Los Angeles residents looking for a fresh approach to mental‑health care are turning to walking therapy, a nature‑based form of counseling that blends physical activity with conversation. Psychotherapist Ismary Colón Angueira, an ecotherapist based in L.A., recently guided a walk‑and‑talk on the Ferndell Nature Trail in Griffith Park, illustrating how the practice works.
How walk‑and‑talk sessions differ from traditional therapy
Colón Angueira explains that the session begins with a simple grounding exercise: pausing at the trailhead to greet the environment. By walking side by side, the therapist‑client hierarchy is reduced, allowing clients—especially fast thinkers and fast talkers—to feel more at ease opening up.
“We’re entering the terrain together,” she says. “Being in nature offers perspective and helps people de‑center themselves a little.” The natural surroundings become an active participant, with sights, sounds, and textures shaping the conversation.
Historical roots and recent surge
While walking therapy is not a new concept—psychologist Maz Miller notes that Sigmund Freud took clients for walks—it has only recently become formalized. Miller attributes the rise to two main factors: the surge in mental‑health concerns during the COVID‑19 pandemic and strict indoor‑meeting guidelines, and a growing public awareness of the benefits of spending time outdoors.
“Therapists were dealing with an increase in mental‑health issues during COVID at a time when there were strict guidelines about seeing people indoors,” Miller says. “Combining that with the awareness of nature’s benefits makes sense, and it’s definitely taking off.”
Benefits backed by research
Studies show that time in nature lowers cortisol, reduces blood pressure, and improves mental acuity, while walking itself provides bilateral stimulation that calms the central nervous system, regulates blood glucose, and supports heart and bone health. Together, these effects help alleviate depression and anxiety.
Colón Angueira adds that the outdoor setting can surface emotions tied to the environment—a dead animal might trigger fear, a fallen tree grief, or a playful squirrel a distant memory—offering therapists new pathways for insight.
Practical considerations
Weather and safety are key factors. Heat waves can make walking uncomfortable, so therapists ensure clients have water and appropriate clothing. Rain presents challenges for hearing each other, but the flexibility to pause or change location is viewed as a strength, empowering clients to voice their needs.
Privacy is another consideration; an unexpected passerby can momentarily interrupt the session, but the sense of exposure can also encourage deeper self‑exploration.
Looking ahead
Colón Angueira hopes her clients will continue walking after therapy ends, fostering a lasting relationship with nature—a birthright she believes everyone should enjoy. As more therapists adopt the model, walking therapy may become a staple of mental‑health services throughout Los Angeles and beyond.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
