Everyday Ecotherapy

Everyday Ecotherapy introduces ecotherapy as a path to personal growth and creating community, guiding readers to deepen their bond with nature for well-being and a compassionate, conservation-minded outlook. Drawing on core ecotherapy values and research, the book illustrates how to reimagine everyday places-schoolyards, campuses, parks, gardens, and neighborhoods-as spaces to support mental health, community, and environmental action. Chapters feature content from real-world practitioners, offer thoughtful reflection prompts, and provide clear instructions for accessible group activities suitable for all ages, integrating nature's restorative benefits into community life. Step-by-step guidance empowers both new and experienced leaders to facilitate ecotherapy experiences for people of all backgrounds and experience levels. This is a practical, user-friendly guide for mental health professionals, educators, community builders, and individuals seeking engaging ways to disconnect from digital distractions and reconnect with the living world. With this resource, nature connection becomes a nurturing, creative, collaborative endeavor.

Carolyn Schuyler, MSW, is a psychotherapist, visiting scholar at the University of Virginia, and nonprofit founder of Wildrock and Nature Connection Lab. Dorothy C. Ibes, PhD, is faculty in William and Mary's Environment and Sustainability Program, director of the Parks and Ecotherapy Research Lab, a certified Ecotherapy guide, and founding co-director of the Campus Nature Rx Network.

Part I: Ecotherapy Themes in Practice 1. Belong 2. Play 3. Heal 4.Care Part II: Group Activities and the Skills for Leading Them 5. Inspiring Nature Engagement: A Collection of Group Activities 6. Leading with Nature: A Guide to Ecotherapy Facilitation