Milwaukee-area counselor and social worker, Tia Oestreich, shared with Friends of the Domes how nature is restorative to people’s emotional and physical well-being. A great reminder to get out and enjoy nature!
Tia Oestreich loves to be outdoors. Even as a little girl, she preferred to be barefoot in the grass. Now, she lives in Milwaukee and loves getting outside to walk her dog twice a day. It helps her to feel grounded and calmer, especially when she can leave her cell phone at home.
At work, if the weather is nice, she will ask clients if they would like to do the counseling session outside, sitting or even walking. She encourages her clients to get outside and to bring the outdoors inside. “My spider plants and jade plants are always propagating. I share plants with my clients, which gives them a connection to nature and something to take care of. This is a great way to support their mental wellness.”
Tia shares five ways that nature can be restorative:
Nature can remind us of the temporary state of our feelings or circumstances; nothing is permanent. We see this in nature with seasons passing, plants growing, colors changing. We are reminded that even the most difficult days or most uncomfortable feelings will pass.
Nature can remind us of a greater power, be it science or God (however you see it), and remove some of the pressure and responsibility we put on ourselves. Trees bud and bloom in spring and summer. Tulips spend winter underground but know just when to sprout. Animals and bugs go about their cycles using their intuition. Nature can remind us that we are not fully in control, and we can trust this greater power.
Nature provides us an opportunity to be more aware and mindful. My own practice of growing plants has helped me to slow down and pay attention. I notice when leaves are wilting and my plant is thirsty or if there are new leaves forming. Feeding the birds outside my house has helped me to pay more attention to their songs and noises in the mornings.
We live in a world that has no shortage of stimulation; so we are in front of a screen or multitasking and not paying full attention to any one thing. However, if we put down our phones or electronics and focus solely on our plants or our yard or our walk, we feel more at peace.
Nature provides an opportunity to create and grow. It is gratifying to create and have a tangible product for your effort. Raising and caring for plants provides a way to create and grow something beautiful and sometimes even edible. We can experience pride and joy at the results of our work.
Nature helps ground ourselves and our emotions. When I feel overwhelmed with an emotion or sensation, nature helps me return to a calmer state. A practice used for grounding engages the five senses: you can find three things to see, three things to touch, three things to smell, three things to hear, and, possibly, three things to taste. This activity helps to bring your heightened state “back down to earth.” I think about the earthy smell of dirt and allow it to ground me. Nature is full of things that can engage our senses; we just need to slow down to see it.
Tia Oestreich, Milwaukee-area counselor and social worker
