User:Jan Lloyd Nicholson/sandbox

Walk Talk Therapy

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1403494810396400

Do-to-list

1 Analyse a Wikipedia article structure. 2 Find a good article and analyse the language. 3 Look at the marking criteria for the assignment. 4 Investigate the areas needed- lead section, body, appedices and footnotes. 5 Be aware not to use jargon. 6 Study my topic in more depth. 7 Remember not to be bias.

Walk Talk Therapy. With mental health issues on the increase in today's society professionals are constantly looking at new effective treatments to help manage this. There are many therapies evolving which support individuals to cope with mental health illnesses. One such therapy is the Walk Talk Therapy which has evolved from a type of psychotherapy called Ecotherapy or simply called Talk Therapy. This has now been established and coined as a Walk Talk Therapy. There are early references to this which have been discussed by Tuan (1977), however it has been suggested that Freud openly walked with his clients through the streets of Vienna (Jordan & Marshall, 2010; Karp, 2011). Kostrubala (1976) initiated a style of training which therapists could use with their clients which incorporated running to enhance and support mental health issues. There are plenty of sources which discuss the benefits of talk therapy, the benefits of nature, and the importance of exercise, however there are few studies that have encorporated all three and shown the effects. Traditional talk therapy, held indoors, can almost evoke a feeling of an interview style scenario. The therapist sits near by, often facing the client and there is a conversation that takes place between both the therapist and client. There is often no view, no natural lighting, and it can elicite more feelings of anxiety, feelings of intimidation and can possibly not be a positive experience. However, by taking a walk outside, often in an area with a wooden or greeen space, it can be more relaxing and the possibility of rapport buiding sooner with both client and therapist. Conducting the counselling session in the open air whilst walking can also be invigorationg for both the mind and the body. Walking and talking in the open space also offers visual distractions as opposed to a room with four walls. This style of therapy can make it easier for the client to relax and also to feel that there is less of a heirachy with the therapist. This again can have a positive effect for both client and therapist. There are however ethical considerations for an outdoor walk talk style therapy. Serious consideration needs to be given to location. Indoor therapy rooms are usually safe and can be controlled within that environment. Measures to be considered prior to Walk Talk are vital. Contracting is essential. This protects both the client and the therapist. For example, the terrain and the unpredictibility of weather conditions need to be took into account. Safety, again for both client and therapist are a must. The importance of discreetness due to the sensitivity of the conversation, making sure that passers by do not hear what is being discussed. Therapeutic ambience, the importance of creating a space, area that allows for undonditional positive regard and empathy to be a significant element. It is also vital to consider the behavior of the client and their emotions. Boundaries need to be considered. In traditional therapy the session is held inside, a space betwwen the therapist's chair and that of the client ensures a safe distance and boundaries are observed. It is difficult to control this in an outdoor setting. It is therefore of utmost importance that the therapist places boundaries in place to avoid any sexual intimacy or closeness between both parties (Gutheil & Gabbard, 1993). There have been further advances in more recent years in therapy in non traditionl settings; ecotherapy (Jordan, 2009) psychotherapy ( Maxfield & Segal, 2008, Holmes, 2010). Another factor to consider for Walk Talk Therapy is Power. In traditional settings indoors the therapist is very much in control and holds the power in the room (Berger, 2006) but when therapist and client are walking and talking in an open space the power becomes more even, there appears to be less of a heirachy ownership. It is also a lot more flexible to hold the therapy sessions outdoors. It is also possibel that an outdoor setting allows the client to be more themselves. As the therapist and client walk and talk neither the client or therapist take ownership of the space, it is neutral and this can bring about more impact in a shorter time (Aron, 2013). Another consequence of a Walk Talk therapeutic session outdoors is the possibility that walking outdoors can enhance endorphins. Endorphins are increased when exercising, stress is naturally reduced, and a feeling of euphoria can make a client feel better simply due to the outdoor space. Another factor is the fact that eye contact does not have to be established, this can reduce anxiety. There is the added consideration that a dog can be taken on the walk talk session, the addition of a dog can also help reduce anxiety and be a positive element and make the session have a calmer feel. The pace of the walk may be dictated by the client ( Luca, 2004). It may be an invigorating fast pacced walk, or a more relaxed slower paced stroll. Depending on the fitness of the client and therapist both would be suitable, with no need to race through the session. This is therfore good for both physical and mental health.It should be important to remember that a walk could be too strenuous for the client, therefore it is important to consider the physical health of the client. To Conclude, a walk talk style of therapy has a great deal of potential. A contract needs to be written, boundaries need to be considered, having done this then a health and safety risk needs to be utilised. Once these measures have been considered and no contra indications were noted, then a waalk talk therapy could be extremly beneficial for the cleint and should be considerd as a positive alternative to the more traditonl setting of an indoor counselling session.

References. Aron, L. (2013). A meeting of minds: Mutuality in psychoanalysis. Routledge. Berger, R., & McLeod, J. (2006). Incorporating nature into therapy: A framework for practice. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 25(2), 80-94. Gutheil, T. G., & Gabbard, G. O. (1993). The concept of boundaries in clinical practice: Theoretical and risk-management dimensions. The American journal of psychiatry. Jordan, M., & Marshall, H. (2010). Taking counselling and psychotherapy outside: Destruction or enrichment of the therapeutic frame?. European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling, 12(4), 345-359. Kostrubala, T. (1976). The joy of running. Lippincott. Luca, M. (Ed.). (2004). The therapeutic frame in the clinical context: Integrative perspectives. Psychology Press. Tuan, Y. F. (1977). Space and place: The perspective of experience. U of Minnesota Press.