5 Ways Nature-Informed Therapy Can Heal a Grieving Heart

By Roberta P. Rook, MA, LCPC, Bereavement Program Coordinator, Chesapeake Life Center

There are a lot of studies that support the healing powers of our natural world. One from 2019 published in Frontiers in Psychology found that 20 minutes a day with a goal of two hours a week spent in nature can lower stress hormone levels. 

For someone who is coping with the loss of someone special, 20 minutes in a park or by the water may be a great first step. The next step to make the most of healing time in nature is to take part in nature-informed grief therapy. It is a type of counseling that incorporates what we've learned about the benefits of being in nature into a care plan for grief clients. 

How does being in nature during a counseling session differ from being in an office? Here are five ways nature-informed therapy can heal a grieving heart. 

1. Nature has a lot of gifts 

Last winter I was with a group walking in a park when we were all transfixed by a bright red cardinal singing his little heart out. We all stopped and listened as he sang on for about a minute. And though he was calling out for a mate or protecting his territory, for that minute it felt like he was singing to us. Grief can be so lonely. For this group of women to be able to share this wonderful moment in the quiet of winter -- it was a gift. 

2. Nature is cyclical 

There are a lot of reminders in nature about the life cycle. Stop and take a look at a fallen tree with mushrooms growing from its trunk. That can show that life can come from death. New life from old growth can be beautiful. Change and loss has a purpose in nature. And so, too, in our lives. 

3. Nature doesn’t have goals 

When I am with a group taking a walk, I tell them that we aren’t on a fitness walk. We don’t need to do so many steps in an hour. It's about being together, noticing and finding things that speak to us in our grief process and sharing with one another. In nature therapy, we learn that it isn't always how we want things to be in. A sudden storm changes our path. How do we deal with our own distress? 

4. Nature has metaphors

Nature has messages all around us. When we disconnect from the human-made world, we can see things in the natural world that can illustrate our grief process. For example, what does a marsh tell us about our grief? Maybe it illustrates what's under the surface. There's a lot of things under the surface we can’t see, there is murkiness. Yet, a marsh is also very alive. So even when things look like they're not very lively, there's life. 

Another metaphor a client discovered was in a stream. She said it was like grief because there were calm spots which then led to water going over rocks and the stream being kind of broken up. As a facilitator, it is my job to give grievers a space to find these metaphors and it’s easy when we’re in nature.

5. Nature is everywhere

You don't have to go to Mount Everest or the Everglades to be in nature. You don’t even need to be outside. You can look out your window and see birds and insects. Research has discovered that even watching nature videos can increase positive feelings and lessen negative thoughts. A certified nature-informed therapist has knowledge and resources on how to help people connect what they are feeling through what is in their natural world. We can lead them in meditative or reflective activities that connects them to all that surrounds them. 

Human beings, not human doings 

When they get out in nature, grievers can find themselves relaxing, slowing down and being in the moment. They become human beings and not human doings. We need that when we're grieving. Healing comes from being present with your emotions. A nature-informed therapist can support grievers as they become more aware of their new path without their person.

Hospice of the Chesapeake serves families in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles and Prince George’s counties and is Maryland’s largest independent not-for-profit hospice organization. For 45 years, its mission is caring for life throughout the journey with illness and loss. Its affiliated programs include Chesapeake Supportive Care and its bereavement services, Chesapeake Life Center. For details, visit www.hospicechesapeake.org or call 410-987-2003.