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Nature Connection Theory, Evidence and Practice

Nature Connection Theory, Evidence and Practice. Matt Bukowski, MA, NCC James Madison University. Introductions and Intentions. Guiding Questions:. How has the human relationship with nature been studied within mental health disciplines broadly?

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Nature Connection Theory, Evidence and Practice

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  1. Nature Connection Theory, Evidence and Practice Matt Bukowski, MA, NCC James Madison University

  2. Introductions and Intentions

  3. Guiding Questions: • How has the human relationship with nature been studied within mental health disciplines broadly? • What is the status of this knowledge in the counseling profession? • How can counselors ethically incorporate nature into practice?

  4. Overview of Nature and Mental Health -Existential/Humanistic Psychology -Ecopsychology -Children and Nature Movement -Wilderness Therapy -Evolutionary Lifestyle Movement -Wellness Movement -Social Justice/Decolonization Movement

  5. What can we say are consequences of disconnection? Psychotherapy, Buddhism, and increasingly Evolutionary Biology all increasingly agree that mental illness as a category of human dysfunction and disease may result from our choices to move away from the basic social, cultural and economic patterns of our evolutionary ancestors (i.e. hunting and gathering).

  6. Indigenous Knowledge and Philosophy -Informs most if not all of major Western scientific theorists. -Found in traditional ethnographic sources and continuous expressions of identity and political advocacy.

  7. Psychodynamic – Carl Jung “At times I feel as if I am spread out over the landscape and inside things, and am myself living in every tree, in the splashing of the waves, in the clouds and the animals that come and go, in the procession of the seasons. There is nothing….with which I am not linked.” – Memories, Dreams and Reflections, 1961

  8. Existential Psychotherapy – Rollo May “Both (Eastern philosophies and Existentialism) would insist that the Western absorption in conquering and gaining power over nature has resulted not only in the estrangement of man from nature but also indirectly in the estrangement of man from himself.” – The Discovery of Being, 1983. Emphasis added, ignore gender pronouns.

  9. Ecopsychology/Ecotherapy -Craig Chalquist -Linda Buzzell -Peter Kahn -Situated within environmental psychology division of APA. -Chalquist, C. (2009). A look at the ecotherapy research evidence.Ecopsychology, 1(2), 64-74.

  10. Children and Nature Movement -Richard Louv – Nature Deficit Disorder -Informed by landscape design, child development and health research. -Also informs counseling research and practice --Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., & Daily, G. C. (2012). The impacts of nature experience on human cognitive function and mental health. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1249(1), 118-136.

  11. Wilderness Therapy -Interdisciplinary Healthcare Field -Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Council https://obhcouncil.com/ -Adventure Therapy http://www.aee.org/at-best-practices -National Assoc. of Ther. School and Progs. https://www.natsap.org/

  12. Social Justice/Decolonization -Indigenous research methodologies -Cultural survival and indigenous rights movement. Culturalsurvival.org -Bioneers: Integrating feminism, sustainability, social justice. -An Indigeneity program that educates people about the essential practices of indigenous and traditional knowledge. We invite people to learn with leadership from First Peoples how to re-indigenize our societies as citizens of planet Earth and our local address.

  13. Nature and Wellness Theory Myers, Sweeney and Witmer (2000) in an interdisciplinary review define wellness as: “…a way of life oriented toward optimal health and wellbeing, in which body, mind, and spirit are integrated by the individual to live life more fully within the human and natural community. Ideally, it is the optimum state of health and well-being that each individual is capable of achieving.”

  14. Evolutionary Psychology & Neuroscience -Inform developing paleo-wellness movement -John J. Ratey – “Go Wild” Book -Attachment Theory – Bowelby -Barefoot running -Paleo diet: Gut biome-mental health links

  15. Research Evidence for Benefits of Nature -Literature -Philosophyand Religion -Evolutionary Biology -Cultural Geography -Human Ecology -Anthropology -Counseling/Psychology/Social Work -Landscape Design/Architecture

  16. Ethical Dimensions of Nature as a Clinical Intervention C.7. Treatment Modalities C.7.a. Scientific Basis for Treatment When providing services, counselors use techniques/procedures/modalities that are grounded in theory and/or have an empirical or scientific foundation. C.7.b. Development and Innovation When counselors use developing or innovative techniques/procedures/ modalities, they explain the potential risks, benefits, and ethical considerations of using such techniques/procedures/ modalities. Counselors work to minimize any potential risks or harm when using these techniques/procedures/modalities.

  17. Nature in Counseling Practice -Broad overlap as evidence based treatment for mental health diagnoses (esp. depression, sensory, relationship issues) -Wellness Counseling -Neuroscience and Counseling -Somatic Therapies -Wilderness Therapy -Play Therapy -Expressive Arts

  18. Research in Counseling Davis, K. M., & Atkins, S. S. (2009). Ecotherapy: Tribalism in the mountains and forest. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 4(3), 272-282. Hill, N. R. (2007). Wilderness therapy as a treatment modality for at-risk youth: A primer for mental health counselors. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 29(4), 338-349. Reese, R. F., & Myers, J. E. (2012). EcoWellness: The missing factor in holistic wellness models. Journal of Counseling & Development, 90(4), 400-406. Sackett, C. R. (2010). Ecotherapy: A counter to society's unhealthy trend? Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 5(2), 134-141. Swank, J. M., Shin, S. M., Cabrita, C., Cheung, C., & Rivers, B. (2015). Initial investigation of nature-based, child-centered play therapy: A single-case design. Journal of Counseling & Development, 93(4), 440-450.

  19. Nature in Counselor Education -Davis & Atkins at Applachian State -??? -Contact Dr. Debbie Sturm if interested sturmdc@jmu.edu

  20. The Opportunity for Counseling -Psychology as a profession has failed to adopt ecotherapy practices at scale. -The developmental and wholistic framework of counseling are appropriate to research and promote a simple, affordable, accessable, effective mental health intervention such as nature connection. -As technological immersion becomes more pervasive, if mental health disorders also increase, the need for nature connection practices may increase significantly.

  21. The Nature Connection Movement in VA Living Earth School EVE Project Grows Ancestral Knowledge Piedmont Earthworks Wildrock

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