Nature and Wellness from the Mental Health Reset on 8/23/20

 

Nature and Wellness

“A walk in the woods walks the soul back home.” -Mary Davis

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” -Lao Tzu

“Animals are such agreeable friends. They ask no questions; they pass no criticisms.” -George Eliot


Created during the Mental Health Reset on 8/23/2020

Calming scenes in nature:

First snow of the season, watching birds and bunnies eating flowers, fall foliage, hummingbirds in the garden, pumpkin patches, rocks near the stream, Christmas trees, seeing the deer or foxes, leaves falling, the smell of rain, the sound of waves, cornfields, cows in a pasture, palm trees, smell of pine and sage, looking at beautiful buildings, the beach, Pacific Ocean, slight breeze on a calm day, the sound of snow packing down when you step on it, waterfalls, sunrises, sunsets, lakes and rivers

 How we can incorporate nature into our everyday lives:

Have a pet

Herb garden

Watering your garden

Deep breathing

House plants (or fake plants)

Relaxing with some stretching/yoga outside

Earthing- feeling the ground beneath your bare feet

Reading or journaling outside

Looking out at the woods

Raise and release caterpillars and butterflies

Enjoy the trees

Walking in the park

Meditating and listening to music outside

Keep an indoor aquarium or fish tank

Charlie says, “I go for a roll on a bike path near my house (I use a wheelchair full time).”

 

Useful links

Ecotherapy / Nature Therapy

https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/econature-therapy

Ecotherapy

https://www.mentalhelp.net/blogs/ecotherapy/

Nature and Mental Health

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/nature-and-mental-health/how-nature-benefits-mental-health/

 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sleep and mental health

There is overwhelming evidence that one’s mental health is directly related to their quantity and quality of sleep. For me, sleep has been a factor in maintaining my mental health, especially my anxiety. Before I developed a mental illness, sleep was not too high of a priority. As a college student, I could stay up until 3:00 working on an assignment then wake up at 7:00 to get to class. Between drinking caffeine and driving with radio on loud, I could go through my day as if I had gotten a full 8 hours of sleep. Although I don’t attribute developing a mental illness to my poor sleep habits, not paying enough attention to my health or listening to my body definitely contributed to the severity of my mental breakdown. If I had taken better care of myself during the semester, I don’t think my symptoms would have begun so abruptly. Throughout my battle with mental illness and my recovery, paying attention to my sleep has been essential. Getting too much or too little sleep during the ni
Read more

A fresh coat of paint and a fresh start

My family has lived in our old farm house for 13 years, since I was 10. Since then, I've had the same pink walls with a butterfly border and the same hot pink furniture. My bulletin board was filled with old pictures, and I still had all of the books I needed in college. A few days ago, I realized that I was finally feeling mentally strong enough to take on the project of transforming my bedroom. A big motivator for me was seeing my close friends moving into houses and apartments. I have accepted that I'm not ready to live on my own yet, but I was inspired to make a change. My bedroom can serve different purposes: a place for sleeping, an area I could relax and unwind, and somewhere I could use as an "office" for writing and corresponding. I could create a space where I would feel more independent, but I would also be able to have the support from my family. Once I began organizing and going through my old things, I realized how far I've come. When I was strug
Read more

Our holiday card project. Your voice can make a difference.

During the periods of my life when I have struggled the most with my mental illness, I've always had a strong and devoted support system who have been there to encourage me and remind me that I'm loved and that I will get through the difficult times. Not everyone dealing with mental illness has that same level of support, and the holiday season can make them feel more isolated. This year, The Cassie Cares Project (made up of me and my friends) wants to give the community and people online the chance to provide some much needed kindness to some people in Ulster County in NY who are battling mental illness. We will be making holiday cards with encouraging messages inside to distribute to the people involved with MHA of Ulster County. We want these messages to come from the community or anyone who has some kind words to share. This is a way you can directly brighten someone's holiday. Below are some starters you can use (as many as you choose) to share a nice message of an
Read more