Outdoors is my Therapy

At the time of recording this episode Australia and much of the world is going through a staged process of coming out of isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m seeing and hearing a lot of enthusiasm from people to get out and socialise more, but also to reconnect with outdoor spaces and places. That includes people who haven’t spent a lot of time in the outdoors before. I think people have become more aware of the role that getting out and about and connecting with the outdoors has on mental health and well-being.

Lots of people have been asking questions about how to find parks where they live, where they can go, what walks are around, how to get to places, what facilities are available in different locations, whether particular trails are suitable for young families or people with mobility issues, how to get started bushwalking and so on.

In this episode I begin answering some of those questions. You’ll hear about:
    • the different types of parks we have in Australia that you can access for outings, picnics, walks, bush walks and other activities
    • the differences between National Parks, State Forests, Regional Parks and privately managed parklands
    • the sorts of activities you can do in different parks
    • how to get more information about parks near where you live

The clickable links to the state and federal National Parks websites that I mention in this episode can all be found in the blog “How to find parks where I live”

Read the blog “How to find parks where I live”

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Kathryn Walton Consulting Facebook Page

Join the Outdoors is my Therapy Facebook Group

Audio production: David Walton & Liam Walton  

Today’s episode is all about how you can improve your sleep by spending time outdoors. Sleep is closely linked to mental and physical health but nearly half of adults report not having adequate sleep. There are many factors that affect sleep quality and quantity. Spending time outdoors is one of those factors and you can use it as an all-natural treatment to sleep better and feel better. In this episode we talk about:

• Managing your stress levels each day by getting outside or connecting with nature in some way including the fractals or patterns in nature, meditation and mindfulness practices, physical movement, bringing nature inside if you can’t get out, and how to use visualisation
• Be as active as you can or increase the intensity of your exercise  - you are more likely to be active when you spend time outside
• Spend time outside first thing in the morning to get a dose of natural light that re-sets your body clock and helps you to feel sleepy later in the evening
• Create a consistent daily routine that includes getting up and going to bed closer to sunrise and sunset, avoiding blue light in the evening and doing some relaxing activities instead of scrolling through your device, and get plenty of movement and exercise every day
• Model a healthy routine for your children and set boundaries around their activities
• How to manage sleep when you’re caring for a baby or children
• Bring soothing aspects of nature into your sleeping environment by checking in with your senses – what can I see, hear, touch, smell that is calming and is associated with rest and sleep?
• What to do if you need more help with your sleep 

Read the blog “Improve Your Sleep by Spending Time Outdoors”

Download your free printable

Australia’s Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines and 24-Hour Movement Guidelines

Kathryn Walton’s website

Kathryn Walton Consulting Facebook Page

Join the Outdoors is my Therapy Facebook Group

Email Kathryn [email protected]

Audio production: David Walton & Liam Walton 

When you invest time and energy into connecting with the outdoors, with nature, each day, you stand to gain multiple health benefits, including improved attention, reduced stress levels, improved sleep and improved mood.

Recently the Outdoors is my Therapy Facebook Group ran a challenge to share ideas about some of the ways we can all get connected with the outdoors on a more regular basis – so we feel better! And live better! This episode shares some of the activities we came up with and all of them are completely do-able no matter your fitness level, age, where you live, how much time you have or how mobile you are. Each day you can choose between activities such as going for a walk, watching the sunrise and sunset, spending time in a garden, bird watching, doing some mindful practices outside such as a mindful walk, discovering the little treasures, and celebrating life and the outdoors with a picnic. Kathryn guides you through how you can develop a daily routine of connecting with the outdoors in ways that will work for you.

Visit Kathryn Walton’s website

Join the Outdoors is my Therapy Facebook Group

Read the blog “Everyday in the Outdoors”

Audio production: David Walton & Liam Walton 

This is Part 2 of a two part series exploring strategies that can help you feel calmer when fear and anxiety arises.  If you haven’t listened to Part 1 (Episode 5) yet, it might be helpful to start there, then come back to this episode. In Part 1 we talked about the nature and purpose of fear, common signs of anxiety, and action-based strategies that are known to help reduce the effects of anxiety.

In Part 2 (Episode 6) you’ll hear about the powerful nature of the mind and how you can use your mind to manage fear and feelings of anxiety. Mind-based strategies are sometimes more challenging than action-based strategies because you’re dealing with the invisible part of yourself – your thoughts, imagination, mindset, attitude, emotions and so on. Many of these strategies can be combined with spending time in nature which has added benefits for your mental health.

Visit Kathryn Walton’s website

Join the Outdoors is my Therapy Facebook Group

Read the blog “Calming Techniques for Fear and Anxiety”

Audio Production: David Walton & Liam Walton

This is Part 1 of a two part series exploring strategies that can help you feel calmer when fear and anxiety arises.  In this episode you’ll hear about the nature and purpose of fear, the common signs of anxiety, and some of the most effective action-based strategies to help you manage those feelings.

Fear is the voice in your head trying to keep you safe and it triggers a chain of responses in your mind and body known as the fight and flight response. It’s a vital mechanism that has helped the human race survive so we don’t want to get rid of it altogether. So how do we keep these voices of fear in check so that they do their job of keeping us safe without stopping us from living a healthy and fulfilling life?

You’ll hear about a wide range of strategies in this episode that focus on using your body to create a greater sense of calm when fear and anxiety rises. In the next episode, Part 2, you’ll hear about mind-based techniques that help bring about a sense of calm.

Visit Kathryn Walton’s website

Join the Outdoors is my Therapy Facebook Group

Read the blog “Calming Techniques for Fear and Anxiety”

Audio Production: David Walton & Liam Walton

Have you ever had a stay-at-home holiday or staycation? During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are facing the probability of taking this to another level in which any non-essential travel outside our own homes is not permitted during isolation. This includes many of the usual outdoor recreational activities we enjoy like bushwalking and picnics.

Instead of focusing on the limitations, a staycation is your opportunity to create lots of nature-based mini-adventures at home. Listen in to hear Kathryn’s list of 20 mini-adventures that turn the stay-at-home moments into cherished memories.

Visit Kathryn Walton’s website

Join the Outdoors is my Therapy Facebook Group

Read the blog “How to Have an Outdoors Staycation”

Audio Production: David Walton & Liam Walton

In today’s episode I share 20 ways to keep moving and exercising either indoors or outdoors when you are isolated during a pandemic.

NO matter where you live in the world as this podcast episode was recorded, you would have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the health and government directives to manage its spread. Isolation requirements mean limited options to spend time outdoors exercising and socialising.

But we all need to continue to nurture our health including our mental health during isolation. We need to be creative in how we exercise, spend time outdoors, and socialise whilst keeping physical distance from others and not taking any unnecessary risks that might result in injury and the need for medical assistance.

I’ve collected together some practical ideas to help you do this. These ideas will be useful at other times in your life too when you can’t go out as freely as you’d like to.

Visit Kathryn Walton’s website

Join the Outdoors is my Therapy Facebook Group

Read the blog “How To Keep Exercising During the Coronavirus Pandemic”

Audio Production: David Walton & Liam Walton

We live in a world that expects us to be efficient, effective and resourceful. And in trying to be all these things, we risk letting go of the things that actually sustain us, bring us energy, nurture our health and inspire our creativity. Spending time in nature is one of those things that has often been neglected in our self care as we rush through life. But spending time in nature is never a waste of time.

In this episode we explore 8 reasons why you need to get back to nature.

Visit Kathryn Walton’s website

Join the Outdoors is my Therapy Facebook Group

Read the blog “8 Reasons to Get Back to Nature”

Audio production: David Walton & Liam Walton

Kathryn Walton welcomes you to the Outdoors is my Therapy podcast which is part of a larger movement to inform, inspire and empower you to spend time outdoors for the benefit of your health and well-being.

It’s important to be creative and strategic so that you can create pathways to get past the obstacles that can get in the way of making healthy choices in life including spending time outdoors in nature. In this episode Kathryn shares the journey she’s been on to develop the Outdoors is my Therapy movement and the role the podcast plays in building ever greater ripples of well-being reaching right around the globe.

This podcast is for you whether you’re an experienced adventurer, a backyard explorer, someone with a growing interest in connecting with nature, or if there have been challenges in your life that have got in the way of you spending time outside. No matter who you are or where you live, you are warmly welcomed to our vibrant community. Together we’ll explore the benefits of spending time outdoors which truly is the ideal space to challenge yourself physically and mentally, as well as to find healing, nurturing and connection.

Each week there will be a new episode for you to listen to. We’ll share ideas for spending time outdoors and managing some of the challenges that get in the way. There will be episodes filled with practical tips, innovative ideas, projects and programs, inspiring personal stories, interviews, the latest research and what it means for you and your health, and we’ll take you on some adventurous journeys as well.

When we connect with the outdoors, with nature, we become better connected with our inner selves, with others and with the world around us. We feel healthier and happier. Outdoors is my therapy, and it can be your therapy too.

Visit Kathryn Walton’s website

Join the Outdoors is my Therapy Facebook Group

Audio production: David Walton & Liam Walton