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Natural therapy

Daily dose of natural therapy does wonders

Turning her face to the sun and feeling the wind in her hair and sand between her toes is the therapy Debra Wallace gives herself most days – and also the remedy she recommends to those she counsels as a marriage and family therapist.

The beach and native bush on the beautiful island of Waiheke near Auckland is where she turns to process her emotions, reframe any negative thoughts, and also get the exercise her body needs.

Nature is also where her family spends time together to play and take time out.

Learning about depression opened her eyes

Her love of nature as body and soul food began when Debra was 17, after her mother was diagnosed with severe depression. Looking after her mum was challenging and took its toll emotionally on Debra, who began to realise she herself was down a deep, black hole.

“From reading handouts on depression from my mother’s therapist, I realised that I too was suffering. This provided relief because I finally identified the problem and could learn new skills to solve it.”

Exercising outside lifts mood

After just a few counselling sessions, Debra quickly learned that actions speak louder than words and committed herself to making daily changes, such as running. Exercising outside lifted her mood and allowed her to take control of her life – outrunning the symptoms of depression.

“The landscapes have changed from running around a small pond as a teen to hikes with my kids now. Each excursion melts away stress and reminds me how sacred life is.”

Being active is one of the Mental Health Foundation’s Five Ways to Wellbeing. Introducing any of the five ways into your life, has been shown to improve mental wellbeing.

Knowing the value of self-care was essential in Debra’s training as a family therapist in her native America, and became critical after having a traumatic birth with her first child, miscarriages and stillbirth.

“Recovering from these was actually easier because I was aware of the symptoms and could rely on my healing rituals, skills and support network to process the negativity.”

Mindfulness helps too

The turning point in her recovery from post-natal depression and grief came when she again took refuge in nature and exercise.

“Biking, yoga, hiking and mindfulness were some of my main ways of processing. When I couldn’t go outside, I would visualise scenes from my favourite hikes.”

Mindfulness, the practice of being in the present moment, has also been shown to help decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression and increase wellbeing. 

Clients also benefit from connecting to nature

Debra’s experience of recovering and thriving from her experiences with depression has been invaluable in working with her clients, which include couples and families in emotional crisis, as well as young people dealing with low self-esteem, family conflict or problems in school.

“Connecting to nature has been the closest quick fix that I have found as it nourishes my wellbeing. The best part is that… it’s free. “

 

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