The name may suggest simple fun, but Adventure Therapy actually has multiple therapeutic benefits for the body and mind. Through the experience itself in nature, emotional and behavioral problems and many other challenges are faced and overcome. Adventure Therapy , very popular in countries such as the United States, is a form of experiential care that involves various types of outdoor activities , with the goal, for those who practice it, of developing life skills and improving their psychophysical health.
Numerous studies (such as the one carried out by Tender to Nave Italia Onlus on Adventure Therapy ) have highlighted how it is more bearable to deal with difficult and hostile emotions such as anxiety , loneliness, frustration, depression , when you are in contact with nature. Furthermore, spending time in nature has intrinsic therapeutic benefits : getting away from daily stress , immersed in wild beauty, breathing pure air and listening to new noises. Contact with nature not only has positive effects on the psychological health of those who practice it, but it is a particularly suitable therapy for those who suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes , depression, obesity or heart disease.
Adventure therapy is identified with a variety of other terms, especially with Nature Therapy , including wilderness therapy, but also therapeutic camping , or simply outdoor activities that allow for the best development and cognitive functions .
How is adventure therapy practiced?
Adventure Therapy activities include a variety of activities such as forest bathing, woodland walks, camping, mountain hiking, and rock climbing , all of which allow participants to take calculated risks and explore personal issues in a safe environment in close contact with nature.
After the therapy session, time is spent reflecting on what was done, fears faced, connections made or difficulties encountered with other participants, and what they learned about themselves.
The distinctive elements that characterize Adventure Therapy compared to the many psychotherapeutic treatment modalities are experiential learning, immersion and interaction with nature, and the group context.
Why not try to get up early in the morning to make time for this practice? It could be a great strategy.
The Benefits of Adventure Therapy
The benefits of Adventure Therapy are multiple and proven. Walking in a wood or forest generates a series of positive effects on different physiological parameters, benefits both on a physical and psychological level that subjects, alone but especially in groups, derive from direct proximity to nature, leading to reactions such as:
- lowering blood sugarlevels , which is therefore useful for counteracting the onset and fighting diabetes
- against hypertension :helps to reduce blood pressure
- contributes to muscle relaxation
- strengthens the immune system
- purifyingaction with consequent elimination of toxins from the body
- a rebalancing of moods and a reduction in the risk of developing depression
- a reduction in anxiety and anger ;
- an increase in concentration
- a concrete improvement in oxygenation
- an improvement in cognitive function
- Increased self-esteem
- an increase in the nervous activity of the parasympathetic system(relaxation and joy)
What is Nature therapy?
Staying in touch with nature is a wellness experience that involves all five senses, bringing significant benefits to the body and mind. Just immersing yourself in a green setting, a forest or simply the park behind your house, allows you to appreciate the scent of the trees , the sound of the leaves , the sunlight that has proven beneficial effects, the fresh and clean air. In Japan, Nature Therapy, the practice of benefiting from nature in an immersive way is called shinrin-yoku . Shinrin in Japanese means “forest” and yoku means “bath”. So shinrin-yoku means bathing in the atmosphere of the forest or admiring the forest through the senses: a nature therapy session that contributes in a concrete way to lightening the mind from stress and worries, helps you relax and restores energy and vitality. The right way to deal with emotional stimuli and pressures that often put your personal state of balance and psychophysical well-being to the test .
To stay in contact with nature you could also practice telemark, a particular type of skiing .
Ecotherapy and Vitamin N (Nature)
Although some describe ecotherapy (also known as Adventure Therapy, Green Therapy, Nature Therapy) as the application of the principles of Ecopsychology to psychotherapeutic practice, the term actually refers, in general, to the benefits that people obtain on a physical and psychological level from being in direct contact with the natural sphere and from interacting with it. The underlying principle is that participating in outdoor activities and being in contact with nature can be a regenerating experience , both for the body and for the mind. “Green”, therefore, can be conceived as a real means of healing. Ecotherapy becomes a healthy daily habit. There are many ways through which to take the daily dose of “Vitamin N (Nature)” to relax the body, free the mind and improve the state of mind.
How to practice nature therapy
To practice nature therapy, you do not need special equipment or money. Everyone can try this regenerating experience. What is now defined as Nature Prescription is part of a broader concept called eco-therapy. Eco-therapy is a method of healing yourself naturally through direct interaction with nature, involving your mind, heart and body in a 360-degree way.
The first thing to do to be able to bathe in the forest in complete safety is to find the right place: it is not necessary to have a centuries-old forest or a nature reserve near your home, the neighborhood park or the nearby countryside will be enough. Like a real medical prescription, nature therapy includes heterogeneous activities, as long as nature is the beneficial component. You can therefore practice birdwatching, collecting shells on the seashore, picking mushrooms. Here’s how to practice nature therapy:
- Forget technology at home: cell phone, camera, headphones and music in your ears.
- Walk slowly. The body must be free to move with short and slow steps, without a goal, letting the body itself indicate the right way.
- Let the five sensesbe the only protagonists.
- Breathe deeply
- Hugging tree trunks, dipping your handsin a stream, sitting on the ground.
Walking in nature also helps your breathing. Seven specific remedies for breathing better are also useful .
