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Start feeling more grounded—in just a few minutes a day.
Download the free 7-Day Nature Reconnection Guide and begin gently regulating your nervous system through simple, research-informed practices—no forest required.
We respect your space.
No spam. No noise. Just occasional, grounding emails with reflections, practices, and seasonal insights. Unsubscribe anytime—no hard feelings.
By Mae Whitfern
- May 15, 2025
I still remember the first time I felt the shift. I was in the middle of what I now know was an extended bout of burnout—emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and a creeping sense of disconnection. A friend convinced me to join her for a walk through a eucalyptus-draped trail just outside the city. I wasn’t expecting much, but by the time we reached the creek, surrounded by natural elements and the quiet rhythm of birdsong, something in my body exhaled. That feeling, subtle but real, sparked a journey.
As a therapist and someone who bridges science with lived experience, I’ve come to deeply appreciate the benefits of nature on mental health. This isn’t just poetic idealism; there’s a growing body of research—spanning cross-sectional studies, longitudinal studies, and systematic reviews—that supports what many of us feel in our bones: that green spaces, blue spaces, and natural environments hold therapeutic power.
What the Research Shows
Studies published in journals like the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health and Health Place provide evidence for associations between exposure to nature and improved mental health outcomes. Whether through public greenspace visits, walking through green infrastructure, or simply tending to indoor plants, the positive associations are consistent.
Public greenspaces, in particular, have been linked to reduced symptoms of anxiety, depression, and mental fatigue. These natural spaces offer more than visual appeal—they support regulation of blood pressure, heart rate variability, and even reduce stress hormones. The science of attention restoration theory further explains how nature helps redirect our overstimulated minds, giving our involuntary attention systems a break.
The mental health benefits don’t stop at symptom reduction. Physical activities in outdoor environments, such as hiking or gardening, amplify the effects. Even horticulture therapy and caring for potted plants have been found beneficial, especially in low- and middle-income countries where formal mental health care services may be less accessible.
The Power of Connection
One concept that continues to emerge in nature research is connection to nature. This is not simply time spent outdoors, but a felt bond with nature, a connection with nature that supports psychological benefits and cognitive benefits. Whether it’s through nature-based activities, Animal-assisted therapy, or real plants, connection to nature may be a mediating factor in wellbeing.
Recent frameworks—such as the nature research framework—also explore how the quality of nature (not just quantity) matters. Virtual nature interventions, while promising, still raise questions about the effectiveness of exposure when disconnection from the natural world is part of the root issue.
Virtual Isn’t Always Enough
That said, virtual exposure and virtual reality experiences have gained traction, particularly during the pandemic and in urban environments with limited access to green space. These can offer short-term support, but they aren’t replacements. The beneficial effects of being immersed in nature—smelling soil, hearing wind, seeing shifting light—engage the senses and the nervous system in ways we’re only beginning to understand.
The Bigger Picture
There’s still so much to learn. Future studies need to focus on diversity—considering country of origin, chronic disease, and marital status as variables influencing outcomes. We need more inclusive primary studies and attention to how public greenspaces support mental health difficulties across populations.
Still, the positive associations are clear. The well-being outcomes, the decrease in mental health difficulties, and the increase in positive affect show that nature isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s part of the broader system of mental health care and recovery.
In Practice: The Dose of Nature
Now, I prescribe what I call a “Dose of Nature” to clients—not in the clinical sense, but as a loving invitation. Start small. Add a plant to your desk. Take meetings outside. Prioritise daily routines that include Spending time in natural surroundings. Reconnect with the world that holds you, quietly, patiently.
Because sometimes, healing doesn’t begin in the therapy room. It begins under a tree, with dirt under your nails and birdsong in your ears. And that’s a truth both the data and our hearts can agree on.
—Mae
About the Author
Contributor | Nature-Based Mental Health Educator
Mae Whitfern is a writer and mental health educator exploring the meeting place between nervous system science and the natural world. With a background in community health and public education, Mae specialises in making evidence-informed practices feel gentle, grounded, and doable—especially for people navigating stress, burnout, or urban life.
Her work is shaped by lived experience, years in the public sector, and countless walks in local bushland. She believes healing doesn’t require perfect conditions—just a patch of sky, a moment of stillness, and the willingness to begin again.
Mae writes from the edges of Naarm/Melbourne, where she lives with her partner and a scruffy rescue dog