​   Why Nature connected play therapy?

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• Play therapy is a child centred approach to therapy that meets the child where they are at and recognises that play is a child’s most fluent ‘language’. It is the combination of both a safe and trusting relationship AND the play which can facilitate positive change for a child. Person centred therapy (which is a type of psychotherapy) recognises core conditions of a therapeutic relationship, at the core of which are ‘Empathy’, ‘congruence’ and ‘unconditional positive regard’ (if you want to learn more about this you can search the internet for the ‘person centred approach, or ‘Rogerian theory) . In addition to this, research in play therapy has recognised four ways that play is therapeutic for children, which are ‘facilitating communication’, ‘Fostering emotional wellness’, ‘enhancing social relationships’, and ‘increasing personal strengths’ (If you search for ‘The therapeutic powers of play’ on the internet you can find much more detail about this). In play children can ‘try out’ different characters or experiences with the safe distance of a story, or learn ‘how to feel’ with messy play, for example.

• For a lot of children connections to friends and family, and everyday play, can help and support them to process and make sense of everyday challenges or mishaps and the navigation of relationships. Sometimes, however, for a myriad reasons, those challenges might be too big for a little person to cope with, or there might be too many all at once and they might need some more help to work through it. That’s what a play therapist (and a therapeutic relationship) is for!

• So, then, how to we fit the ‘nature bit’ in… Well, there is now extensive research studies showing how spending time outdoors and in ‘natural’ environments have a positive effect on our nervous systems, often reducing stress levels, and supporting emotion regulation. Did you know there is a study that showed that patients in a hospital healed more quickly if there was a picture of nature in their room, compared to none (and real nature out the window was even better). For some children indoor spaces can feel a bit stifling or pressured, whereas being outside they feel freer to move, express themselves and engage. It’s a lot harder to feel like you don’t fit in when presented with the endless diversity of nature! This can also often support and speed up the development of the therapeutic relationship. From a sensory perspective there is so much to feel, smell, move around and see, but often in a way which is not overstimulating. People who experience sensory overwhelm indoors often feel calmer indoors- somehow the natural sensations have a different quality to them, than, say, a busy classroom! The natural world is also absolutely full of metaphors that can be helpful ways to support children to understand, articulate and process complex emotions or experiences in a safe way.

• Finally, and something which for me personally is very important, is that these experiences help children to build a stronger connection with the natural world, and hopefully grow up to be more environmentally conscious themselves, understanding that our relationship with the natural world is reciprocal- she will be good to us if we are good to her!  And, in the end, that relationship will be there much longer than any therapist can be!