So much psychotherapy takes place within the confines of a consulting room. But what happens when therapy takes place in a natural setting – or when the natural world is invited into the narrative of self and other? This module brings together the practices of ecology and psychotherapy to illustrate how engagement with nature, which includes ourselves, is a powerful transformative tool, both in itself and – potentially – when integrated into any therapeutic approach.
This module rests on the principle that by seeing ourselves as part of the biosphere, rather than above or beyond it, we can begin to return to a relationship with the natural conditions that once provided us with the core of our psychological, spiritual and cultural sustenance. We suggest that our rapid withdrawal from nature is the source of damaging alienation from a part of ourselves and the inherent context of our lives. The 16 presenters propose that the biological and ecological field of being is always somewhere present in the relationship and, when embraced through ecologically-aware therapeutic modalities, profound transformation of emotional states can occur. (Confer)
