Working with Nature
We are all part of nature, and in a world increasingly centered around technology, nurturing this connection can be highly beneficial for our mental health. Activities like a forest walk or a swim in the sea or a lake can rejuvenate us and help us reconnect with ourselves when we feel out of balance.
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While being surrounded by nature is wonderful, many of us cannot access it all the time due to busy schedules or physical limitations that make reaching natural spaces challenging.
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The beauty of incorporating nature symbolism into therapy is that it connects us to the world around us and to our own inner nature. This approach can offer new perspectives in supportive, comforting, and even expansive ways.
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If you are new to therapy and unsure where to begin, working with nature symbolism can provide a pathway to explore your identity, sense of self, and connection to others.
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Examples of nature symbolism
Moon Phases: The new moon symbolises new beginnings and fresh starts, while the full moon represents the completion of a phase. Which do you resonate with at the moment?
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Waves: The ebb and flow of ocean waves can reflect our fluctuating emotions or an opportuity to explore your relationship with giving and receiving.
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Trees: A tree symbolises our rootedness and resilience—strong yet flexible. Its roots ground it, while its branches and leaves adapt to survive storms. This metaphor can help us discuss overcoming challenges, such as bending into grief and bowing towards anger while staying rooted in who we are.
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Planting Seeds: This metaphor invites curiosity, growth, and progress. Is there a seed of an idea waiting to emerge from the darkness of your subconscious into full awareness?
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Terrain: A hill can represent struggle. In therapy, we can tackle difficult feelings that may seem daunting. Although climbing these hills can be tiring, we can work together to overcome them and look back with a sense of accomplishment.
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Pathway: A pathway symbolises choice. If you’re struggling with a big decision, therapy can offer a moment of pause to honour and acknowledge any loss related to not choosing one path while exploring what may be gained by choosing another.
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Seasons: Seasonal changes can mirror the seasons in our lives. For instance, you might feel a desire to focus inward, be still, and reflect. This inner experience can resemble an inner winter regardless of the actual season.
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Weather: Your emotions might come and go like passing clouds, or you might feel confused, as if enveloped in a lingering fog. Alternatively, you may be transitioning out of a period of stagnancy and now resonate with a more dynamic, wind-like energy that feels alive and invigorating.
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Animals: Different animals can represent various feelings. Which animal resonates with where you are now? For example, does the bear, eagle, or wolf have particular meaning for you?