Medical Providers Are Taking Nature Therapy Seriously

Throughout the United States, health care professionals are beginning to prescribe "time outdoors" as a remedy for physical and mental illnesses in place of pharmaceuticals. Due to the stressors caused by Covid-19, this prescription – which is already being used in 32 states – could begin to play an even larger role in "the health care industry’s approach to treatment."

A Canadian doctor partnered with the British Columbia Parks Foundation to launch PaRx, A Prescription for Nature. The program helps health care providers prescribe time in nature for patients experiencing depression and anxiety related to climate change.

Studies have found that youth who play sports have higher levels of self-esteem and social support and lower levels of depression and loneliness. Several organizations — like Girls on the Run and DC Scores — have emerged to provide sports programming that doubles as a space to teach interpersonal skills, problem-solving and how to talk about feelings and ask for help.

Paul Quinn, a historically Black college, developed an exhaustive program that supports students’ mental health as a way to encourage academic success. All incoming students have a mental health assessment with a counselor and have free access to therapy and support groups throughout their education. Professors, coaches, and academic advisers also offer support or can direct students to campus resources.

The state-funded Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium provides mental health care and resources to more than 300 school districts, with one goal of preventing mass shootings. Programs like in-school behavioral telehealth appointments make care more accessible to children who are identified as in-need

Providing patents with manageable, meaningful activities helps address issues of depression and cognitive impairment. The approach of Problem Adaptation Therapy (PATH) focuses on giving patients tools and small activities to modify their behavior. These can include things like creating checklists, or even just scheduling time for mindfulness. The approach is proven to help patients cope with their feelings, reducing anxiety and depression.

Medical professionals throughout the United States are starting to implement mental health screenings during routine care in order to better assess those at risk of suicide. Using a combination of health records and questionnaires to flag which patients should have continued follow-ups, clinics and primary care specialists prioritization of suicide intervention is already showing significant results.

The rise of natural disasters due to climate change in India has had a psychological impact on many, including children, but psychologists in the state of Kerala are working to address the trauma through targeted training. From better equipping school counselors and providing on-site counselors for students, the communities have reported a decrease in fear in the children.

People who experience trauma in their early childhood are at a higher likelihood of experiencing chronic pain in later years, which often goes untreated. However, emotional awareness and expression therapy, which combines talk therapy with cognitive behavioral therapy, has shown significant success in treating those suffering from this health issue.

Many people associate post-traumatic stress disorder as a diagnosis exclusively reserved for military or emergency responders, and this limited definition can lead to misdiagnoses for everyday civilians. Training more therapists in cognitive processing therapy and prolonged exposure therapy, however, expands treatment options for this population.