Ecotherapy

In this thought-provoking book, Jordan and Hinds provide a comprehensive exploration of this emerging area of practice. Divided into three parts, the book offers a unique examination of a range of theoretical perspectives, unpacks the latest research and provides a wealth of illuminating practice examples, with a number of chapters dedicated to authors' own first-hand experiences of the positive psychological effects of having contact with nature.
Whilst the idea of using nature to improve mental and emotional wellbeing has existed for many years, growing levels of interest in holistic, reciprocal relationships with nature have led to the development of ecotherapy as an explicit field of research. This is the much needed academically rigorous, yet engaging, introduction for counselling and psychotherapy students new to the subject as well as experienced professionals wanting to expand their understanding of this fast paced area of study and practice.

Martin Jordan is a Counselling Psychologist, Psychotherapist and expert in the field of Ecotherapy. Formerly, he was a Senior Lecturer at the University of Brighton, UK.

Biographies of Contributors.- List of figures and Tables.- Ecotherapy: An Introduction; Joe Hinds and Martin Jordan.- PART I: THEORY.- 1. Theoretical and Empirical Foundations for Ecotherapy; Thomas J. Doherty.- 2. Nature-based Practice: a Buddhist Psychotherapy Perspective; Caroline Brazier.- 3. Eudemonic Philosophy and Human(istic)-nature Relationships; Joe Hinds.- 4. Ecotherapy as Psychotherapy - Towards an Ecopsychotherapy; Martin Jordan.- 5. The Many Ecotherapies; Linda Buzzell.- PART II: RESEARCH.- 6. Working with Nature in Palliative Care; Deborah Kelly.- 7. Experiencing Existential Dimensions in Nature Based Rehabilitation; Eva Sahlin.- 8. A Salotugenic Approach in Nature-based Rehabilitation (NRB) for Individuals with Stress-related Mental Disorders; Anna María Pálsdóttir.- 9. Growing Together: Nature Connectedness, Belonging and Social Identity in a Mental Health Ecotherapy Programme; Matthew Adams and Martin JordanPART III: PRACTICE.- 10. Prescribing Nature: Techniques, Challenges, and Ethical Considerations; Patricia Hasbach.- 11. A Vital Protocol - Embodied-relational Depth in Nature; Hayley Marshall.- 12. Feet on the Ground and Branching Out: being with Nature as a Tool for Recovery in Crisis within NHS Mental Health Services; Vanessa Jones, Brian Thompson and Julie Watson.- 13. Renewed by Nature: Nature Therapy as a Framework to Help People Deal with Crises, Trauma and Loss; Ronen Berger.- 14. Equine Assisted Therapy: Developing Theoretical Context; Joe Hinds and Louise Ranger.- Afterword; Martin Jordan and Joe Hinds.