THERAPY BEYOND FOUR WALLS
Nature-Based Therapy in California
Sometimes changing the space changes what becomes possible within it.
Nature-based therapy brings psychotherapy into outdoor and natural settings, creating room for movement, reflection, connection, and a different way of experiencing the therapeutic process.
WHAT IS NATURE-BASED THERAPY?
Therapy Doesn't Always Have to Happen on a Couch.
Nature-based therapy is psychotherapy that intentionally incorporates the natural environment into therapeutic work.
Depending on the setting, your needs, and the structure of the session, that might mean walking while we talk, sitting somewhere outdoors, noticing what is happening around you, incorporating mindfulness or sensory awareness, or simply allowing the environment to become part of the therapeutic experience.
And sometimes?
We may just have therapy outside.
Nature does not need to become a metaphor for everything.
You don't have to find profound meaning in a tree.
The value can be much simpler: changing your surroundings can change the way you move, think, notice, speak, and experience yourself.
HOW IT WORKS
What Happens During a Nature-Based Therapy Session?
Nature-based therapy can look different depending on the client and location.
Some sessions may involve walking.
Others may involve sitting or spending time in a natural environment while talking much as we would during a traditional therapy session.
At other times, your therapist may invite you to intentionally notice:
What is happening in your body
What you can see, hear, or feel around you
Where your attention naturally goes
How quickly your mind pulls you away from the present moment
What happens when you slow down
How movement changes the conversation
What becomes easier- or harder- to access outside a traditional office
There is no requirement to interact with nature in a particular way. The environment supports the therapy. It isn't a performance.
NATURE-BASED VS. TRADITIONAL THERAPY
Do All of My Sessions Have to Be Outdoors?
Not necessarily.
Nature-based therapy doesn't have to become an all-or-nothing commitment.
Depending on your therapist, treatment plan, location, and preferences, outdoor sessions may be incorporated alongside other forms of therapy.
There may be times when being outside feels exactly right.
And there may be times when privacy, weather, accessibility, or the work you're doing makes another setting more appropriate.
The setting is a therapeutic tool, not a rule.
NATURE-BASED + EQUINE-ASSISTED THERAPY
What Is the Difference Between Nature-Based and Equine-Assisted Therapy?
Both approaches move therapeutic work beyond the traditional office, but they are not the same.
Nature-based therapy intentionally incorporates outdoor or natural environments into psychotherapy. Sessions may involve walking, sitting outside, sensory awareness, movement, mindfulness, or conversation in nature.
Equine-assisted therapy specifically incorporates horses and interactions with them into therapeutic work.
Some clients may be drawn strongly toward one.
Others may be curious about both.
Your therapist can help you explore which setting and approach better match your needs, goals, comfort, and availability.
THERAPY ACROSS CALIFORNIA
Online & In-Person Therapy Across California
Our therapists provide online therapy throughout California, making it possible to access relational, individualized support from wherever you call home.
In-person, nature-based and experiential therapy services are also available in select Northern and Central California communities.
Therapy in Salinas
Explore therapy for adults, couples, children, teens and families in Salinas, California, including in-person services.
Connections Boarding Stables 22400 Indian Springs Rd
Salinas, CA 93908
Therapy in Auburn
Explore therapy services for individuals, couples and families in Auburn and the surrounding Northern California communities.
Therapy in Truckee
Find therapy in Truckee for relationships, anxiety, trauma, stress, life transitions and other challenges, with virtual and select experiential options.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nature-Based Therapy
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Nature-based therapy is psychotherapy that intentionally incorporates outdoor or natural environments into the therapeutic process. Depending on the therapist and setting, sessions may involve walking, sitting outdoors, mindfulness, sensory awareness, experiential activities, or traditional conversation in a natural environment.
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The terms may overlap, but they're not always used identically. Ecotherapy is a broad term for therapeutic approaches that incorporate connection with nature, while nature-based therapy can describe psychotherapy that intentionally uses outdoor or natural environments as part of treatment.
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Walk-and-talk therapy is psychotherapy conducted while the therapist and client walk together, usually outdoors. It can be one form of nature-based therapy.
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Nature-based approaches may be incorporated into treatment for anxiety, chronic worry, overthinking, and stress. Treatment should still be individualized to your needs rather than assuming that spending time outside will resolve anxiety on its own.
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It may be incorporated into therapy for chronic stress and burnout. Some clients appreciate leaving screens, offices, and traditional clinical environments while working on overwhelm, boundaries, exhaustion, and their relationship with productivity.
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No. Outdoor therapy does not necessarily require walking. Depending on the setting, accessibility, your preferences, and the services offered, sessions may involve sitting or remaining in one location.
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Outdoor therapy has different privacy considerations than office-based or telehealth therapy. Your therapist should discuss confidentiality, possible encounters with others, and how those situations will be handled before beginning nature-based sessions.
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Outdoor sessions may need to be modified when weather, temperature, smoke, air quality, or other environmental conditions make the planned session uncomfortable or unsafe. Your therapist will explain the practice's specific contingency policies.
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Potentially. Depending on your therapist, treatment plan, location, and clinical needs, nature-based sessions may be incorporated alongside office-based or telehealth psychotherapy rather than replacing them entirely.
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Not necessarily. Nature-based therapy can take many forms and does not inherently require strenuous physical activity. Accessibility, mobility, health considerations, and comfort should be discussed with your therapist when deciding on an appropriate setting and format.
RELATED SERVICES
Explore Other Ways to Work Together
Equine-Assisted Therapy & Equus Coaching →
Experiential therapeutic and personal-growth work involving horses
Anxiety Therapy →
Support for worry, overthinking, uncertainty, and feeling chronically on edge
Stress & Burnout Therapy →
Therapy for chronic stress, exhaustion, overwhelm, and running on empty
Life Transitions Therapy →
Support while navigating change, identity, decisions, and what comes next
NATURE-BASED THERAPY IN CALIFORNIA
Therapy Can Have a Little More Room to Breathe.
You don't always have to sit still to slow down.
If traditional therapy settings don't quite feel like you—or you're curious about what might become available in a different environment—we can explore whether nature-based therapy makes sense for you.