WALK & TALK THERAPY
Have questions? Please email me and we can get started! Ready to book? Check my availability here.
WHAT IS WALK & TALK THERAPY?
As the name describes, clients talk with me while walking outdoors rather than sitting in our virtual office. In the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are tired of feeling isolated. Walking side-by-side enables some clients to feel more comfortable when sharing in the therapy process. Walk & Talk sessions at Cohesive Counseling require you to be an established client, having had at least one session to establish rapport, to set goals, and to ensure a goodness of fit for you and your needs.
HOW CAN WALK-TALK THERAPY HELP ME?
Walk & Talk therapy offers an opportunity to reduce stress, relieve body tension, improve circulation, breathe deep and clear the body-mind of intrusive, negative and ruminative thoughts and sensations. These sessions can help you decrease anxiety, regulate mood, enjoy more restful sleep and more. Additionally, you can receive the feel-good brain chemical benefits of exercise, mindfulness practice and eco-psychology. In session, you can enhance insight, release body trauma and alter behavior patterns while verbally processing your authentic truth.
WHAT HAPPENS IN SESSION?
We will meet at a designated location and start to walk! Perhaps in a park, along the James River waterfront, or through a quiet neighborhood. Walking side by side, we'll discuss what comes to mind for you that day in the context of your overall goals, just as if we were sitting inside our virtual office space. At times we might take a few moments to stand in silent reflection, deep breathe or sit in guided visualization. By the end, you'll have gained some understanding, let loose a little and noticed a helpful shift in your level of stress and anxiety.
I DON'T WANT TO GET SWEATY. WILL THAT BE A PROBLEM?
The movement in these sessions is easygoing, designed to facilitate the psychotherapy process. Your walk & talk experiences are created just for you, reflecting your goals, interests, and state of being at the time we meet. You'll set the pace and I'll follow your lead.
CAN I BRING MY DOG TO OUR WALK-TALK SESSION?
Yes, in most cases. When and where we will meet, the length of our session and your dog's personality and temperament will be considered in determining which if any sessions are appropriate for your dog to attend.
HOW DO WE BEGIN?
The first session will always be carried out face-to-face in our virtual office. We will go through a few questions and get to know each other, discuss how Walk & Talk therapy works and its benefits, and construct our confidential agreement together. The cost and duration of each session remains the same. The only thing that changes is the scenery. If you are already an established client, share your interest with us and we will get you scheduled.
THE FACTS
If you're still unsure, there has been some pretty profound research conducted by the mental health charity called, ‘Mind’. They found that with walk & talk therapy, 71% of people felt a decrease in depression and less intense emotions and 90% felt their self-esteem increase after a walk in the countryside. If you are interested in this study, and other scientific support for this treatment modality, this article can be helpful.
Have questions? Please email me and we can get started! Ready to book? Check my availability here.