Walk Therapy as a Health Habit

Well it seems our "Walk Therapy" sessions aren't only found in East City Peterborough. This article was such encouraging news and while "walk therapy" isn't well suited to couples or family counselling sessions, for obvious reasons, we have built an entire thriving Practice around our strolls down "the happy trail", Peterborough's Rotary Trail.

When I first began the Counselling Practice in 1997 at St. Joseph's Hospital in East City Peterborough, I was looking for a way to break free from the more clinical setting that can sometimes inhibit those looking to feel safe and comfortable talking about what's happening for them.

My Internship was at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto in adolescent medicine. Adolescents in care were spending too many hours a day indoors and we were looking to combine some feel-good chemistry with a fresh approach to connecting one-on-one. As it happens, much like driving teenagers, it seemed they opened up with the open air and felt more at ease in conversation while walking. Of course add to this, the endorphins and Vitamin D from sun exposure walking.

While Walk Therapy has been a staple of Canadian Family Health Counselling for decades now, it's quite thrilling to see this approach praised across the country.

I remind clients, young and old alike, we pause only for toddlers and puppies that make their way directly to say hello. Otherwise, we find our stride on the open trail with lots of room between fellow walkers to keep conversations private. It's a wonderful way to combine your healthy habits all in one 50 minute session.

Walk Therapy is a technique that can be an added routine to family counselling, anxiety counselling, couples therapy, grief counselling and more.

Happy Trails to you!

Kim Sargent

Clinical Director

https://www.macleans.ca/.../the-pathway-to-better-mental.../