Running Ecotherapy Community Groups (with Stephen McCabe) (CPD)

When people think of ecotherapy or nature therapy experiences, they often imagine retreats out in the wilderness. Tents may be pitched, cities might be left behind, and a group of people might spend days or even weeks immersed with the wilderness.

Whilst such experiences can be very powerful, this is not the only way that ecotherapy can make an impact on people’s lives. Many people live in towns or cities without the means or the opportunity to take themselves away for such immersive experiences.

Community groups that are run in urban environments offer a different way. They are often aimed at marginalised people such as those who are older, poorer or who are struggling with their mental health. We may also be more likely to reach communities of colour and disabled people, too.

These groups might be social by nature, tackling social isolation as well as a disconnection from nature. Sessions may be short and regular and they can be run in partnership with local charities/NGOs. Best of all, they often reach people who don’t even know what ecotherapy is (often the people who need it the most)!

These kinds of groups recognise that if ecotherapy is to be meaningful, nature must be found wherever we are – in the weeds in the pavement, in the moon in the sky, and in the common pigeon cooing on the window ledge.

Ecotherapy practitioner Stephen McCabe has been running weekly community sessions with a mental health charity in Scotland for many years. During this two-hour workshop, he will introduce a variety of tools and exercises for connecting people with nature during short, regular community ecotherapy sessions.

CPD Event: This event counts as Continuing Professional Development for counsellors, therapists and others in helping professions. We are happy to issue CPD certificates once you have attended the workshop. Simply message us through Eventbrite after the workshop/series is over and we will email your certificate.

Please note that at Tariki Trust, we generally do not record our online events. We cannot offer refunds to people who do not show up assuming that they will get a recording.

Please note that although this event is part of the Ten Directions training course for ecotherapy practitioners, anybody can book and take part in this public online event! If you are interested, please do buy a ticket.

About Stephen McCabe

Stephen McCabe is an ecotherapy practitioner, storyteller, writer and ordained Zen Buddhist. His work includes tutoring for the Ten Directions training programme, facilitating ecotherapy groups for a mental health charity in Scotland, and running online ecotherapy programmes based on myth, folklore and tarot. You can find him at www.naturetherapyonline.net