What is it?
Walking therapy (sometimes called walk and talk therapy) is relational therapy done while walking, instead of in an office.
The walking therapy rate is $90 (incl. 13% HST). Walking therapy is not available at sliding scale rates.
Please contact me for more details.
Who is it good for?
For some, outdoors is a more relaxing environment than an office. Walking is meditative and grounding, and any activity that gets a person into their body while doing therapy is positive.
It may be useful for those looking to add fitness into their lives, or looking to break patterns of procrastination or isolation. It may be especially useful for those who are anxious, or dealing with loss or grief, for whom a face-to-face encounter in a closed room may be overwhelming.
Is this a cardio workout?
No. We will walk at a slow to moderate pace, set by you. The session is not physically strenuous, but research has shown that even a small amount of physical activity can enhance mental and physical health, as well as help reduce levels of depression and anxiety.
Is anyone doing or recommending this?
Absolutely! Here are some links to articles about this unique type of therapy and its benefits (click links to open in a new tab or window).
- Is Nature Your Brain’s Miracle Medicine? by Florence Williams, thehealthy.com, March 31, 2021.
- ‘It’s a Superpower’: How Walking Makes us Healthier, Happier and Brainier. by Amy Fleming. The Guardian, July 28, 2019. Talking to Shane O’Mara, neuroscientist and author of In Praise of Walking.
- Walk and Talk Therapy. WedMD.
- Walking the Talk Therapy by Tina Kelley. The New York Times, March 31, 2008.
- A Natural Fit by Tori DeAngelis. American Psychological Association, September 2013.
- The Walking Cure by Joan Adria D’Amico, LCSW, BCD. Institute for Integrative Psychotherapy.
- This is What Happens to Your Brain When You Walk In the Woods by Tamara Lechner, lifehack.org
Related Links:
- The Sunday Edition podcast, July 26, 2015, CBC Radio One. An interview with author and business innovator Nilofer Merchant about the effect walking during talking has on cognitive ability and health. The segment with Merchant starts at approximately 29:30.
- "Got a Meeting? Take a Walk", by Nilofer Merchant, TED Talks, 2013.
- "How Walking in Nature Changes the Brain" by Gretchen Reynolds. The New York Times, July 22, 2015.
- "Doctors Tell Us How Hiking Can Change Our Brains" by Marilyn Rogers, lifehack.org
- "Why Walking Meditation is So Good for You" by Jay Polish, bustle.com
Details
I offer walking therapy by appointment, in the Moore Park Ravine beginning and ending at the Evergreen Brickworks. This is my preferred route as I have found it to be low traffic and suitable for our confidential conversations.
Directions: As well as a TTC bus route from Davisville Station (Route 28 Bayview South), there is a free shuttle bus between Broadview Station and the Brickworks (schedule here).
Other locations can be arranged to suit your needs and schedule. A $10 extra fee applies for a location other than the Moore Park Ravine.
Should weather cause us to miss a session, we can reschedule within the week, or opt for an in-office or online session instead.
Before we being walking therapy, I ask that you attend an in-office or online session first in order to ensure our mutual comfort level. This initial session will be charged at the reduced rate of $25 (includes HST)
“One of the great overlooked superpowers we have is that, when we get up and walk, our senses are sharpened. Rhythms that would previously be quiet suddenly come to life, and the way our brain interacts with our body changes.”
--Shane O’Mara, author and neuroscientist.