Ecotherapy

What is Ecotherapy?

Ecotherapy, also known as nature therapy or green therapy, is an approach that emphasizes the healing power of nature. It involves spending time in natural environments to improve mental and emotional well-being. Ecotherapy is based on the belief that human beings are interconnected with the natural world and that reconnecting with nature can help restore balance and reduce stress.

How Does Ecotherapy Work?

Ecotherapy can take many forms, including nature walks, gardening, wilderness therapy, or spending time in green spaces. The therapist may guide individuals in mindful observation of nature, grounding exercises, or simply provide a safe space for reflection in a natural setting. The goal is to foster a sense of calm, reduce stress, and promote emotional healing.

Benefits of Ecotherapy

Ecotherapy can be beneficial for those dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout. Some of the benefits include:

  • Improved mood and emotional well-being.
  • Reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression.
  • Enhanced mindfulness and relaxation.
  • Increased connection to the environment and self.

What to Expect in Ecotherapy Sessions

Ecotherapy sessions typically take place outdoors, in a natural setting such as a park, garden, or forest. The therapist may guide participants through mindfulness exercises, reflective conversations, or simply spend time in nature to help foster a sense of peace and well-being.

Is Ecotherapy Right for You?

If you are drawn to nature and believe that spending time outdoors helps improve your mood and reduce stress, ecotherapy may be a beneficial approach for you. Speaking with a therapist trained in ecotherapy can help determine if this method suits your emotional and mental health goals.

Therapists in Brighton & Hove

Browse our verified therapists — many work across a range of approaches and may be able to help.

Gabrielle Lake Mitchell Brighton

Gabrielle Lake Mitchell

Integrative Counsellor

Thinking about starting counselling and looking for a counsellor, can feel daunting. So I warmly welcome you to my profile and hope that you get in touch to see if I am the right counsellor for you. There are many reasons why people seek counselling. Perhaps you are feeling lonely or disconnected from the people around you? Perhaps you would like to talk to someone about making changes in your life? Maybe you are feeling stuck, anxious or depressed, and would like a little extra support to help you through a difficult time? Perhaps you can't quite put your finger on what is wrong, and would like somewhere to express yourself and make sense of your thoughts and feelings?Whatever brings you to counselling, I will endeavour to offer you a confidential and safe space, where you can talk and explore all of your thoughts and feelings, and express them freely without judgement or opinion. Counselling can be useful in helping you to gain insight and a fresh perspective. It can help you to gain understanding about yourself and others, or help to make sense of a problematic situation. It can help you move towards acceptance, emotional freedom and healthy psychological growth.

BACPRegistered
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Thaddeus Hickman Brighton

Thaddeus Hickman

Psychotherapist

I’m an experienced, integrative psychotherapist, registered with both UKCP and BACP. I work with clients to support their immediate struggles, while also helping them understand and identify underlying and often unseen issues - a process which often leads to positive and lasting change.

BACPRegisteredUKCPRegistered
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Sharon Twomey Brighton

Sharon Twomey

Psychotherapeutic counsellor

I’m Sharon, a qualified psychotherapeutic counsellor offering short and long term therapy across Brighton and Hove both in person and online. My work is trauma-informed and rooted in compassion, supporting adults facing challenges such as anxiety, depression, grief, addiction, stress, and relational difficulties.My approach is deeply empathic and nurturing, blending warmth with thoughtful challenge. I offer a confidential space where you can feel held with care as you reflect, engage with difficult emotions, and begin the journey toward meaningful and lasting change.

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Cerrie Lantrua Brighton

Cerrie Lantrua

Counsellor

Clients often tell me how much they value having a space where they feel understood, where they don’t have to explain their neurodivergence or justify their experiences.I am neurodivergent myself, and I’m open about that. It’s not something I see as a limitation, but as something that shapes how I understand, relate, and connect. Alongside my training and experience, this gives me a way of seeing things that often helps clients feel recognised in ways they may not have experienced before.I’m naturally creative and tend to think outside the box, which allows me to consider different perspectives and gently step into what it might be like to be you, not from a place of judgement, but from a genuine willingness to understand.At the same time, I don’t assume your experience is the same as anyone else’s. No two people are the same. A big part of what I offer is taking the time to learn what you need, how you experience things, and what support feels right for you.You are the expert on yourself. My role isn’t to tell you what to do or who to be, but to walk alongside you as you begin to understand yourself more fully.I aim to create a space where you feel safe enough to be real. Where you don’t have to mask, filter, or find the “right” way to say things. A space where you can feel seen, heard, and genuinely understood. 

BACPRegistered
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Andy Wolage Brighton

Andy Wolage

Therapeutic Counsellor

Sometimes life is really hard. Everything feels like too much. We can get overwhelmed with guilt for not coping, shame for having failed in the past and sometimes we can end up not really liking ourselves very much. We might self medicate with substances or other behaviours which we know don't really help, but they seem better than nothing. But they just perpetuate the cycle. I can offer you a safe, non-judgemental and confidential space to organise and reframe those overwhelming feelings and see the wood for the trees. I can help you understand yourself better and to begin to look in the mirror and like what you see. 

NCPSRegistered
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Paul Chantry Brighton, Hove

Paul Chantry

Integrative Counsellor MBACP

We often think that we can manage on our own, but there comes a point when we need to reach out and seek support. Perhaps you are feeling anxious or depressed? Maybe you are finding life overwhelming or have a sense of sadness, hopelessness and despair? Or maybe you are feeling angry and frustrated? If you are experiencing any of these emotions then counselling can really help you to make sense of things, better understand yourself, and overcome the issues which are causing you distress. I am a qualified counsellor and member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and I have experience of helping people who suffer with anxiety, depression, panic attacks, low self-esteem, childhood trauma, self-harm, relationship and family conflict.  If you’ve never had counselling before then finding the right therapist can be confusing and intimidating, so it’s important that you take time to find the right therapist for you. Please don't hesitate to contact me for a free initial telephone consultation so that I can find out a bit more about what's troubling you and we can explore how I can help.

BACPRegistered
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