Walk and Talk Therapy
Therapy that Blends Movement and Mindfulness
About Walk and Talk Therapy
Explore the Benefits of Walk and Talk Therapy
There are many different ways to approach therapy, and many therapists use a blend of modalities to best support their clients. Walk and talk therapy is an option that I offer to provide another gateway for healing.
Simply put, some people find it easier to open up and talk about difficult or uncomfortable things when they’re moving.
What is Walk and Talk Therapy?
Walk and talk therapy is a therapy session that takes place while walking with me, usually outside in nature. Instead of sitting down together, we take a walk for the duration of your session, and we work on whatever we’re already working on, but we’re outside walking. Wilmington offers many beautiful parks and trails where we can conduct our Walk and Talk session. Some people also enjoy walking along the Riverwalk by the Cape Fear River.
If you enjoy spending time outdoors, walk and talk therapy might be a natural fit for you. Individuals with a lot of excess energy during therapy sessions or who don’t feel comfortable sitting still, also really enjoy this option.
Walking next to your therapist instead of facing each other making eye contact, can help some people feel safer opening up and talking about vulnerable topics.
The Benefits of Walk and Talk Therapy
Get Unstuck
Sometimes it’s hard to figure out what you want to say in therapy. Some
of my clients have noted that they feel more comfortable in nature. When you feel more comfortable, it’s easier to open up and connect to what you want to say and to confront difficult decisions or situations.
Since one part of the brain is focused on keeping you moving, it frees up another part to open up and make connections you might not otherwise have made.
Increased Mindfulness
Feeling connected to nature can make it easier to slow down and notice
the present moment. Mindfulness is a crucial component of mental health, but it takes a lot of practice, especially in our distraction-filled lives.
Walk and talk therapy offers you a chance to slow down and notice what’s going on right now around you and within you. The more you practice being mindful, the easier it will be to slip into that mindset when you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious.
Connect to Your Mind + Body
Fostering the mind-body connection is an important part of mental health. Many of us spend a lot of time in our heads and feel disconnected from our bodies as a result.
Walk and talk therapy helps connect what’s going on in your brain with moving your body. Tuning in to the mind-body connection can help you recognize and feel your feelings which is a crucial part of emotional regulation.
Moving Your Body is Good for You
Exercise is good for you, and not just for your body. It’s important to regularly move your body for your mental health. Regular movement helps to increase your strength, stamina and energy, improves self-esteem, reduces feelings of anxiety and depression, helps you sleep better, increases resilience to stress, and more.
Other Considerations
Privacy is paramount in therapy, and when you’re walking and talking outside, there is naturally less privacy than in a therapy room. I will do everything in my power to keep your sessions private even while out walking, but it is possible that we may run into someone you know. If this happens, it will be up to you to decide how you would like to handle that.
You might not always be in the mood to walk and talk, and that’s okay. Walk and talk therapy is an option we will keep in your therapy toolbox to use when it feels right.