Nature-Based Walk-and-Talk Therapy
Sometimes healing feels easier when we're moving.
For many people, therapy is imagined as two people sitting across from one another in an office.
That can be a meaningful way to do therapy.
It is also not the only way.
Sometimes difficult conversations feel easier while walking side by side. Sometimes our thoughts become clearer when we're moving. Sometimes the simple rhythm of walking creates enough space for emotions to surface in a way that feels more natural and less overwhelming.
Nature-based walk-and-talk therapy offers another way to experience psychotherapy.
The therapy itself doesn't change.
The setting does.
Why nature?
There is something quietly reassuring about the natural world.
The changing seasons remind us that growth isn't constant. Trees weather storms without losing their roots. Rivers meet obstacles and continue finding their way forward. Nature doesn't rush, and neither does healing.
Research continues to explore the relationship between time in nature and mental health. Spending time outdoors has been associated with reduced stress, improved mood, restored attention, and greater overall well-being. Early research on walk-and-talk psychotherapy also suggests that it is a feasible, well-accepted approach and may offer benefits comparable to traditional office-based therapy, with promising findings for reducing psychological distress in some people.
Nature is not the therapy.
Psychotherapy remains the foundation of our work together.
Nature simply becomes a supportive environment in which that work unfolds.
Why walking?
Walking side by side often feels different than sitting face to face.
Without the expectation of constant eye contact, many people find it easier to speak honestly about difficult experiences. Others notice that movement helps them stay present, organize their thoughts, or feel less "stuck."
Walking also offers a gentle rhythm that naturally encourages moments of reflection. Sometimes we talk continuously. Sometimes we walk in comfortable silence. Both can be therapeutic.
This approach is different from structured trauma therapies such as EMDR or Brainspotting. While movement may help some people feel more grounded and engaged, our focus remains on the therapeutic relationship and your unique healing process.
My relationship with nature
Nature has always been a place where I return to myself.
Whether I'm walking through the woods, photographing the changing seasons, tending to my houseplants, or simply noticing the way sunlight filters through the trees, I find that the natural world gently invites curiosity, perspective, and presence.
My understanding of this relationship has been influenced by botanist and author Robin Wall Kimmerer, whose writing encourages us to see ourselves as participants in a living community rather than as separate from it. Her work has shaped my personal appreciation for reciprocity, gratitude, and belonging.
These are personal influences rather than a therapeutic model. I also recognize that many of these ideas have deep roots in Indigenous knowledge systems and living traditions. I approach them with respect, humility, and an awareness that they are not mine to teach or represent.
What I hope to offer is simply an invitation to slow down, notice what is present, and allow the natural world to become a quiet companion in the work we do together.
What to expect
Walk-and-talk therapy is always optional.
Before scheduling an outdoor session, we'll talk together about whether this format feels like a good fit for your goals, preferences, comfort level, and accessibility needs.
Sessions typically take place on accessible walking paths, parks, or along the many waterfronts in King and Snohomish counties. We walk at a pace that feels comfortable for you, and there is never an expectation to cover a certain distance. We can slow down, stop, sit on a bench, or spend part of the session in conversation without walking if that's what feels most supportive.
Outdoor therapy is not hiking, wilderness therapy, or an exercise program. It is simply psychotherapy taking place in a different environment.
Privacy and confidentiality
Your privacy is important.
Before our first outdoor session, we'll discuss confidentiality and make a plan for the possibility of encountering other people. If we see someone you know, I will never identify you as a client or initiate conversation with others about our relationship. Together, we'll decide in advance what feels most comfortable for you.
While no public setting can guarantee complete privacy, thoughtful planning allows many clients to feel comfortable and confident choosing this format.
Accessibility and flexibility
Nature-based therapy should feel supportive, not demanding.
If you live with chronic pain, fatigue, a disability, mobility differences, or another health condition, we'll work together to determine whether outdoor sessions are appropriate and how they can be adapted. Accessible routes, shorter walks, sitting for all or part of the session, or remaining indoors are always options.
If weather, health, or life circumstances change, we can easily transition to in-office or telehealth sessions.
The goal is not to be outside.
The goal is to create a therapeutic space where you feel most able to engage.
Is walk-and-talk therapy right for you?
This approach may be a good fit if you:
• Feel more at ease while moving than sitting still.
• Enjoy spending time outdoors or feel restored by natural spaces.
• Find that walking helps you think more clearly.
• Prefer a therapy setting that feels less formal.
• Are curious about experiencing psychotherapy in a different way.
If you're unsure, that's okay.
We can talk through the options together and decide what feels like the best fit for you. Therapy should adapt to your needs, not the other way around.
Whether we meet in the office, outdoors, or through telehealth, the heart of our work remains the same: creating a safe, collaborative relationship where you can reconnect with yourself and move toward the life you want to live.