Nature Therapy for Mamas
You may not like the word therapy. I didn't either until last summer when I saw a therapist for the first time and realized its value. I'm certain there are plenty of valuable types of therapies and therapists out there - physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, etc. - many of them good for the body or mind and absolutely needed, but in my own search for being the best I can be for my family right now, nature therapy is my favorite.
Why? Because nature therapy is good for the soul and good for family togetherness too.
(and it's pretty good for our bodies as well, right?)
I know this because it's been good for my family for years.
You probably already know how much easier it is to parent little people when you're outdoors and they can run around and let all of their wiggles go all over the place. So, when my boys were little, getting outside was my saving grace.
To be honest, it still is.
If you've been around here a while, you already know that my family didn't really jive with "normal" life, so when we heard about a way to get into nature year-round and raise our kids in some of America’s most breathtaking places, we hit the road and dove headlong into full-time family travel (or, as some call it, living in a camper).
Almost seven years later, we're still camping and loving it, despite a few bumps along the way.
We started because we weren't thriving, we didn’t know where exactly we wanted to raise our kids, and we had a penchant for nature and a very itchy travel bug. But we’ve kept going all these years because we found the kind of family togetherness we love (even if we had to do some work to redefine it) and a new relationship with nature along the way too.
We discovered that we become more alive when we're outside.
I don't have to look very far to know we're not the only ones.
Great thinkers and writers such as Rachel Carson, John Muir, Scott Sampson, John Holt, Richard Louv, Charlotte Mason, Theodore Roosevelt, and thousands more have talked about the power of nature for the human mind, body, and soul for centuries. And just a quick peek outside my camper door at all of the families enjoying their summer camping trips lets me know that so many of us haven't forgotten that power.
Family togetherness just feels easier outside, doesn't it?
We roast marshmallows around a campfire free from distractions, we grab a fishing pole and end up talking on the water for hours, and we throw some water bottles in a hiking pack and set off to unknown lands (even if they are just five minutes down the road from our house). As a result, our family relationships grow deeper and deeper roots, and we make memories that will last a lifetime.
Lately, I've discovered that nature makes being a good mama easier too.
I nearly burned myself out last year, and although I'm still uncovering ways I need to recover from overextending in such a big way, it's my daily practice of diving deeply into nature that's become my therapy.
I go for walks when I need to be alone. I hike with my kids on Mondays and Fridays. I hop out onto the water to paddleboard or kayak as often as the weather permits. I even booked a wilderness camping trip (tents only) with my kids for a few days next week, pushing myself way past my comfort zone and into a new part of nature I don't often visit.
And in every instance, I find myself coming around, sitting up taller, almost like an old friend causing me to say, "Oh, there you are; I'm so glad I found you."
I wrote about what nature therapy looks like for me in Best Self Magazine recently, and in writing that article, I realized that I'm a stronger mama, better at connecting with my family on a deeper level, and so much more fun when I'm able to get outside. I hope you'll check it out. (And I hope I come out of the wilderness next week with even better stories and deeper connections with my kids - I'll let you know!)
If nature therapy is new for you and you're looking for a quick how-to:
Open your door.
Step outside.
Stand, sit, or walk somewhere with natural beauty (trees, grass, flowers, mountains, lakes, the ocean).
Listen to the sounds or drown out the noise. (In a place with no manmade noises, I love to sit quietly and think, but when sirens, cars, or thoughts in my head are too shrill, I grab my headphones and listen to a good book or podcast or recorded ocean sounds.)
Keep it simple.
Repeat.
Remember that you don't have to leave home (unless you have no grass or trees nearby) and you don't have to pay someone to take you on an amazing nature experience (although it might be fun sometimes - like this guy I read about who hosts forest bathing trips in Maine - wow).
What about you?
Maybe your family is thriving right now because the current state of our world has made it easier to be home with your kids, to put together some fun backyard camping trips, get out for a few more hikes than usual, or cuddle up with more good books. And nature therapy might be something to keep in your back pocket for another season.
Or maybe you're trying to find a way forward for your family, considering shifting priorities to stay at home, homeschooling, or making another big shift to make things better for your family. If that's you, I hope you'll try out some nature therapy, and I hope you find peace, hope, encouragement, and lightness of heart there.
In that Best Self article, I admit that I've always found help and healing in my faith, my family, and some very good friends during times when my soul needed a boost, and that's still true. But so many of us also try to perform/excel/achieve in those relationships, which can be the last thing we need when our souls need a place to heal.
Thankfully, nature is there to show us another way.
What do you love to do in nature that makes family togetherness easier?
Hop into our email group and let me know. I'd love to hear about it!