It's an uncommonly mild spring evening. I've had a busy day, leafleting
my local neighbourhood about a new Walk and Talk therapy service I’m launching.
It's in the quiet time of the day I can reflect how far I have travelled. Round
trip I have probably walked 4 miles, Lee-Blackheath-Hither Green. Through my
walks I am starting to develop a deeper understanding of the area.
I certainly can’t claim to have come up with the idea of walk and talk
therapy. In fact Freud was known to take clients out for a walk occasionally as
he believed walking in nature could free clients up. Through my research, I’ve
discovered there are a handful of therapists who work in this way across the UK
and probably further afield.
I have felt drawn to working in this way through a number of important
experiences I’ve had in my working life. For 4 years, I supported young people
across London in taking up the challenge of the Duke of Edinburgh’s award.
Walking in the hills of mid Wales, the South Downs, The Lake and Peat Districts
often had me feeling creative hopeful and happy. In my personal life too, when
facing challenges, I instinctively opt for taking walks which frees me up
somehow to see situations in a different light.
I’m hopeful that this alternative approach will make counselling more
accessible to some people who might be overwhelmed by the idea of sitting
opposite someone for 50 minutes in a confined space. Having said that, one of
the questions I have about working in this way is how walking will affect the
relationship between counsellor and client. I wonder, for example about whether
the lack of eye contact will affect the counselling experience.
Because of this and so many other questions I have about working in this
way, I opted to run a small pilot consisting of two 4 week trials which I’ve
now completed. I’m really grateful to have received some positive and helpful
feedback from the two individuals who took part. One commented that "You
can't help but be in the moment. You have to be aware of each step and that
keeps you in the now".I find this insight that walking offers a way to
connect to oneself interesting in
that connecting or reconnecting to
oneself is widely regarded as one of the main things counselling strives to
achieve.
The second individual who participated in the pilot had been in and out
of therapy over several years. He noted that the sessions themselves had a
completely different feel from the normal ones he had experienced. He felt that being in the presence of the
wildlife and the trees created an instant openness within him which made it
easier for him to talk which was different to what he sometimes experiences in the therapy room. He also observed
that the sessions had a lingering effect in that during the week between
sessions, he was able to picture the scenery and remember the context of what
we spoke about which enabled him to
relax and reflect further on our conversations throughout the week.
My initial thoughts on the pilot are that working this way felt very
collaborative. At the beginning of each session, we agreed a meeting spot, but
thereafter we walked without an agreed route. This shared experience of co-creating
the route helped to establish trust between us which supported the therapeutic
relationship. Another observation I
made is that the natural pauses for thought which sometimes lapse into periods
of silence felt very natural in the context of walk and talk therapy. One thing
I want to give more thought to is whether the effect of nature, makes me more
creative in my practice.
Of course each individual will have their own experience of walk and
talk therapy and it’s fair to say it may not be for everyone. Nonetheless my
pilot has left me feeling confident that walking and talking in a London park
can be both empowering and enabling for clients who choose to work with me in
his way. The final word goes to one of the clients who participated in the
trial: "Walking and talking is a tranquil activity as it combines movement
with introspection”. He said it better than I could.
Please leave a comment below if you have any questions or comments about this blog or know of any fantastic green spaces in London I should become familiar with.
Walking through Greenwich park created the perfect setting for our extremely therapeutic discussions. I found the walk nicely thought provoking, allowing me to reflect on many things, sometimes solutions and sometimes just ideas/pathways that could steer me in an interesting direction. As the person above said, I have found myself reflecting on the words said many times since, which has enabled me to continue my walk and talk therapy whenever I have a quiet moment. I look forward to my next outing.
ReplyDeleteI had an amazing session in the group walk and talk therapy.
ReplyDeleteAs somebody who finds it very difficult to open up and speak about things that are personal to me, I was able to share a problem with the group and take away positives through the feedback I received from not only Michael, but also from the other participants in the session.
There were two things that made this therapy session rather special. The first was the element of outdoors. I personally felt more comfortable being outside in a park, as opposed to being sat in a room. The act of walking in a tranquil environment put me at ease and I didn't feel as anxious about sharing a problem.
The second element that made the session quite unique is the presence of a group. This is something that I thought would actually make it more difficult to share, but actually, having more than one person that can relate to a problem can give an affirmation and a sense of comfort that maybe you wouldn't necessarily get from an individual listener. In addition, sharing and discussing in a group gave me a sense of collective responsibility to contribute to a larger whole. I felt that the point of the exercise was not necessarily to come up with a solution, but to listen, understand, and exchange thoughts. When the onus of problem solving is taken away, it opens up and gives room to discussion and different perspectives of looking at a problem. The only negative that I can draw from being in a group is that it is difficult to be the first one to share.
I highly recommend Michael as a therapist who is an amazing listener, and not only professional in delivering therapy but is highly personable in his approach.
Thank you Michael and thanks to the group that took part in our session!
Walking through the park as opposed to sitting in a room surrounded by four walls made this experience unique. It allowed me to open my mind as my body felt the openness of the park and space. Nature has the power to tap into one's subconscious.
ReplyDeleteI had the feeling that I thought about numerous situations from every angle. The walk with the group made me realize I had only scratched the surface. The group gave input from past or current experience; some helped me look at the situation from a different angle, some helped with solutions to the situation.
If a situation had never occurred to another member of the group, the least we could do was to feel empathetic and help them through it.
I look forward to the next time we Walk and Talk.
I found the group Walk and Talk therapy session to be a useful and effective way of sharing and engaging with my problem.
ReplyDeleteMy initial unease about taking art in a group therapy session was quickly put at ease by a combination of Michael, walking and the surroundings. Once underway, I actually found the group dynamic quite useful, as listening to other peoples contributions encouraged me to engage without feeling pressured, allowing me contribute as and when I felt comfortable.
In all, it was a great opportunity to acknowledge my problem and gain valuable perspective. Most of all it was an experience I would gladly repeat.