a local park, or simply sit in a garden.
This might be something you could enjoy doing with other people.
 Watch the stars. Use a stargazing website, app or book to help you
recognise different stars, or simply enjoy looking at the night sky. Give your
eyes time to adjust, as it can take about 20 minutes before you can fully see
stars in the dark.
 Try exercising outside. Run or jog through a local park, or do yoga
outdoors. You could try it by yourself, or look for classes in your local area.
 Go on a litter picking walk, for example, in the park or on the
beach.
 Volunteer for a conservation project. (The Groundwork, Wildlife
Trusts and The Conservation Volunteers websites have some
suggestions.)
 Plant helpful seeds, such as berry bushes for garden birds or
flowers to help bumblebees. (See the Bumblebee Conservation
Trust website for more information on bumblebees.)
 Build an animal habitat, for example, build a hedgehog house or
create a pond if you have enough space.
 Watch out for wildlife. If you don't live near open countryside, try visiting a local park to look for squirrels,
fish, insects, ducks and other birds.
 Visit a local community or city farm. You might be able to help out by volunteering. (See the Social Farms
& Gardens website for more information.)
 Hang a bird feeder outside a window. If there's space, you could build a small wooden nesting box on a
tree or under a windowsill.
 Try birdwatching. You don't need any special equipment. (See the RSPB website for more information on
feeding, sheltering and watching birds.)
 Try pet-sitting or dog walking. Offer to be a pet sitter in your local neighbourhood, volunteer to walk dogs
for an animal shelter, or ask to borrow a friend's dog for occasional evening or weekend walks.
 , feeding rabbits, talking to the donkeys, ‘socialising’ goats and looking after sick lambs is incredibly
grounding, no matter what my state of mind... being outside getting muddy in all weathers, breathing fresh
air, proudly talking to visitors about the animals and being part of the seasonal cycle of a farm has been life-
changing."
Siti Fatimah Abdul Ghani (Counselor and Columnist)
kaunselor_sitifatimah
sitifatimah@upm.edu.my

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Cr.

SITI FATIMAH ABDUL GHANI KB,PA

•grow or pick food

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