Walk and Talk Therapy
Take therapy outdoors to move toward your goals!
Tired of being stuck inside in an office or classroom sitting all day? Let’s get some fresh air and walk together. I offer walk and talk therapy sessions to those who want to get out in nature at nearby Balboa Park.
Kate Hays, PH.D author of Working it out: using exercise in psychotherapy cites three key reasons for combining exercise and therapy:
1. It encourages a client to be more physically active for mental and physical health reasons.
2. It helps a client get “unstuck” when confronting difficult issues.
3. It spurs creative, deeper ways of thinking, often released by mood-improving physical activity.
“Some patients may become anxious when confronting something difficult in a traditional seated, face-to-face interaction,” Hays states. “Walking in parallel with visual distractions may allow for easier engagement.”
Walking also propels people forward. Clients find that talking and processing issues while walking helps them to see new possibilities and to access their strength–both physically through the movement, and also emotionally and spiritually. Clients have expressed that walking during therapy can help shift heavy emotions and provide a sense of aliveness. People often connect nature or being outside with relaxation and fun. When walking during therapy, clients’ bodies relax and their mind is distracted, leaving them open to insights and shifting old patterns.
Come Walk With Me!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is walk and talk therapy any different than traditional therapy?
Q: How long is a walk and talk session?
We will typically walk 20-40 minutes in the park together and wrap up the conversation back in my office to complete your 50-minute session. Clients choose the pace of the walk and how far or long we walk together within the period of your session.
Q: Is there any additional costs for walk and talk therapy with you?
No. Walk and talk therapy sessions are the same fee as your regular 50-minute office sessions.
Q: Are you a personal trainer and will this be a physical workout?
Q: I have physical limitations and am not in good physical shape. Will this work for me?
Q: What is mindful walking?
Mindful walking simply means to walk while being fully immersed in the present moment without a goal or intention. During mindful walking, your breath, body and surroundings are used to ground you in the moment fully. Mindful walking is an active meditation practice that allows you to become consciously aware of your breathe and each physical step as you move through the environment. Mindful walking can create awareness of the pleasure of movement in our bodies, release emotions and worries and bring peace into our body and mind.
Q: What if I see someone I know or if I do not want to show my emotions in public?
Our walks take place along the paths in beautiful balboa park. Typically, during walks we will only cross paths with a few individuals. If we see someone you know, you can handle it in any manner you wish. I will not engage in conversing with others without your consent, so I will follow your lead in how little or much we interact with other individuals.