John Delamar - Ecotherapy - Out Class 12/7

The article “Prescribing a Dose of Nature” offers the perspectives of psychologist Elizabeth Nisbet and Dr. Melissa Lem about ecotherapy. Nisbet first explains how ecotherapy can improve one's physical health. Urbanization has led to an increase in health problems including heart issues, respiratory issues, birth issues, and problems with the immune system. Nisbet explains that those who surround themselves with nature are much healthier than those in urban areas; they show signs of heart rate variability, stable levels of cortisol, and a healthy amount of anti-cancer proteins. People with poor mental health will also benefit greatly from ecotherapy. Going on a walk through the forest, exposing oneself to nature will not only promote positive emotions but may also help with problem solving. Nisbet also explains that increased research in ecotherapy has allowed for more nature-based programs to come into effect, such as hospitals and school gardens. Lem explains tips and practical uses of ecotherapy. There are things you can do every day to practice ecotherapy such as looking out your window and even just walking or biking to work. Lem explains that children tend to benefit the most from ecotherapy the most, especially in children with ADHD as it was found a 20-minute walkthrough nature had the same effect as prescription medication. Ecotherapy promotes clarity and better sleep which is key for a student to succeed in school.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/45035085


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kip Redick Example of an Outside Reading Post

 Recently I decided to give the renowned masterpiece by Jon Krakauer known as Into the Wild  another read. Needless to say I was just as heartbroken as the first time I read this novel/watched the 2007 film. I felt the need to discuss the work here simply because I feel it relates to a lot of discussions we have been having in class. I mean think about it, a young man sets out across the country to explore creation as it was intended to be experienced. As the story progresses, I remember being left with a sense of wonder, even thinking things along the lines of "I wonder would what happen if I just decided to do this one day?" I feel it's common knowledge how this story ends by now, with the main protagonist passing away alone in the wilderness, no one around for miles due to accidentally ingesting a poisonous plant. Although I have previously discussed how nature is God's most pure creation and should be treated as such, I feel I need to address a differ...
Read more

Kip Redick Introduction

To post, click “new post” to start your entry, you will then be able to write your blog. Make sure to start the blog with your name and the subject of the entry. Blog entries will be considered informal writing assignments and as such will be graded more in relation to content than style. Blog entries will contain questions and answers to questions, as well as reflections which relate to daily classroom discussions, completion of exercises, and reading assignments. Any questions the student has when reading or completing assignments should be written in their blog. Reflections may relate to connections the student makes between discussions in this class and those in other classes, between arguments raised in the readings in this class and those raised in other classes or in informal conversations. Students are encouraged to apply the ideas learned in this class to activities that take place outside of the class. These applications make great reflections. The student should bring questi...
Read more

Book review- The Call of the Wild

 I read The Call of the Wild by Jack London a few years ago and read it a second time a few months ago. It is one of my favorite books, not only because it involves the wilderness, dogs, and wolves but also because of the bond between Buck and John Thornton. At the beginning of the book, we learn that Buck is taken from his home in California and was sold as a sled dog in the Klondike Gold Rush. I remember the book being difficult to read at times due to the abuse that Buck and the other dogs faced, but it also opened my eyes to how important it is to respect every form of life, including a dog’s. While he was cared for and treated well in California, his master, Judge Miller, treated him more as a friend rather than a beloved companion, hence the lack of homesickness expressed by Buck. Even though Buck was a suburban dog, there was always something different about him, he was strong, brave, and fierce. I loved how the book was told from Buck’s perspective, there was so much he did...
Read more