Healing power of nature

These notes are based on a guest lecture for the Health Psychology unit of study at the University of Canberra.

Overview
This lecture provides an introduction to the "healing power of nature" from a psychological point of view. It emphasises psychoevolutionary theory and practical applications.

Activities
This section involves some experiential activities to heighten personal awareness about our engagements with nature.

Sensory awareness inventory
Write down as many examples as you can of how you receive pleasure, comfort or enjoyment through each of your five senses:


 * Discussion:
 * Circle all the sources of pleasure that involve nature
 * Design a "perfect day" which involves receiving at least one favourite source of pleasure through each of your senses
 * Consider: Are there more than five senses?

Favourite place in nature

 * Close your eyes
 * Take a deep breath in … and out
 * Imagine your favourite place in nature
 * See yourself visiting that place
 * What does it feel like?
 * When you’re ready, say goodbye and leave that place
 * Then open your eyes
 * Find a person near you and share about your favourite place

History
This section looks at the role of nature in health and well-being through human history.

Indigenous

 * Humans lived deeply in and with nature for hundreds of thousands, if not millions of years
 * Thinking, feeling, and behaving was intimately connected to natural environments (land, air, water, plants, animals, weather, ecosystems)

Industrialisation

 * 1000 - 10,000 years ago: Many indigenous cultures became agrarian (farming-based) – Agrarian society (Wikipedia)
 * Present - 250 years ago: Many agrarian cultures became industrialised (manufacturing economy) – Industrialisation (Wikipedia)

Present

 * Many people do not live in direct, continuous, daily contact with nature.
 * Urbanisation:
 * 2018 = 55%
 * 2050 = 68% [https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/population/2018-revision-of-world-urbanization-prospects.html
 * Nature deficit disorder (Wikipedia) (Louv, 2008)

Future

 * ↑ Urbanisation
 * ↑ Human population
 * ↓ Natural environment
 * → ↑ Nature deficit disorder?

Theory
This section explores the main psychologies theories used to understand the healing potential of nature.

Intersections
This area represents intersections between:
 * 1) Health
 * 2) Environment
 * 3) Psychology

Psychevolutionary theory

 * 1) Evolutionary psychology (Wikipedia)

Biophilia hypothesis

 * 1) Biophilia hypothesis (Wikipedia) (Wilson, 1984)
 * 2) Edward O. Wilson's Biophilia Hypothesis (wilderdom.com)

Attention restoration theory

 * 1) Attention restoration theory (Wikipedia)
 * 2) Attention restoration theory (Motivation and Emotion Book Chapter, Wikiversity)
 * 3) Attention restoration theory (Psychology of natural scenes, Wikiversity)
 * 4) Kaplan (1995)

Stress reduction theory

 * 1) Stress reduction theory (Wikipedia)
 * 2) Stress reduction theory (Psychology of natural scenes, Wikiversity)
 * 3) Ulrich et al. (1991)

Research
This section highlights some key and illustrative research findings about the healing potential of exposure to nature.

Natural scenes

 * Ulrich (1984): Natural view through a hospital window promoted recovery
 * Viewing

Green space

 * Public health

Green exercise



 * Field studies
 * Lab studies
 * MMORPG exergames

Nature therapy

 * Nature therapy / ecotherapy
 * Adventure therapy
 * Animal therapy (e.g., companion animals, equine therapy, mini-zoo keepers)
 * Conservation therapy (e.g., mini zoo-keepers)
 * Green prescriptions (GRx)
 * Horticultural therapy
 * Nature meditation

Slides

 * Healing power of nature, 2019 (Google Slides)