What is Walking Psychotherapy?
Walking Psychotherapy, a.k.a. walk-and-talk therapy or hiking therapy, is a different approach to traditional therapy that many find beneficial. Movement outdoors while observing the environment can help people work through difficult emotions, find comfort in nature, can assist with health-related goals, or can be regarded as an intervention to help with fear of open spaces. Moving the body can assist with regulation of the nervous system, offering a somatic pathway for processing and releasing emotional energy.
Sometimes a typical talk therapy session is simply held outside. Other times, engagement with the natural world with a trusted guide (such as land art or mindfulness walks) is part of the therapy itself. Kerry has dedicated sites for nature walking on a weekly basis and can also schedule sessions within “comfort zones” for clients, such as in their own backyard or neighborhood or in one that they find relaxing.
Why Walk-and-Talk?
Walking therapy and virtual or online therapy gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued to build popularity due to benefits for clients and practitioners alike. While most research to date has looked separately at talk therapy, physical activity, and time in nature, early studies suggest combining these methods to be beneficial.
Feasibility studies have found walking therapy to offer benefits for anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms. In one study, men improved significantly more on overall psychological distress after engaging in sessions outdoors.
Research
Dickmeyer, A., Smith, Jordan J., Halpin, S., McMullen, S., Drew, R., Morgan, P., Valkenborghs, S., Kay‐Lambkin, F., & Young, Myles D. (2025). Walk‐and‐Talk Therapy Versus Conventional Indoor Therapy for Men With Low Mood: A Randomised Pilot Study. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 32(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.70035
Koziel, N., Vigod, S., Price, J., Leung, J., & Hensel, J. (2021). Walking Psychotherapy As a Health Promotion Strategy to Improve Mental and Physical Health for Patients and Therapists: Clinical Open-Label Feasibility Trial. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 67(2), 153–155. https://doi.org/10.1177/07067437211039194
A small qualitative study found participants reporting feeling improved self-awareness, self-acceptance, and freedom of expression after walk-and-talk sessions. Participants reported reduction in psychological distress and an increase in well-being. The study group reported gaining a broader perspective, heightened self-awareness and greater acceptance of oneself, others and life's challenges.
Prince‐Llewellyn, H., & McCarthy, P. (2024). Walking and talking for well‐being: Exploring the effectiveness of walk and talk therapy. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 25(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12847
A 2020 meta-synthesis of outdoor therapies found benefits including more mutuality between therapist and client and a sense of interconnectedness between the mind, body, and natural world (Cooley et al, 2020.)
Walking therapy has shown to help build an inner sense of purpose, and has shown positive results in reduced depression, anxiety, and negative affect. Walking therapy also promotes physical health benefits such as improvements in heart rate variability, blood pressure levels, and cortisol response.
Capaldi, C., Passmore, H.-A., Nisbet, E., Zelenski, J., & Dopko, R. (2015). Flourishing in nature: A review of the benefits of connecting with nature and its application as a wellbeing intervention. International Journal of Wellbeing, 5(4), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v5i4.449
Cooley, S. J., Jones, C. R., Kurtz, A., & Robertson, N. (2020). “Into the Wild”: A meta-synthesis of talking therapy in natural outdoor spaces. Clinical Psychology Review, 77(1), 101841. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101841
Coventry, P. A., Brown, JenniferV. E., Pervin, J., Brabyn, S., Pateman, R., Breedvelt, J., Gilbody, S., Stancliffe, R., McEachan, R., & White, PiranC. L. (2021). Nature-based Outdoor Activities for Mental and Physical health: Systematic Review and meta-analysis. SSM - Population Health, 16(100934), 100934. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100934
Monroy, M., & Keltner, D. (2023). Awe as a Pathway to Mental and Physical Health. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 18(2), 309-320.
Schen C. R. (2020). Flexibility in Treatment: A Trial of Walking Psychotherapy. Psychodynamic psychiatry, 48(3), 295–313. https://doi.org/10.1521/pdps.2020.48.3.295
Yao, W., Zhang, X., & Gong, Q. (2021). The Effect of Exposure to the Natural Environment on Stress reduction: a meta-analysis. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 57(1618-8667).