Walk & Talk Therapy

What is walk and talk Therapy?

« Walk & Talk Therapy » is traditional psychotherapy where the client and the therapist walk outside during therapy instead of sitting inside an office. Science has shown incredible benefits from both psychotherapy and walking, and when combined together, the two become exponentially successful.

Exercise is good for the body and the mind. Bringing a little bit of movement enriches the counselling session. Walking outdoors with fresh air and exercising while sharing your struggles and life situations can be meditative. It encourages healthy activity for adults and teens. Physical activity may reduce levels of depression and anxiety and can help to prevent depressive symptoms. Anxious or grief-stricken patients are also well served by walk-and-talk therapy. Grief can be so totally consuming and feel so heavy; having the counterpoint of being outdoors and accomplishing something positive for one’s health can provide a sense of aliveness.

Some clients may become anxious when confronting something difficult in a traditional seated, face-to-face interaction in a regular counselling office. Walking outdoors side-by-side, in a more relaxed environment, with visual distractions, may allow for easier engagement. Sometimes it can be less intimidating and helps release inhibition.

For some people, walking outside might confront issues they would like to address, such as a fear of open spaces or a fear of feeling judged for their appearance. Having a therapist on your side might ease a return to engaging in social situations. The focus of walk-and-talk therapy is not on how fast or far you can walk but on you, your process and what you are comfortable with.

The “healing power of nature.” Many clients consider the association of being outdoors with recreation and vacation, two very positive things that most people want to experience more. For people sitting in an office all day and for whom the idea of sitting yet again for a counselling session can prevent them from seeking counselling, walk-and-talk therapy might be an option they would like to consider.

Walking and talking with a counsellor is just a new way of approaching mental health goals, and it can be especially for people who have had trouble finding therapy styles that work for them in the past. It enhances the renewal of a sense of freedom. If you have felt stuck in therapy in the past, being physically active helps release some tensions and stimulates new thoughts and ideas. It is a metaphor for moving forward.

The addition of movement also allows therapists to observe breath, pace, gait, and posture and incorporate that information as part of their therapeutic process.