Monica
Rachel
Outdoor / indoor therapy
Understanding outdoor and indoor therapy
Exploring Two Powerful Paths to Emotional Healing
When it comes to counselling, one size doesn’t fit all. That’s why choosing between outdoor and indoor therapy is more than just a practical decision, it’s about finding the environment that helps you feel most comfortable, grounded, and open to growth. Both approaches have unique strengths, and each can offer profound benefits depending on your personal needs, preferences, and stage of your journey.
Outdoor therapy: nature as a co-therapist
Outdoor therapy—also known as walk-and-talk therapy or nature-based counselling—takes the therapeutic process into natural, open-air environments like parks, woodlands, coastal paths or gardens.
Why it works:
- Movement helps expression: Walking side-by-side can feel less intense than sitting face-to-face, which can make opening up easier especially for those who find traditional settings a bit too formal or intimidating.
- Nature is calming: Being surrounded by greenery, fresh air, or the sound of the wildlife has a proven impact on our nervous system, reducing stress, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm.
- Creates a sense of freedom: Outdoor spaces encourage a feeling of space and possibility. It helps people feel less ‘trapped’ in their struggles and more able to reflect and breathe—literally and emotionally.
- Supports body and mind: Gentle movement helps regulate mood, improve circulation, and reduce the physical tension often tied to anxiety, trauma, or addiction.
Who it’s good for:
- People who feel restricted, restless or overwhelmed indoors
- Teenagers or adults who find traditional approaches daunting
- Those who connect with nature and benefit from movement
- Clients exploring recovery, grief, or life transitions
Indoor therapy: a safe, structured space
Indoor therapy takes place in a quiet, private room designed for comfort, safety and deep, uninterrupted conversations. It’s a classic format for a reason—it provides consistency and containment, especially when exploring sensitive, painful, or complex emotions.
Why it works:
- Consistency and control: The calm, predictable setting of a therapy room provides stability which is ideal for clients processing trauma, high levels of anxiety, or emotional dysregulation.
- Privacy and boundaries: A quiet indoor space offers uninterrupted processing and reflection, emotional containment, where people feel held, heard, and safe to go deeper.
- Focused and reflective: The structure of sitting face-to-face can support deeper focus and connection, helping clients build self-awareness and process emotions more thoroughly.
- Accessibility: Indoor spaces allow for creative tools like drawing, worksheets, or trauma-informed grounding techniques that benefit from a calm, seated environment.
Who it’s good for:
- Clients looking for emotional safety and stability
- People working through trauma, grief, or longstanding patterns
- Those who prefer or need private, enclosed environments
- Clients who are new to counselling and want a gentle, supportive introduction
You deserve support
Whatever you’re carrying, you don’t need to carry it alone. It’s okay to feel unsure, nervous, or even overwhelmed about starting counselling, that’s completely normal. But even taking the step to explore your options is a powerful beginning.
Let’s talk, when you’re ready. Whether we meet indoors or outdoors, the space is yours.
Lauren Jarrett
Person-Centred/Integrative Counsellor | Adult Counselling | Outdoor & Indoor Sessions Available