Catch Me Outside, How About Dat (Yes, For Therapy)
So… We’re Just Walking Around…Or?
If your therapist has ever suggested going for a walk during a session, you might have thought, Wait, is this therapy or are we training for a 5K? Valid thought.
But don’t worry. I promise you won’t need hiking boots or your Apple Watch to track steps. Walk-and-talk therapy is less about the steps and more about giving your nervous system room to breathe. It’s therapy, just with a more scenic view, fewer cushions, and less of that intense eye contact that makes you wonder if you’re blinking too much.
For a lot of people, sitting face-to-face in a small room and talking about something vulnerable feels like a bit much. You’re being asked to open up emotionally while also deciding what to do with your hands. Walking helps with that. Side-by-side movement takes some of the pressure off. There is no spotlight. Just fresh air, a steady rhythm, and space to speak, or not.
And this isn’t just a vibe thing. There’s real research behind it.
Spending time in nature while walking can reduce anxiety and depression, support emotional regulation, and increase overall well-being (Bratman et al., 2024; Olafsdottir et al., 2020). It’s not magic, but the combination of movement and environment seems to nudge the brain and body into a state that feels a little more open and a little less guarded.
Kaplan (1993) describes something called “soft fascination,” which basically means that nature holds our attention in a gentle way. Like watching a river flow or a bird hopping along a path. These things are interesting but not overwhelming. They help your nervous system downshift from survival mode into something closer to okay, maybe I can talk about this now.
And you wouldn’t be the only one who finds this easier. Walk-and-talk therapy has been helpful for clients who feel stuck, who struggle with eye contact, or who just need a different way to show up. For some neurodivergent clients, the sensory environment outdoors is actually more manageable than the quiet stillness of a therapy office (Trevisan et al., 2017; Liu et al., 2024). Youth often find walking less intense than sitting and talking about feelings and hard stuff (shocking, I know). And men have reported that walk-and-talk therapy makes it easier to open up without feeling quite so exposed (Doucette, 2004; Dickmeyer et al., 2025). Honestly, talking about your feelings while staring at trees instead of into someone’s soul? Kind of a win, in my opinion.
For some clients, nature-based therapy is not just helpful, it’s meaningful. Many Indigenous and land-connected folks already understand healing as something that happens in relationship with land, body, and spirit (Field, 2022; Greer & Lemacks, 2024). For some of these clients, therapy on the land can feel more aligned with their values and ways of knowing.
Of course, this isn’t the right fit for everyone. Sometimes we stay indoors. Sometimes the weather has other plans. And sometimes you just really want to sit on a couch, hold a mug, and not worry about the potential triggering hum of mosquitoes. That’s completely okay.
But for those who are curious, walk-and-talk therapy can offer something simple and real. It’s not a replacement for deep therapeutic work. It’s just a different way in. A slower pace. A chance to feel your feet on the ground while you sort through whatever is on your heart.
And no, you don’t have to talk the whole time. Sometimes the pauses are where the real work lives. And if Parker the therapy dog is with us? Even better. He may make us laugh by chewing a stick or eating grass like the half mountain goat he apparently believes he is.
Curious to Learn More?
If this approach sounds like something you’d like to explore, I offer a free 20-minute consultation so we can connect and see if it feels like the right fit.
Sources
Bratman, G. N., Anderson, C. B., Berman, M. G., Cochran, B., de Vries, S., Flanders, J., ... & Daily, G. C. (2024). Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective. Science Advances, 10(1), eadh7618. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adh7618
Dickmeyer, C. A., Avery, M. R., Mahoney, R. S., Klenk, M. M., & Liddell, J. (2025). Walk-and-talk therapy for men experiencing low mood: A randomized pilot study. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy. Advance online publication.
Doucette, P. A. (2004). Walk and talk: An innovative approach to therapy. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 40(1), 23–24. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6163.2004.tb00003.x
Field, J. (2022). Walking as healing: Culturally grounded therapy on the land. Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 56(2), 127–143.
Greer, A., & Lemacks, E. (2024). Reclaiming land and balance: Indigenous wellness in therapeutic practice. Journal of Indigenous Social Work, 9(1), 45–61.
Kaplan, R. (1993). The role of nature in the context of the workplace. Landscape and Urban Planning, 26(1–4), 193–201.
Liu, M., Li, L., Pan, Z., Liu, D., Tang, S., & Hu, Y. (2024). Effects of animal-assisted therapy on social interaction and regulation in children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Children and Youth Services Review, 156, 107303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107303
Olafsdottir, G., Cloke, P., & Vögele, C. (2020). Place, green exercise, and stress: An exploration of individual and contextual characteristics in a randomized trial. Health & Place, 61, 102237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.102237
Trevisan, D. A., Roberts, N., Lin, C., & Birmingham, E. (2017). How do adults and teens with self-declared autism spectrum disorder experience eye contact? A qualitative analysis of first-hand accounts. PLOS ONE, 12(11), e0188446. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0188446
