What is Nature Connection?

So why Nature, and what is Nature Connection? The ecopsychological approach that I work with is rooted in;

our interconnected relationship with ourselves, each other and with the wider natural world, of which we are a part

All three things as one. As Nature. One Health. One living, breathing, interacting thing; a reciprocal relationship in constant conversation, exchange and community with each other. What we do to one, is what we do to another.

As illustrated by The Natural Self Model, nature connection can be part of our day-to-day wellbeing and health through positive psychological approach. An appreciation of it's beauty, or mindful time in nature for example. It can invite us in to an Ecotherapeutic relationship (eco - home, therapy - healing) cultivating wholeness, an opportunity to meet and heal the fragmented parts of ourselves. It can also invite us in to something of a Deeper Nature, something more trans-personal, mystical and magical, something of Spirit and Soul, mirroring something to us that words can't quite capture perhaps.

We're living in a time and a culture in the West that can so often feel steeped in a separation story. Perhaps a hangover from the Cartesian Split, perhaps the dominance of a patriarchal, capatalisitic, productive, colonial, power-over based culture. As both the health and ecological crises illustrate, we continue to see the profound impact that this sense of disconnection from ourselves, each other and our sense of place and wider belonging, is having.

It's often hard to put in to words and best to taste experientially, but by coming back in to relationship with nature in this way, it can offer us a reminder that we exist in and are connected to, all parts of the cycle. By inviting ourselves to remember, reclaim, or retune back in to our innate connection with, and as part of nature, through these different pathways, our nervous system is offered the chance to come home to itself fully, in all parts; to regulate, rest and restore too! Remembering our body and as well as our minds. Valuing the importance of both, of the wholeness of who we are. A revolutionary act perhaps in a culture that is so quick to prioritise, doing, and thinking, and being busy all of the time which can often feel a bit out of whack can't it?!

"to honour our losses & embody the wild joy that aches to leap from our hearts in to the shimmering world"

And the theory & research?

My approach is deeply rooted the ecotherapeutic and ecopsychological inter-connected approach of The Natural Self model (outlined above), developed by The Natural Academy who I trained with. The World Health Organisations One Health model also speaks to something similar. The Natural Self model weaves theory threads of Person Centred Psychotherapy, Positive & Gestalt Psychology, Internal Family Systems, Trauma Informed Approach, Polyvagal Theory, as well as transpersonal psychotherapy, like Animas Valley's SoulCraft and Wild Mind Map.

The University of Derby's research in to the Five Pathways to Nature Connection, is one framework that also offers us insight in to the science behind what we often forget we innately know, and has also deeply infused my training. This report and their continued research and resource creation in this area, clearly illustrates how that by spending time with nature, we can be supported in to tuning back in to that sense of connection within and around us all. Further to that, that by doing so we are much more likely to value it's importance and our place within that.

Research is emerging all of the time and a lot of other models that I work with (which you can read about here) have this wholeness rooted, nature based approach deeply woven through them. Or perhaps you're curious to experience a moment of nature connection for yourself right now? Why not have a listen to my free nature based grounding or get in touch using the form below to explore more.

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