Eco-Therapy Practice: Wisdom from a Tree

In nature-based therapy or eco-therapy, there can be many different ways of engaging with the natural world during a therapy session. Sometimes, it can be implicit, such as sitting or moving outside and experiencing the benefits of fresh air, sunshine, or being near other natural beings without directly bringing nature into the session. Other times, it can be explicit, where the therapist brings nature into the session as a co-therapist to further the work together.

Katie Asmus, founder of the Somatic Nature Therapy Institute, teaches a practice of having a conversation with a natural being when a question arises that can feel hard to answer. This is a practice I will often bring to clients and it is incredible what people discover when they tune into the wisdom from other natural beings to guide their own path. This post is inspired by the wisdom from a tree that I found in a recent conversation of my own when I brought the question, “How do I know what is the best next decision for my life?”

Wisdom from a Tree

There is time to figure it out, you do not need to rush where you are headed.

Instead, consider tending to your roots as you can only grow as tall as your roots are strong.

What would it look like to give ample nourishment to your roots? What may you need to prune or shed in order to do so?

Every season has a purpose and sometimes, it may feel difficult to understand or may go slower than you hoped it would.

That does not mean that the season is meaningless or you have made the wrong decision.

Instead wonder, what could I learn here? How could this season impact my growth in a way that connects to the core of who I am?

I recognize that I am giving you more questions than answers but these are the questions that may need to be considered to find your own personal path forward. I cannot tell you what to do but I can tell you that the oldest and wisest trees did not rush their growth nor did they grow all alone. There was careful time and effort put into shaping their trunks, digging and expanding their roots, and connecting to other trees and beings to be well nourished and to keep growing.

The answer does not lie in a solution or next step but rather in your own inspection of your reasons for pursuing whatever it is that you choose next. Is it in a pursuit to deepen your connection to your roots, to take time to grow and learn in the way that best nourishes you and the community? Or is it in an effort to have a quick solution for a moment of relief? If you consider these questions, you will find your way.