Why Mental Health in Nature?
I have been working in the outdoor mental health field since 2015. While studying to be a recreational therapist, I began working in outdoor settings with young people struggling with trauma, anxiety, depression, and more. We would hike, sing, tell stories, and be our unbridled and wild versions of ourselves through play.
Living outdoors in community accelerated healing and growth. It taught us self-efficacy, the belief that you can succeed at what you try. Tapping into the biological shifts that come from being outdoors led to huge improvements in mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. I want everyone to have this same experience, which is why I started Mid-Atlantic Nature Therapy.
Nature provides the perfect amount of stimulation to help our brains and bodies feel safe.
You are welcome here, just as you are.
You may be stressed, overwhelmed, unsure, grieving, confused. You may be tired, burnt out, or ready for a change. You may have a child that needs help managing the mental and emotional load of family stressors, school tasks, and difficulties with friends.
All your many parts and particularities are welcome here. I have experience supporting people across the lifespan with ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, Depression and Trauma histories.
Mission & Vision
For hundreds of thousands of years, humans and human ancestors roamed the land being present to the moment they were in and the land to which they were a part. People are nature, regardless of how much modern civilization sells the myth that we are separate and tries to tame that which is wild in the land and in us. At Mid-Atlantic Nature Therapy, the mission is to create opportunities for people to connect with their natural, wild, intuitive, and instinctual selves, the natural world, and the community at large through nature-informed therapy, events, and retreats.
F.A.Q
What is a typical session like?
A typical session with an adult is 45 to 60 minutes long and will focus on the topics you share that you want to discuss most. A typical session for a kid or teen is 45-minutes, with 5 minutes at the end or the beginning of the session with a parent to check in on needs and goals. I will work with you to determine what types of therapy treatments (CBT, DBT, ACT, SFT, IFS) would work best for you or your child.
For any client meeting with me outdoors, mindfulness will be included in the session. Outdoor sessions can include walking along the trail, or sitting at a location near the trailhead on the rocks or camping chairs as you prefer.
Where do you meet with people?
For individual and family therapy, we can meet virtually in Maryland or Virginia, or at a predetermined outdoor location in the Silver Spring, MD (Tuesday and Wednesday), McLean, VA area (Mondays) or Carderock, MD area (Saturdays). If we’re meeting in person, and the weather is bad, we will determine together if we want to meet virtually instead. On wet or hot days, if we decide together that we want to go on the trail for our session, we will make sure to wear weather-appropriate clothing. If we are already on the trail and there is lightning, we will seek shelter indoors as soon as possible.
Do you accept insurance?
I currently accept United Health Care in Maryland. It is up to the client to make sure that their insurance pays their claims.
Otherwise, I charge 200 for hour long sessions, and offer sliding scale fees on a case-by-case basis. I offer superbills to clients to use for reimbursement with their insurance company.
My Practice
Location
Mid-Atlantic Nature Therapy, LLC is located in Silver Spring, Maryland, and the stolen lands of the Nacotchtank and Piscataway people. https://native-land.ca/
Make an Appointment
Reach out for a consultation to see if we’re a good fit.
Hours
Therapy: By appointment
Groups and Events: Select Evenings and Select Saturdays