Mother’s Care: Empirical Evidence Shows That Convening With Nature Can Heal the Mind

Image via Wikipediaby Richard Louv, from The Nature Principle, on UTNE: Best of the Alternative Press: http://www.utne.com

As director of the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, Allen Fish teaches raptor migration study and wildlife monitoring. Ninety percent of his work is with adults, the hundreds of volunteers who count, band, and track hawks.

“Many of our volunteers hang on for five or more years. Their raptor work becomes deeply therapeutic in their urban lives,” he says. “I have heard stories of self-healing here that would make a therapist tear up: of manic depression, of abuse, of chemical dependency. The strength that these people bring to their resolve to connect with nature is utterly stirring.”

To find hope, meaning, and relief from emotional pain, our species embraces medication, meditation, merlot, and more. These methods work for a time, some longer than others, some quite well, and some to our detriment.

But the restorative power of nature is there, always. Spending time in natural settings is no panacea; it’s not a total replacement for other forms of professional therapy or self-healing, but it can be a powerful tool in maintaining or improving mental health.

Read more: http://www.utne.com/Mind-Body/Ecopsychology-Restorative-Power-Of-Nature.aspx#ixzz1fQjtPzp2