Have you been considering starting therapy, but are not comfortable with just sitting and talking for an hour? Maybe you’ve tried traditional talk therapy before and felt like something was missing. Do you or your child have ADHD, and struggle to sit in an office for an hour? At Wisdom Within Counseling, we offer outdoor walk and talk therapy in Connecticut for those clients looking for options beyond traditional talk therapy.
What is Walk and Talk Therapy?
Walk and talk therapy involves the client and the therapist taking therapy on the road! We get outside and walk during session time. Clients meet their therapist at the office and then go outside for session. Some clients like to walk for the entire session, while others might want to walk to a specific park or location where they can sit with their therapist.
Walking is a great way to ease the pressure of coming to therapy.
If you’ve ever gone on a walk with a friend or family member, you may remember how easy it was to have a conversation while walking. Sometimes, therapy can feel formal and full of pressure. Also, the idea of coming into an office with a professional can be overwhelming for some. With walk and talk therapy, we can leave the “stuffy” office behind and get outside! For some clients, this relieves the pressure that a formal office environment can bring up.
Walk during therapy can help get you “unstuck.”
Often, when people come to therapy, they describe feeling “stuck.” It can often feel as though you have no options or nowhere to go in life. You may notice feeling as though you are stuck in a routine and unable to breakthrough to new patterns and ways of living. Adding physical movement to therapy sessions can relieve these feeling of being stuck. For many clients, the physical movement provides some momentum to overcome the emotional sensation of being “stuck.”
If you sit all day at school or work, walk and talk therapy can be a great way to bring movement into your day!
We know that joyful movement is crucial to a healthy mind and body. For those who sit in an office all day, using your therapy session as a time for movement can be a part of your journey towards overall health and healing. For many children, sitting in school all day can leave them with built up energy. With walk and talk therapy, they can release that physical energy. Often, this makes it easier for children and adolescents to begin talking about feelings and emotions. Also, it can make the therapy session more enjoyable for your child. When your child enjoys coming to therapy, it is likely to be more effective.
To begin, click the button below for a free phone consult for walk and talk therapy in Connecticut.
If you are an athlete or more active person, walk and talk therapy can make the experience of therapy more comfortable and familiar.
As someone who enjoys being active, walk and talk therapy in Connecticut can make therapy a more comfortable experience. Being active will allow your body to be more relaxed as you are physically doing something familiar. In this way, you may find it easier to talking about emotions, feelings, and past trauma.
For children and adults with ADHD, walking can help you focus on emotional well-being.
With ADHD, it can be difficult and overwhelming to sit for a long period of time. Also, it can be difficult to remain focused if all you’re doing in talk. This is why walk and talk therapy in Connecticut is a great option! In the same way fidgets can help you stay focused, so can walking during your therapy session.
Also, walk and talk therapy can be a great way to build social skills.
If your child struggles to make eye contact or talk to others, walk and talk therapy can help. By bringing therapy into the “real world,” we can deal with real situations in the moment. We can practice saying, “hello,” as we pass by someone or go into a store and ask an employee a question. Having a therapist by your child’s side can increase feelings of safety while confronting theses new situations. Furthermore, being able to do this without the help of a parent or guardian can increase your child’s feelings of self-worth and self-esteem.
To begin, click the button below for a free phone consult for walk and talk therapy for you or your child.
Is walk and talk therapy available year-round?
Yes! Even in the winter, we can bundle up and go outside! For those who struggle with movement during the winter, this can be a great way to bring activity back into your life. Even a quick five or ten minute walk at the beginning or end of your session can make a huge difference.
Who can participate?
Walk and talk therapy is appropriate for anyone who would like to try! For older adults or those who struggle with mobility, we can walk slower and shorter distances. For young children, we can stay close to the office building in order to avoid busy roads.
Walk and talk therapy can be a great way to bring you and your partner together again.
Walk and talk therapy is great for couples! Being outside and moving can reduce the “fishbowl” sensation that can happen in a therapy office. It can also be a great way for the therapist to fall back and observe you and your partner together in a more natural environment. Also, this can be a great time for you and your partner to be in a setting, like a park, that you both enjoy during your therapy session.
Walk and talk therapy in Connecticut for families
Walk and talk therapy can be a great option for families, too. Putting your family in a natural setting can help your therapist see the ways you relate to one another. For families with young children, bringing the therapy session to a park can help your child stay engaged during session. Additionally, walk and talk sessions allow your family to participate in an activity together, helping you to bond and connect again.
Click the button below for a free phone consult and get started with walk and talk therapy in Connecticut.
At Wisdom Within Counseling, our location provides beautiful settings for walk and talk therapy in Connecticut.
Our location in Niantic, CT places us near perfect settings for walk and talk therapy! We can walk to McCook’s Park, the Niantic Bay Boardwalk, or any of the shops in town. We can also take a small, simple walk along the side streets near our office building.
Our specialized therapists offer walk and talk therapy to all clients who would like to pursue an active, movement-based form of therapy.
We welcome you to speak to your therapist about the option of walk and talk therapy. Some clients like every session to be outdoors. Others prefer to see how they are feeling on the day of session and decide if a walk and talk session would be helpful.
At Wisdom Within Counseling, we offer alternative and holistic approaches to therapy.
Our therapists love working with clients in ways beyond traditional talk therapy. If you are looking for alternative, holistic, and creative therapies, we would love to help.
