When was the last time you slowed down to listen to birdsong, touch a leaf, or gaze at clouds? Nature is not just a backdrop to our lives, but an active force, though we often forget that in our busyness. Recent research has shown that being outdoors can improve our well-being and decrease stress, depression, and anxiety. For those seeking a deeper connection with the outdoors, there’s the emerging field of nature therapy.
Sometimes called eco- or green therapy, these practices often supplement traditional modalities, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or interpersonal therapy, with experiences in nature. That could involve anything from mindful birding to horseback riding, “forest bathing” (a Japanese practice in which you connect with your five senses in a woodland setting) to rock climbing, hiking, or creating art. (For example, I lead mindful birding walks for the Red Rock Audubon Society and am a member of the Mindful Birding Network, helping others de-stress and find presence by tuning in to the wisdom of birds.)
What differentiates nature therapy from just doing it yourself is the way guides help you go deeper into your inner world and better understand the outer landscape. They structure the experience, offering reflection prompts, information about plants and animals, and a listening ear. By collaborating with what nature presents in the moment, they tap into the lessons it so abundantly provides — such as growth, loss, and renewal — to strengthen a client’s healing journey.
Helping people uncover the best versions of themselves is what brought Kyle Kananiloa Ellis, a local adventure guide specializing in hiking and kayaking trips since 2014, to this work. After his own healing experiences in the Black Canyon Wilderness of Lake Mead, Ellis offers therapy in the same landscape that helped him. He has since founded Hike Las Vegas, operated under the Rich Wellness Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to holistic wellness.
“Nature is an extension of you,” he says, “and you learn a lot about how someone feels, what they think, and their state of living based on how you observe them in nature. I see the most results on the river. It shows your most vulnerable, authentic self.”
You don’t have to go into the wilderness to benefit from nature therapy. At The Nestled Recovery Center, an addiction rehabilitation clinic in Las Vegas that combines personalized, holistic care with evidence-based therapies, one of the treatment programs is horticulture. Clients work with a gardener weekly to grow their own vegetables and herbs.
“We treat the whole human,” clinical director Niggi Granado says. “And a lot of people have been disconnected from nature for so long.” He says gardening helps people tap into some of the “eight dimensions of wellness,” including their emotional, physical, and environmental wellness, as they navigate life without substances. By planting, watering, pruning, and checking in on the garden, clients learn to take care of the earth, their own health, and their community.
Nature therapy might still be an emerging field in Las Vegas, but the lessons of nature are all around us — if you slow down enough to learn them.
