The Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre is delivering a Healing in Nature program to support women recovering from domestic, family and sexual violence through guided nature immersion, mindfulness and creative reflection.
Led by ecopsychologist Dr Rachel Yerbury, the program draws on her research into the relationship between psychology, nature and well-being, including the ways connection with the natural environment can support healing and emotional recovery.
Dr Yerbury said the program was developed in partnership with the Centre after discussions earlier this year about offering different approaches to recovery.
“Everybody heals in different ways,” she said.
“The opportunity for women to increase their connection with nature, increase their understanding of nature, and learn some tools and skills they can apply in everyday life can really assist in their healing journey.”
The sessions, held at Wollongong Botanic Garden, are structured around weekly themes and include group discussion, guided nature immersion and reflective or creative activities such as journaling or working with natural materials.
One of the first sessions focused on “grounding in safety and awakening the senses”, using sensory walks to help participants focus on the present moment.
“Quite often when we experience difficult feelings or memories, it’s very difficult to remain in the present moment and to ground ourselves,” Dr Yerbury said.
“But it can be a really useful psychological tool.”
The program is informed by ecopsychology, a field that combines ecology and psychology and explores the relationship between human well-being and the natural environment. Dr Yerbury said her own research, along with broader studies in the field, had found that spending time in nature could reduce stress, improve concentration and strengthen emotional well-being.
“There’s a lot of research to suggest that being in nature as a regular thing actually increases our positive emotion,” she said.
“It increases our sense of purpose and meaning, and it can increase our connection not only with nature, but with other people.
“When we spend time in nature with a community of people, it can enhance those connections and increase our connection with ourselves. It enables self-reflection and helps us build that relationship with ourselves.”
Dr Yerbury said research into “nature dosage” suggested benefits could come from both longer immersive experiences and small daily interactions with the natural world.
“Any time in nature is going to be beneficial for you if you can learn to immerse yourself and connect,” she said.
“Although the longer the better, and the more nature-rich the environment, the better, anything you do to find stillness and connection with nature is going to be psychologically beneficial.”
She said activities such as gardening, walking on the beach or spending time in a local park could all contribute to well-being and emotional recovery.
The Healing in Nature program is available to women receiving support through the Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre.
For more information about the Centre’s services, contact 4243 9800.