More Than a Walk in the Woods: The Core Elements of Healing Through Nature

Nature-based mental health interventions (NBIs) are gaining increasing recognition as powerful tools to support emotional healing, stress reduction, and wellbeing. But nature alone isn't a magic fix. The real transformation lies in how we facilitate these experiences. Whether it's a community walk, forest bathing session, or eco-therapy group, the impact depends on thoughtful design, skilled facilitation, and relational care.

Based on the framework by Bloomfield (2017), this article explores the five essential components that make NBIs effective, especially for people navigating anxiety, depression, emotional disconnection, or burnout. We'll also look at the broader structures that support long-term success.

Why Nature-Based Mental Health Interventions Work

Nature offers a multisensory environment that soothes the nervous system, boosts mood, and invites presence. When we spend time in natural spaces, cortisol levels drop, heart rate slows, and feelings of connection increase. Yet, simply being outdoors isn't always enough to support deep psychological healing.

Successful NBIs combine the healing qualities of nature with intentional, inclusive, and person-centered practice.

Let’s explore the five key components at the heart of effective programmes:

1. Accessibility in Nature-Based Interventions

For an intervention to be effective, people first need to access it; physically, emotionally, and culturally.

Key considerations include:

• Location and transport: Is the site reachable by public transport? Is there parking? Are paths suitable for mobility aids?

• Affordability: Are there sliding scale fees or funded options?

• Cultural inclusion: Do participants see themselves represented in marketing and facilitation?

• Neurodiversity and trauma-sensitivity: Is the environment predictable, welcoming, and paced to support regulation?

According to MIND (2021), many people with mental health difficulties face barriers to engaging in traditional services. NBIs offer an alternative, but only if designed with inclusion in mind.

2. Meaningful Engagement: Beyond Passive Participation

Rather than instructing participants to simply "be in nature," the most effective NBIs invite active, meaningful interaction.

Activities should:

• Encourage personal reflection, curiosity, and emotional expression

• Offer choice and autonomy (e.g., "choose a natural object that reflects your mood")

• Foster a sense of purpose, not just distraction

• Involve creative or sensory practices (e.g., mindful photography, land art, storytelling)

The key is offering activities as invitations rather than instructions. This empowers participants to engage on their own terms, a core principle in trauma-informed care.

Bloomfield (2017) notes that meaningful engagement fosters a sense of ownership, motivation, and psychological safety.

3. Social Connection as a Healing Force

Loneliness is now widely recognised as a public health issue. For many, disconnection is at the root of emotional distress. NBIs can offer a space for gentle, authentic relational healing.

How:

• Group sessions provide low-pressure opportunities for belonging and shared experience

• Nature acts as a buffer, making social connection feel more natural and less intense

• Facilitators can model vulnerability, acceptance, and emotional regulation

Testimonies often highlight the value of simply being alongside others without pressure to talk. As one participant shared, *"It was the first time I felt safe to just be myself, without having to explain."

Research by Natural England (2020) found that social connection was one of the most reported benefits of community-based green care programmes.

4. Skilled Facilitation in Outdoor Mental Health Work

The facilitator's role is pivotal. They are not just organisers - they are space-holders, emotional regulators, and guides.

Qualities of skilled facilitators:

• Trauma awareness: Understanding how trauma impacts nervous system responses and group dynamics

• Emotional attunement: Noticing subtle cues of distress or shutdown

• Cultural sensitivity: Holding space for diverse identities and experiences

• Flexibility: Adjusting plans based on weather, group energy, or emotional needs

Appropriate training, supervision, and lived experience can all strengthen a facilitator’s ability to hold safe, transformative spaces.

As Bloomfield highlights, without skilled facilitation, even the most beautiful setting can become overwhelming or unsafe for participants.

5. Flexibility & Responsiveness in Practice

Nature is unpredictable, and so are people. The most effective NBIs are responsive to both.

Key principles:

• Weather-adaptability: Have back-up options or shelter plans

• Emotional pacing: Allow for silence, solitude, or stillness when needed

• Emergent content: Let the session flow from what arises in the moment, not just a fixed agenda

• Choice-based structure: Use open-ended invitations rather than rigid exercises

This approach honours the truth that healing isn’t linear. It allows participants to tune into their own needs and regulate in ways that feel natural.

Core Outcome: Improved Mental Health & Wellbeing

When all these components align, the outcome is a real and sustained improvement in wellbeing. Research shows that nature-based interventions can lead to:

• Reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression

• Increased self-esteem and sense of purpose

• Greater emotional resilience and stress recovery

• Enhanced feelings of awe, gratitude, and connection

A 2021 meta-analysis published in Ecopsychology found consistent mental health benefits across a range of nature-based interventions, especially when facilitated in small groups.

Supporting Structures: The Outer Ring of Success

Even the best-designed NBIs need a supportive context to flourish. Bloomfield identifies four contextual enablers:

Community-Based Settings

• Locally embedded programmes feel more approachable and trustworthy

• Use of familiar green spaces fosters long-term engagement

Integration with Services

• Collaboration with GPs, mental health teams, or social prescribers builds credibility

• Participants are more likely to be referred and supported

Consistency Over Time

• Healing takes time. Ongoing, regular sessions build safety and trust

• Allows participants to move at their own pace

Policy & Funding Support

• Recognition of NBIs as valid mental health support leads to better funding

• Sustainable models allow for equity, training, and growth

Final Thoughts: Holding Space with Intention

Nature is a powerful co-facilitator. But it's the careful design, thoughtful leadership, and inclusive ethos of nature-based mental health interventions that determine their impact.

When we hold space outdoors with skill and compassion, we create more than just a pleasant experience. We offer participants the chance to come home to themselves, gently, safely, and with dignity.

Whether you're a practitioner, policymaker, or curious participant, consider how these components might shape the way you engage with nature-based wellbeing.

🌿 Want to Learn More or Deepen Your Practice?

If you're interested in trauma-informed, nature-connected work, mindfulness in nature, visit www.naturally-mindful.co.uk or reach out directly. Let’s build healing spaces that truly nourish.

Sources:

• Bloomfield, D. (2017). What Makes Nature-Based Interventions Successful? A Working Framework.

• Natural England (2020). The People and Nature Survey.

• MIND (2021). Barriers to Accessing Nature and Wellbeing.

• Ecopsychology Journal, Vol. 13, Issue 2, 2021.

• NHS Green Social Prescribing Reports (2022).