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Ecopsychology:
Joining Ecology and Psychology
by
Chuck Hall
 Last
weekend I got a chance to drive through the rural countryside where
I grew up. Much of the land has been clear-cut for rural
subdivisions and shopping centers. The loss of the forests and
fields where I grew up hit me hard. It was like losing an old
friend. When you grow up in a rural environment, the nature that
surrounds you becomes a part of you. It changes the way you think
and feel about yourself.
In
March I will be presenting research at the University of South
Carolina on the topic of Ecopsychology. Ecopsychology ties ecology
and psychology together. The basic theory behind the field of study
is that the environment around us impacts our mental health. I first
got interested in the subject when I read that people who live in
urban settings are twice as prone to depression as those who live in
rural settings. Ecopsychology show us that nature has the power to
heal us mentally as well as physically.
In
researching the many beneficial effects of nature, I discovered that
therapists throughout the world have used the healing power of
nature to enhance therapy for their clients. Facilitated wilderness
trips have been used to successfully treat everything from
depression to addiction. Experiencing nature has been demonstrated
to lead to enhanced relaxation and better functioning of the immune
system. Nature experiences have also been demonstrated to enhance
self-awareness and self-actualization. Many people have deep
spiritual experiences in the woods.
The
benefits of nature are not limited to those who live in a rural
setting. Studies have found that patients in hospitals who have a
view of a garden heal much faster than people who don’t have such
a view. People who decorate their homes with living houseplants are
less depressed than people who don’t. Those who have the space for
a backyard garden can also reap health benefits from tending their
fruits, vegetables and flowers. Home gardens have been linked to
greater levels of overall relaxation and reduced stress.
If
you don’t have a backyard and don’t have the room for
houseplants, you can still reap the benefits of nature. Dr. James
Gramann of Texas A & M University, in a 1999 study, demonstrated
that simply listening to the sounds of nature (recordings of birds
singing, waterfalls, etc.) might significantly reduce stress.
The human
race lived for millennia in nature. The urbanization of humankind is
a fairly recent development. By experiencing nature as often as
possible in our lives we are placing ourselves back into our natural
world. Losing our wild places can sometimes be as traumatic as
losing a family member. Considering the many benefits of nature,
when we fail to take care of the environment, we are failing to take
care of ourselves.
Chuck
Hall is a Sustainability Consultant and author. His latest book, Green
Circles: A Sustainable Journey from the Cradle to the Grave, is
now available at Booklocker.com.
You may contact Chuck by email at: chuck@cultureartist.org or visit
the Culture Artist Web site at www.cultureartist.org.
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