Key Principles of Connecting with Nature for Mental Health

When I first started connecting with nature for my own wellbeing I noticed that sometimes it seemed to ‘work’ better than others. I became curious to understand why; could I create the perfect recipe for ‘optimum nature connection’ – and were there things that dampened the experience - things I needed to avoid?

In my quest to answer this question I’ve worked with experts in nature, healing, ecosystems, bushcraft, medicinal herbs, climate, meditation, artists, poets and health researchers. Along the way I trained as a Mindfulness Instructor and did various bushcraft and forest immersion courses.

I now know a lot more about the ‘right ingredients’ and I’m pretty confident I can convince even the most cynical or resistant person of the benefits, especially if I can take them out in nature and show them.

There’s a growing body of research about how to connect with nature in the most impactful way for improving mental wellbeing. Here are three key pieces of advice, evidenced through multiple studies around the world:

• ‘Moments not minutes’ - it’s not about how long you spend, it’s about the quality of noticing

• ‘The Magic in the Mundane’ it’s less about spectacular (often unobtainable) scenery and more about finding the beauty in every day nature

• it’s about developing an emotional relationship, not learning facts

Join Nature Fix to stay in touch with research as it evolves. You’ll learn about the latest scientific research and the benefits of nature connectedness, get insights and encouragement to help you develop your own practice and ‘members only’ access to my sketchbooks, field notes, sound recordings of the woods and more.