Countryside walking in January: Has the psychotherapist totally lost his marbles?
by Roger Day
I just got back from walking several miles in the Northamptonshire and Warwickshire countryside. It is early January and I was freezing cold, ankle deep in mud, buffeted by gale force winds and soaked by lashing horizontal wind. Have I, the psychotherapist, gone stark staring bonkers? One sandwich short of a picnic? Or, as they say in Yorkshire, 'left all his chairs at 'ome'?
I came from Canada to live in the UK over 50 years ago so I should know by now that the weather is predictably unpredictable. Today was no exception. I followed the weather forecasts from the BBC and Weather Underground ('The storm of the last few days has passed'; 'Just 20% chance of precipitation in your area'). Today's stormy conditions were as bad as yesterday's, and I'm convinced that the 20% precipitation all fell on me during my walk. I must have been crazy to trust the forecasters.
Whatever you think of such a mad activity as countryside walking, I see it as part of equipping me to be effective with my psychotherapy and play therapy clients. Several years ago I made a commitment to go on a long walk at least once a week as part of keeping myself fit for my work with clients. I see countryside walking as a form of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual fitness.This enables me to be even more helpful to people with deep needs.
I work with adults and children who suffer extreme forms of stress, anxiety, panic and depression. I help couples whose relationships are on the rocks. I help men who are tormented by addiction to internet pornography or the ravages of sexual difficulties (I call them the Up and Coming problems). Many people I see are struggling with past sexual abuse or current domestic violence. Parents need help in dealing with their children's behaviour - anything from the effects of autistic spectrum to hyperactivity). All this could leave its toll on the therapist.
Countryside walking helps me to release the baggage people leave behind in the therapy room. The rain symbolically washes away the pain and suffering and the wind blows away the huge emotional problems people face on a daily basis. I can free myself up ready to help them (and others) next time. When I arrive home I am happy and full of energy. Roll on next week and another countryside walk!
This morning I traipsed through deep mud, had my face stung by lashing rain and nearly fell over from a sudden gust of wind. I asked myself if it was sensible to be out in such dreadful conditions. Was I being foolhardy, even mad?
My conclusion is that I don't have to be mad to be a psychotherapist – but it helps, especially in January!
Roger Day is a UKCP Registered Psychotherapist and a Certified Play Therapist. He offers creative counselling and play therapy from his therapy room in Rugby, Central England. He also offers counselling by Skype or Messenger to clients anywhere in the world.
For details telephone 01788 541 937 or 07870 737 652. You could also send an email to: brookcreativetherapy@gmail.com