Bring nature to your therapy room—or take therapy into nature
Psychotherapy has traditionally occurred in office spaces and focused on issues that stop at the urban boundary. But with the growing impacts of climate-related anxiety and trauma, and mounting evidence that contact with nature has powerful psychological and emotional benefits, more clinicians are turning to the practice of ecotherapy to help their clients heal.
Prescribing Nature is written for any mental health professional looking to incorporate the natural world into their work. Ecopsychology pioneer Patricia Hasbach highlights the theoretical foundations of ecotherapy and the research that supports the efficacy of nature-based methods.
Whether you are interested in moving therapy sessions outdoors, writing nature prescriptions for clients, or bringing the outdoors into your office, here you’ll find practical strategies that will broaden the lens of your therapeutic practice to include the vital human-nature relationship.
“Patricia Hasbach is a pioneering voice for ecotherapy and ecopsychology. In recent years, a growing body of scientific evidence shows that people of all ages are suffering physically, psychologically, and spiritually from a disconnection from the natural world. For many, that disconnect is a matter of life and death. To this cause, Hasbach brings not only her clinical expertise but also the voice of her heart. Prescribing Nature is a seminal work and a milestone for the new nature movement.”
Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
“An accessible, sensible introduction to the theory of ecopsychology and the methods of ecotherapy. Recommended for both therapists and for anyone interested in the human-nature connection.”
Howard Frumkin, MD, Dr.P.H., emeritus professor and former dean, University of Washington School of Public Health, former director, National Center for Environmental Health, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
“As the evidence continues to mount on the benefits of connecting deeply to the natural world, here comes Patricia Hasbach’s indispensable guide for clinicians, patients, and all of us. This is the book we need right now.”
Florence Williams, author of The Nature Fix and Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey
“This is a timely and much-needed volume, grounded in the understanding that humans are connected to the natural world. Drawing on research, history, and personal experience, Hasbach provides both theoretical support and practical suggestions for a therapeutic approach that supports psychological well-being by helping people to recognize that connection as part of their identity. A must read for nature-informed mental health care.”
Susan Clayton, PhD, Whitmore-Williams Professor of Psychology, The College of Wooster