Absolutely not! Walk and talk therapy is suitable for all fitness levels and abilities. You take the lead and your counsellor will walk beside you at a pace that is comfortable for you. All of the routes offer opportunities to sit down along the way and are varies in length depending on how much walking you would like to do.
Therapy Walks can help you with a wide range of issues including anxiety, depression, relationship problems, stress, anger, trauma, self harm, bereavement and general low mood.
Therapy Walks works with adults, children and young people. Due to sessions taking place in a public outdoor space, walk and talk therapy may not be suitable for very young children, however this can be discussed during consultation. The recommended age for both walk and talk and video counselling would be 11 years and above.
To make the most of your sessions the main thing is that you feel comfortable. Some of the routes may be wet or muddy so a good pair of waterproof shoes such as trainers or walking boots would be recommended. depending on the weather you may want to layer up so clothing can be added or removed if you feel too hot or too cold. Some essentials may be a hat and gloves for winter and a sunhat in the summer months.
As the saying goes 'There is no bad weather, just bad clothing!!' Grabbing a rain coat or a brolly and stepping out into the rain can often feel empowering. Venturing out in weather you may normally avoid can help you step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. Of course the decision to walk is your choice and in extreme weather and other eventualities it may be decided to hold the session online via video call.
Yes! Please feel free to bring your dog along for the walk as long as they are kept on a lead and do not distract from the therapeutic work.