Research Project: Nature & Mental Health
Exploring the benefits of the outdoors and nature and bringing it into a therapeutic setting.
The full report will be available soon - read the summary below.
Intro: Written by Jill Guppy – Charity Founder
Winchester Youth Counselling began working outdoors with young people in 2016, introducing individual walk and talk sessions and nature therapy sessions for groups in 2017/18. WYC recognized that for many young people working in a room could be off putting due to having to maintain eye contact, not being able to move around and that most traumas have happened in a room, i.e. domestic abuse. Young people who are neuro-diverse found it much easier and safer to be outside in an environment that felt more friendly and welcome. They could walk alongside a counsellor and not be concerned about having to maintain eye contact or talk all of the time.
The natural world also acted as the co-therapist and the changing of the seasons reflected changing moods and changes in the therapy. Working outdoors also provided a chance to work with darkness (torches were provided if needed in the winter months), it enabled young people to think about their own responses to darkness but also offered opportunities to see the stars and planets emerging. The nature therapy groups also ran all year around and as well as being able to provide many interactions with the natural world, it also provided opportunities to go for a walk in the darkness and foggy evenings. The darker evenings always led to a change of mood within the group, often it was greeted with excitement and not fear. Groups also had the added benefit that young people who felt isolated and alone, made friendships with each other, something that one to one therapy could not offer. This was particularly beneficial for young people who are neuro-diverse as it helped them improve their social skills as well as build connections with the natural world.
As well as WYC acknowledging the benefits of working outdoors to individuals and groups, we were keen to demonstrate that it was not a one way process. Young people often discussed their fears around the climate crisis and wanted to look after the natural world. They began to plant seeds, do some hedge laying, litter picking, awareness raising and learning more about the natural world. They also realised that the natural world was accessible to them all of the time not just when they attended individual sessions or group sessions.
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Benefits of being in nature
Supporting research studies suggest the benefits of spending time outdoors includes:
Reduction in stress and anxiety (1),(2)
Reduction in symptoms of depression (3)
Improvement of mood (4),(5)
Physical benefits such as lowering blood pressure (6)
Also known as ‘ecotherapy’ or ‘nature therapy’, nature-based interventions can take the form in a range of ways from 1:1 sessions such as Walk and Talk Therapy or group-based interventions such as Nature Therapy, Forest Bathing and Horticultural Therapy
Benefits of Bringing Therapy into Nature
As mentioned above, bringing therapy into nature can have many key benefits such as:
Nature as a co-therapist
Physical benefits
Cost-effectiveness
Staff wellbeing
Reduction of barriers
Spending time in nature
Giving back to nature
Expansion of spaces
Bringing Therapy into Nature at WYC
At WYC, we offer two types of outdoor therapy:
Walk and Talk Therapy
Our award winning 1:1 Walk and Talk Therapy sessions offer children and young people a space to speak to a trained counsellor in local nature reserves around the Winchester area. Set up in 2016 these sessions use the natural world as the co-therapist and provide clients with the opportunity to spend more time outside, remove boundaries a counselling room may have for them and increase physical activity. In the last year (April 2025- March 2026), WYC offered over 490 Walk and Talk sessions. From our own feedback, WYC walk and talk clients said “[It] helps to process feelings outside - less anxiety than being inside”.
Nature Therapy
Our Nature Therapy Groups have been a popular service addition since they were set up in 2017/18. Meeting once a week at a local outdoor space, our Nature Therapy Groups welcome two separate groups, one for 11-16 year olds, the other for 17-25 year old NEET individuals to spend time in nature and take part in various outdoor activities such as den building, fire lighting and games. From our own group, a WYC Nature Therapy group member described their experience at nature therapy as “Really fun and relaxing to help clear my mind and make me happy”.
Outdoor Training
To help individuals and other organisations utilise the benefits of the outdoors more, WYC offers outdoor training for those with limited or some level of experience.
References
1 Kondo, M. C., Jacoby, S. F., & South, E. C. (2018). Does spending time outdoors reduce stress? A review of real-time stress response to outdoor environments. Health & Place, 51(51), 136–150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2018.03.001
2 Zhang, X., Zhang, Y., Yun, J., & Yao, W. (2022). A systematic review of the anxiety-alleviation benefits of exposure to the natural environment. Reviews on Environmental Health 38(2). https://doi.org/10.1515/reveh-2021-0157
3 Lamont, R. A., & Hinson, C. (2024). A narrative review of reviews of nature exposure and human health and well-being in the UK. NEER030. Natural England.
4 Bratman, G.N. (2019). Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective. Science Advances, [online] 5(7). https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aax0903
5 Brooks, A.M., Ottley, K.M., Arbuthnott, K.D. and Sevigny, P. (2017). Nature-related mood effects: Season and type of nature contact. Journal of Environmental Psychology, [online] 54, pp.91–102. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494417301160
6 Twohig-Bennett, C., & Jones, A. (2018). The Health Benefits of the Great outdoors: a Systematic Review and meta-analysis of Greenspace Exposure and Health Outcomes. Environmental Research, 166(166), 628–637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.06.030