Dr Kellas is the Nature-based Mental Healthcare and Green Spaces Representative for the Royal College of Psychiatrists. In a recent interview (link) for BBC Radio 4 by the assistant Editor of the Spectator, Isabel Hardman, he outlines the imperative of using nature not only to help build a sustainable mental health service but: 'the most important thing… Continue reading Dr Kellas (R Coll of Psyc) speaks of nature-based therapies as part of the mental health service.
Blog
Nature: workplace wellbeing
We all know the headlines: Stress Kills. What many don’t necessarily know, especially outside leadership teams, organisational development departments and occupational health advisers is the sheer scale of the problem. Stress is the single most important player in sickness absence. In the UK, the Health & Safety Executive reports that nearly 12 million days are… Continue reading Nature: workplace wellbeing
Connecting Actively with Nature
We know that being active is great for our mind and body. We know that being in and connecting with nature is good for you too. But what are the much lauded benefits of bring activity and nature together? Being active. One of the very best preventions and antidotes to illness is exercise. It helps… Continue reading Connecting Actively with Nature
Change your perspective
Imagine being a person who has been imprisoned inside, all of their life. Consider that on average our children spend 4 hours a week playing outdoors. To put this in perspective, for the 168 hours of a child's week, just 4 hours are spent out of doors. To look at this another way, less than… Continue reading Change your perspective
Why are trees good for us?
How trees affect our mental and physical health is becoming increasingly well documented – but this article asks the deeper question of why? It began with knowledge that trees take the carbon dioxide that we breathe out and convert it to oxygen as part of their own respiration. Trees ‘clean’ air for us to breathe… Continue reading Why are trees good for us?
Forest Bathing and Cancer
Considering that over a third of the population is expected to get cancer in their lifetime, it would foolish to ignore the potential of our body’s natural ability to reduce cancerous tumors and virally infected cells. Natural killer cells (NK cells) are an aggressive part of our immune system that plays an important role in removing damaged cells from… Continue reading Forest Bathing and Cancer
Nature: treating chronic pain
People’s increasing disconnect with the natural environment has widespread implications for wellness. Chronic conditions are increasing on a worrying trajectory; pain is exacerbated by stress and this can create the conditions for long term pain. Reducing stress on our bodies, including through nature-based practices, have been proven to reduce chronic pain and consequently provide a… Continue reading Nature: treating chronic pain
Which way Mister Tree? I’m lost but you can tell me!
As we move slowly from one season to another it is worth taking notice of the changes in nature; from the small to the big things. Observing these consciously, in the present moment, can positively impact on our wellbeing as well as giving us a sense of our place in the world with its patterns… Continue reading Which way Mister Tree? I’m lost but you can tell me!
Identify Plants – a short guide
Plant ID can remain an inscrutable subject for many. I use a triangulation method when trying to identify a new plant – one guide is a classic field guide that groups plants by colour, flower type and then habitat. I use another guide that groups things by genus – this is useful to double check… Continue reading Identify Plants – a short guide
I MAY RING
The lovely hawthorn has, across history, been regarded as the emblem of hope, a tree of union and of marriage. Its branches have been carried by the ancient Greeks in wedding processions, and used by them to deck the altar of Hymenaios. It was once said that Hawthorn could heal a broken heart. Maybe that… Continue reading I MAY RING
