Walk and talk therapy is good for mind and body.
Psychologists see good results mixing counseling, exercise
CHICAGO — Glenn Sevier believes Lake Michigan can reflect our emotions and seasons through life.
For years, the Chicago psychotherapist has been preaching what he calls “Walk-n-Talk Therapy,” the practice of receiving mental health support while walking outdoors with a therapist.
In a pandemic year, when people feel stuck inside their homes and many are struggling with isolation and mental health challenges, he said this method has big impact.
“People are cramped up and they don’t want to be inside,” said Sevier, the executive director of Advance Potential Psychological Services. “Sometimes people don’t want to connect via Zoom.”
He and his clients often have their sessions on walks along the lakefront, through a forest preserve or a scenic route on Northwestern University’s campus. This form of therapy combines exercise and a possible endorphins boost with the chance to improve mindfulness and awareness. Sevier is open to a variety of locations, factoring in safety, ambiance and the ability to have discreet conversations. If clients cannot walk for an entire hour, they find a location to sit and continue the counseling session.
Psychologists are increasingly interested in offering walking therapy, and it is encouraged by the American Psychological Association. While there is little data on the practice, it is one way psychologists are incorporating nature into therapy.
Therapists should be clear that going outdoors means people might run into others who know the therapist or client, according to the APA, and it’s important to address this possibility and find a strategy. It can also bring other challenges, such as therapists and clients feeling pressure to compete athletically or negatively comparing abilities or appearances.
At Light On Anxiety CBT Treatment Centers, with locations in and around Chicago, sessions can include a brisk walk or run. CEO Debra Kissen said it is a way to activate someone who might need an energy boost.
“If I have somebody experiencing mild, moderate, even severe depression, they’re coming in and they’re super low energy and reporting to me all of their concerns of the week and seeming pretty hopeless. I’ll say, you know what? We’re going to walk and talk,” she said.
She brings in mindfulness, encouraging patients to talk about what they see or hear as a way to focus on their surroundings and break from ruminative thinking.
People who might be a good fit for walking therapy include those who enjoy nature, want to get more exercise or feel better while moving. Insurance, however, might not cover this form of therapy in the way it would an office visit, or even a virtual visit, which is something patients should consider.
Sevier first came up with the idea years ago, when he was working as a counselor at a high school.
When he would be called to meet with a student, he realized time was wasted when he went to collect the student and return together to his office. Instead, he started offering to walk the halls, and he found students felt more comfortable and opened up while side by side, instead of face to face.
“It gave them a lot more options of not feeling like they were in trouble in a small room,” he said.
Sometimes they even walked the stairs. “It would slow them down and force those feelings,” he said.
Thomas Miller, 30, is Sevier’s client. He was hesitant, he said, to go to a more traditional therapy session. “I think guys, sometimes we struggle with mental health and being vulnerable,” he said. “I like that you’re doing this physical activity.”
At the beginning of the pandemic they switched to walk and talk calls — Miller would still take the walk, while talking with Sevier on the phone. They’ve since reconnected outdoors.
Through all seasons, he and Sevier have walked and talked. Often, Miller brings along his dog, Lucy.
“We’re going on this literal journey together,” Miller said. “We’re literally walking from point A to point B and talking.”
He said that committing to this despite the weather feels itself like committing to bettering himself, no matter the environment.
“There’s something about the way we treat it like this really important part of the process. We’re going to go out; we’re going to go for the walk,” he said. “It’s sort of like a good metaphor for the importance of talking.”
Plus, it’s nice to get some steps in.