Rooted Ecotherapy Newsletter
May 2023 Edition
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental Health Awareness Month is a great reminder to check in with our mental health and acknowledge the things are we doing well, as well as identify if there are new activities, strategies, routines that we would like to put into action. Getting outside and connecting with nature has been shown to have a beneficial impact on mental health, including reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and mental fatigue, while boosting mood, energy, and sense of connection. Are there ways that you can increase your relationship with nature? If so, what might that look like for you? Some ideas include:
- Setting an amount of time you’d like to spend outside per day
- Tending to a garden or house plants
- Taking care of animals
- Trying a new outdoor activity
- Driving with your windows down or opening the windows of your home
- Eating a meal outside
Ecotherapy Around the World
We often hear about the destruction and deforestation occurring in the Amazon forest and it’s impact on climate change. These harmful practices have a direct impact on the health and mental health of local communities, and the impacts they have on climate change affect the health and mental health of folks across the globe. However, there are organizations working against these practices. One effort, the Amazonian Farms project, is working with local communities in Colombia to create sustainable farms in areas where deforestation has occurred. These efforts have allowed the environment to recover from deforestation, provided food for local communities, and protected native plant species. To learn more about the efforts of this project, please find the link below:
Self-Guided Introduction to Ecotherapy
Wanting to learn more about ecotherapy and continue developing your practice of connecting to nature? Check out my Self-Guided Introduction to Ecotherapy.