6/Chapter 5: Neature is Neat

Pick one of therapeutic benefits of nature and link them to research in one or more of  the following areas:

Abnormal, Behavioral Neuroscience, Cognitive, Developmental, Learning, and Social

Do you see a disconnect?

The benefits of nature in a therapeutic setting are vast.  How do you define them?  I want to start out this discussion with a video clip of a child whose life was literally extended by Adventure Therapy practices.  I had the opportunity to work at this amazing camp this past summer. I encourage you to watch the whole video, to grasp more about the Hole in the Wall foundation, but for the purposes of this blog the primary focus is on Stephen’s story (minutes 5:00-6:30) and his experience within AT.  The question I want to revisit is AT works, but why? 

The beauty, power and mystery of the natural world has a therapeutic effect on individuals.  This environment has been put on the back-burner and people aren't relating to the world in a healthy fashion anymore.  Gillis, Gass and Russell (2012) stated that the theory that people as a society struggle defining themselves in a technological and consumer-driven world.  How do you fit into this fast paced world?  The picture at the top spoke to me and our connection to nature.  Overtime we have advanced in seemingly practical ways, yet in turn we are less connected to our original relationship with nature?

One age group commonly discussed in AT practices is 13-18.  This age frame is also researched in one of Developmental psychology’s most well-known theories, Erikson’s theory of psycho-social stages.  Identify and role confusion aspect of Erikson’s theory of psycho-social stages is when adolescents are newly concerned with how they appear to others.
This is a time where teens need to develop a sense of self and personal identity.  They tend to feel confused or insecure about where they fit into society. It is an important process of creating a strong identity and to developing a sense of direction in life.  I believe that during our lifetime there is a strong possibility that people could get future generations stuck into the consumer aspect of our world and try to seek out their identity in that aspect of our society.  What would our future look like?  Does it look like that now?  Is there was a way that we could intercept adolescents during that sensitive stage and make them aware of the therapeutic benefits of nature?  What are ways which you could see nature being slowly subtlety introduced to these age groups? Let me know what you think!

Citation:

Gass, Michael A., Lee Gillis, and Keith C. Russell. (2012).  Adventure Therapy: Theory, Research, and Practice. New York: Routledge

McLeod, S. A. (2013) Erik Erikson. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html

Davis, D., Clifton, A. (1995). Psychosocial Theroy Erikson. Retrieved from http://www.haverford.edu/psych/ddavis/p109g/erikson.stages.html

Cherry, K. (2013). Stage Five of Psychosocial Development. Retrieved from  (http://psychology.about.com/od/psychosocialtheories/a/identity-versus-confusion.htm

The Painted Turtle Camp (2012, March 8). The Painted Turtle Our Founding Story. Retrieved February 19, 2013, from  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC1Wh1Arows  

Knowledge of Today (2013). Human Evolution vs. Nature. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=538684419487074&set=a.312286055460246.76583.307551552600363&type=1&theater