Lately stress and anxiety have become one of the worst enemies of human beings. All this is related to the stressful life that is often lived, stressful routine, too much work and too little rest, this causes exhaustion and mental tiredness. To remedy the best thing is to use natural methods, limiting the use of medicines to serious cases, ecotherapy helps us to discover the benefits of nature and how to become one with nature.
Also known as earth-centered therapy or green therapy, ecotherapy involves carrying out a number of therapeutic methods. These focus on the fact that we are part of a vast living network, but that’s not all. This therapy makes it possible to combine the psychology of each individual with that of the environment. There is a person who has managed to extend his visibility to the public Theodore Roszac, through his book entitled “the voice of the Earth”published in 1992. Four years later, Howard Clinebell would also publish a similar one known as “Ecotherapy”. The latter emphasized personal growth and healing through human interaction with the Earth. It can be said that it was Clinebell who established the term “ecotherapy” after the publication of his book. This is because it adds the psychological link of nature with the physical part of the human being.
Furthermore, ecotherapy can be seen as an excellent alternative to psychotherapy and also to psychiatry. Bearing in mind that maintaining a link between man and nature is fundamental and above all relevant. This without neglecting all the discoveries of science and knowledge that come from the indigenous peoples themselves.
Green therapy has thus become a science that develops thanks to the relationship between man and nature. This is on a level that goes beyond what would normally develop. Ecotherapy is an excellent treatment for cases of depression, anxiety and stress. Reason why today it is practiced in various health centers and why many people want about ecotherapy what it is and what are its benefits.
benefits of ecotherapy
To know in detail the benefits of ecotherapy, it is essential to divide them into two groups. It’s about the mental and physical benefits.
MENTAL BENEFITS
Undoubtedly, ecotherapy has become more popular in recent years to cure the mental part of human being. Hugging a tree and even enjoying the forest can be of great help in healing the mind of the human being. Among the benefits in the mental aspect, the most important are the following:
Significant reduction of negative thoughts: In general, the high levels of stress and anxiety caused by the fast pace of life can generate negative thoughts. If this continues for a long time, all this could turn into a serious depressive picture. It is precisely in this part that nature plays its important role, helping to free oneself from this type of thoughts, freeing the mind.
Also, when doing green therapy, it is advisable to take a walk in a natural place for at least 90 minutes. In this way, not only can negative thoughts be reduced, but they are also replaced by positive thoughts. Furthermore, the neural activity generated in the frontal cortex is limited, which is beneficial for mental health.
Promotes the development of creativity: Among the techniques used in ecotherapy, there is one known as forest bathing. It allows human beings to establish healthy contact with a natural environment. This with the aim of clearing a large part of the mind and focusing all attention only on the current problem. With this it is possible to achieve that the concentration increases to a higher level, while the creativity increases up to 50%. This should be more than enough to find the solution to the problem.
They increase the intellect: Enjoying the forest through a comfortable walk allows you to maintain the physical conditions of a person, but not only. It also serves as food for the cells, so they can increase their performance. Furthermore, it stimulates memorization ability, considerably increases the hippocampus and cognition capacity.
Allows you to control ADHD ( Attention Deficit Disorder):
ADHD can be controlled with the help of ecotherapy, which recommends activities that can be done outdoors. This is because it helps significantly reduce the symptoms of attention deficit disorder.
PHYSICAL BENEFITS
The mental part is not the only one to benefit from ecotherapy treatment, physical performance also increases. For this it is necessary to go for a walk, jog or run for at least 90 minutes, since these are activities that offer excellent physical results. Carrying out this activity in the middle of nature allows you to reduce blood pressure, heart rate and cortisol levels.
Similarly, practicing physical activity in a natural environment promotes sleep reconciliation, reduces stress levels and protects the immune system. This means that ecotherapy offers excellent results both physically and mentally. As if that weren’t enough, it allows you to develop a better connection with nature.
What are ecotherapy techniques?
woman trains at dawn in nature
In ecotherapy, the application of certain techniques is necessary to achieve physical and mental healing of a person. Some of the most important techniques are as follows:
EARTHING
It is also known as grounding, which translates as “to connect with the earth.” The idea of this technique is to focus on discovering balance in the affected body. This through an electrical reconnection of the same organism with the earth.
To achieve this it is necessary to carry out various activities such as walking barefoot on the sand or on the grass, taking a pleasant bath with hot water. Hiking, hugging a tree, gazing at the sea, and meditating in a natural setting are other activities you can do while grounded.
FOREST BATHING
Also known as Shinrin Yoku or forest bathing, this therapy takes place in a natural environment. Preferably it should be performed in the forest, you don’t need to go deep, but you do need to be surrounded by it.
HORTICULTURAL THERAPY
Having a home garden or planting directly in the garden is also another of the techniques that can be applied in ecotherapy. Digging a hole in the ground, placing some seeds inside, pruning and even collecting dry leaves can be helpful. Although it may seem incredible, this method has been implemented to treat post-traumatic stress in war veterans. The truth is that the results have been very positive, which is why it is one of the most recommended ecotherapy techniques.
