Welcome to Ecotherapy!  When feeling overwhelmed by life's challenges I have always found myself turning to the serenity of nature to soothe my nerves.  In 2020 I became a certified Ecotherapist, trained in offering nature-based individual counseling to my clients who are seeking sessions for mental health and wellbeing. 

​

What is an Ecotherapist and Ecotherapy: An eco-therapist is trained to address climate anxiety and general mental health challenges that engage a client in a reciprocal relationship with nature.  Typically, an Ecotherapist is a licensed professional counselor. Ecotherapy is a practice that taps into nature's innate healing properties as a resource for one's own healing.  I am only a guide, helping a person to reconnect with the natural world. 

 

Why do we seek Ecotherapy: Often the roots of our compromised mental health can be traced to feeling isolated, not feeling connected to ourselves and others in a meaningful way.  When we are with nature our whole being is accepted, judgement and criticism does not exists.  

 

How does Ecotherapy Work: When we reconnect on a deeper level with nature, our world is automatically expanded! Nature, including our pets, are a haven for our fragile psyche, free from judgement and criticism.  The natural world can be the bridge that brings us back into feeling worthy and belonging.  When we expand our view and  experience ourselves as inseparable from nature, we often finds this to be soothing and empowering.

 

Benefits of Ecotherapy: When we engage in a conversation with nature, we tend to focus outside of our inner dialogue.  This use of mindfulness, allowing ourselves to “just be” content and engaged in the moment, helps us develop a sense of belonging.  When we feel we belong we are most likely to live from our authenticity, our anxious and depressive symptoms naturally decrease.  When having a sense that we belong to something greater than ourselves, that we are indeed rooted with Mother Earth and supported, our reliance on anger, resentment, guilt, fear, and shame lifts.  We can begin to move through the world from a place of curiosity and loving kindness to ourselves and others.  Vitality, contentment, and joy have a better chance of coming forth.​

​

Outdoors and indoor sessions are offered throughout the year.  An outdoor session may be sitting by the lake, wooded area or putting our feet in the river.  An indoor session will incorporate nature practices within within the office.  For inclement weather indoor and zoom sessions are available.

​

To see if WETS is a good fit for you, email or call Anne at watersedgets.anne@gmail.com or call/text (262) 586-9779

​

​

​

Local Park Locations

Estabrook Park - Hubbard Park - Atwater Park - Lake Park - Gordon Park - Big Bay Park - Riverside Park - Pleasant Valley Park - Big Bay Park - Kletzsch Park - Klode Park - Bradford Beach - other locations under a 10 min drive from the Whitefish Baya office.