Reflections and Resources for self guided Nature therapy, eco therapy and nature connection
Reconnect with the Earth and your self: Reflections and Practices for Self-Guided Nature Therapy
Hello and thanks for being here. If you’re new here I’m Laura, a counsellor, nature therapist, somatic therapist, meditation teacher and space holder. My offerings are all about supporting you to connect with yourself and the world around you.
If you’re a regular visitor to my website, instagram or newsletter subscriber you’ll know I’m really passionate about nature, the Earth the natural world. My own connection with nature blossomed (excuse the pun) when, in a period of poor mental health, I started walking. I went from walking short distances around the countryside to undertaking multi-day hikes and this sparked my love of being out in the wilds These days I work 121 offering nature based counselling and therapy as well as offering group nature connection and meditation in the form of The Rooted Connection Sessions. Nature is also a huge part of my spiritual practice and I follow the Celtic-Pagan wheel of the year.
In our increasingly busy, digital, and indoor lives, it's easy to forget the healing power of simply being outside. Nature therapy, nature connection and nature based healing is underpinned by intentionally engaging with the natural world to support emotional, mental, spiritual and physical well-being. Whether it's a quiet walk in the woods, the sound of rain on leaves, or simply noticing the gentle rhythm of your breath while you watch the clouds move across the sky, nature offers a doorway into a deeper sense of presence, calm, and connection.
This connection isn’t just about spending time outdoors. It's about cultivating a relationship with the land, the more-than-human world, and yourself. This can be deeply healing and transformative and it doesn’t require elaborate retreats or guided programs. In fact, some of the most powerful experiences come through simple, self-guided practices that invite us to slow down, listen, and reflect.
In this post I am offering some reflections on what this might look like, along with resources to support your self guided exploration of the natural world. If you’d like to do this with support or in community with others you can contact me here for 121 nature and eco therapy or check out The Rooted Connection Sessions page for nature therapy, embodiment and meditation in Birmingham.
What's Inside This Post? resources and tools to explore your connection to nature and self
Keep scrolling for:
A playlist of songs about nature and the natural world
A playlist of podcasts that explore nature therapy, eco-psychology, somatic practices in nature and real stories of reconnection
Reflective prompts and practices to explore to deepen your experience and bring insight to your time outdoors
Recommendations for books to support your exploration of the natural world
Five simple Reflections on nature therapy, eco therapy and nature connection
Nurturing our bond with the natural world can bring deep connection to the more-than-human world as well as to ourselves. Nature isn’t here solely to soothe us, true connection is a two-way street. Nature, in what ever form we can connect with it, can be supportive container to release what we need to let go of but it's also a vibrant, living ecosystem. When we step into the natural world we’re visitors and we have an opportunity to show up with intention, humility, and appreciation. What can you give back to the Earth that continually gives to you?
Being in relationship with nature isn't new and it isn’t a modern wellness trend, it's an ancient, embodied wisdom. People worldwide, and especially indigenous communities, have lived in harmony with the land for as long as humans have walked the earth. To reconnect with nature is to remember a truth already living inside you. Our wildness can be explored through reciprocity, reverence, and ritual.
What happens when we move away from trying to think our way into connection with the earth and start to focus on feeling it? In a society that prioritises thinking over presence and doing over being, how can we reconnect to our senses? What happens when we let our bare feet meet the soil? When we intentionally feel the breeze on our skin? Can we let the natural world speak directly to our bodies and allow ourselves to be here now?
Nature reflects our internal rhythms . She doesn’t bloom endlessly she pauses, releases, rests and so can we. We have our own cycles and seasons. We are allowed to slow down. If we take a moment to tune into ourselves what is our inner nature telling us about where we are right now?
Nature is one of our greatest teachers. At times, she offers quiet gentleness. At others, she mirrors emotions we’ve avoided. Not every walk in the woods will be tranquil. Sometimes it brings grief, stillness, or the unexpected. The natural world also shows us the importance of boundaries. Roses have thorns, some creatures maintain a safe distance and the sea refuses to shrink itself for anyone. Through nature, we learn that saying “no” can be an act of care and that protecting our energy is not just okay but necessary.
a list of Podcasts for exploring nature and eco therapy and Deepening Connection
I’m adding a small disclaimer that this is my ‘to listen to’ list so I can’t vouch for the quality or information in this list of nature and eco therapy podcasts. I have listened to the first few on the list and I’ve really enjoyed them. The list includes insights from eco-therapists, nature-based coaches, storytellers, and researchers. Topics include trauma-informed nature practices, somatic awareness, and cultivating place-based relationships. Click through for the full list of podcasts around exploring nature, eco therapy and deepening our connection to the Earth.
Journal prompts to guide awareness as you spend time in nature
I’ve asked the question above, “what happens when we move away from trying to think our way into connection with the earth and start to focus on feeling it?”. I’ve shared a couple of somatic and meditation practices below to support this and I would hugely encourage you to explore your felt sense connection with the natural world. That said, I know many of us like to journal, reflect and process our experience through exploration of thoughts so here are a few prompts. You might want to journal these or simply sit with these questions as you walk or rest in the natural world or with sounds of nature to support you.
How do I feel when I step into this natural space? What sensations do I notice in my body?
What emotions or thoughts arise as I slow down and observe my surroundings?
What elements in nature draw my attention the most sounds, textures, colours, movement?
How does this place respond to my presence, if at all?
What can I learn from this landscape about stillness, resilience, or change?
What might I offer in return; gratitude, presence, care?
meditation and Somatic nature therapy practices to explore
Nature connection practice 1: this practice is designed to help you feel grounded, present and connected to your body. It can be done sitting or standing in a natural setting, or even on a balcony or in a garden or park. If you can’t get out into nature you can explore this while listening to a soundtrack of nature sounds. You can find lots of these for free online.
Find a comfortable spot where you feel safe and can be undisturbed for a few minutes
Feel your feet (or your seat) connecting with the ground. Notice the weight of your body and how the earth supports you
Gently scan your body from head to toe, noticing areas of tension or sensation. No need to fix anything just observe
Breathe into your belly, allowing each inhale to bring in steadiness and each exhale to release
Place a hand on your chest or belly and listen to the sounds around you; birds, wind, insects, rustling leaves
If you like, imagine your breath extending down into the earth as if you have roots. Feel yourself grounded and supported.
Nature connection practice 2: this is a mindful awareness practice to help you tune into your environment and shift into the present moment. Again, you can do this outside, inside using the noises you notice in your environment, or with a backing track of nature noises.
Find a comfortable spot where you feel safe and can be undisturbed for a few minutes
Soften your gaze or gently close your eyes for a few breaths
Open your eyes and begin to notice your surroundings. Slowly name (silently or aloud) what you can notice, one thing at a time:
"I see sunlight through the leaves."
"I hear the birds outside my window”
"I feel cool air on my skin."
Continue this for 3–5 minutes. Let each observation arise naturally. There’s no right or wrong
To close, place your hand on your heart or another comforting spot on your body if that feels ok. Take a moment to thank yourself for showing up and perhaps thank the land / the space you’re in for holding you.
Some of my favourite books about nature, cycles and the natural world
I’m often asked about the books that have shaped my understanding of the natural world, nature connection and nature therapy. Whether you're just beginning to explore the world of nature-based healing or you're looking to deepen your relationship with the land, these are some of my favourite reads. They offer wisdom, practical guidance and beautifully written reflections on how the natural world can support our emotional, spiritual, and mental wellbeing.
Letting in The Wild Edges by Glennie Kindred
This book feels like being gently guided through the seasons by someone who truly lives in harmony with the land. I have a few of Glennie’s books and I always find them to be the right mix of practical and soulful. She offers advice on growing, foraging, and using native plants, while also inviting us to honour the turning of the year through seasonal celebrations. I often dip into it when I want inspiration for simple, earth-based rituals or remedies. I love this book because it reminds me that connecting with the natural world doesn't need to be complicated. It can start right at the edge of the garden or a quiet woodland path. Buy it here
Wanderland by Jini Reddy
Reading Wanderland feels like walking beside Jini Reddy as she searches for something elusive and magical in the landscape. Her journey is deeply personal and guided more by feeling than maps. This book explores encounters with sacred sites, wild art and the quiet mysteries of nature. It also explores what it means to be othered, which is really moving. I love this book because it gave me permission to seek my own kind of connection with the land, one that’s emotional, intuitive, and uniquely my own. Buy it here
Braiding Sweet Grass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
This is one of those books I return to again and again, like a trusted friend or a sacred text. In fact Robin’s voice is so soothing and beautiful in the audio book version that I often listen to it as I fall asleep. Braiding Sweet Grass weaves together Indigenous wisdom and scientific understanding with such grace and humility, reminding us that nature is not just something to study, but something to be in relationship with. Her reflections on gratitude, reciprocity, and the intelligence of plants have hugely impacted the way I see the world. I love this book because it invites me to listen more deeply, live more intentionally, and remember that the Earth is a generous teacher if we’re willing to listen. Buy it here
Wintering by Katherine May
Wintering came into my life at a time when I needed to be reminded that retreat and rest are not failures but part of a natural cycle. Katherine May’s honest account of her own "winter" was deeply comforting, and I appreciated how she wove in stories of others who had navigated their own quiet seasons. I also loved how she connected the emotional winters of our lives to the rhythms of the natural world. I love this book because it helped me reframe rest as a form of resilience and to see the beauty in slowing down when everything feels frozen. Buy it here
a Nature Connection Music Playlist to inspire your nature connection
As my connection to nature has increased so has my interest in folk music and music that explores the natural world. This playlist has some of my favourite tracks including the beautiful Lost Words Blessing.
The Lost Words project is one of my favourite things ever. Originally commissioned by the Folk by the Oak festival, Spell Songs is a musical response to the acclaimed books The Lost Words and The Lost Spells by author Robert Macfarlane and illustrator Jackie Morris. Blending music, storytelling, poetry, and visual art, it invites listeners to reconnect with the natural world and rediscover a deep appreciation for the wild.
In the words of The Lost Words Blessing, “enter the wild with care, my love, and speak the things you see. Let new names take and root and thrive and grow”
There are lots of other beautiful nature songs on the playlist below and I hope you enjoy it.
Some Final thoughts about self guided nature therapy and nature connection exploration
I hope you’ve found this post a useful resource to support you to explore and deepen your connection to nature. As you’ll see from what I’ve shared, nature connection can be really simple. We can start small by cultivating more presence and offering our respect and gratitude to the Earth. Magical things can happen when we pause, feel and listen. Whether you have five minutes with a nature sound track, some time in a park or garden, or time to explore a woodland or the countryside, the natural world is always available as a mirror and a guide.
If you’d like to explore this with support, I offer 121 nature based counselling and eco therapy just outside of South Birmingham, as well as group nature connection, meditation and embodiment sessions in Birmingham proper. Want to find out a bit more about me before we work yogether? Check out my frequently asked questions and my values.
