There are so many great therapeutic techniques around these days, and I subscribe to many of them. Our understanding of the human mind and heart, while still a work in progress, has improved mightily, with wonderful approaches like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), IFS (Internal Family Systems), DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), Psychodynamics, CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), and more offering real opportunities for people to heal and grow. That being the case—and this is based on my belief that the ever-growing epidemic of anxiety and depression is, in part, rooted in our chronic disconnection from nature— sometimes just going outside is the most powerful therapy of all. I get a surprising amount of pushback on this, especially here on Chicago’s North Shore, where I commonly hear that there is “nowhere to go” or that it’s either too hot or too cold most of the year to bother. While I can’t argue the fact that Illinois doesn’t hold a candle to places like Colorado or Maine, or that the weather is often not the best, it is easier to get outside around here than folks think—and the benefits of doing so are indisputable. 

If you Google “mental health benefits of being outside,” you’ll come up with something along the lines of:

•  Reduced cortisol
•  Increased vitamin D
•  Lower blood pressure
•  Better sleep

And while these things are all true, my two favorite benefits aren’t generally on these lists.

The first is something called Bilateral Stimulation, which Gordon Gooding, LCSW-R, states “is a therapeutic technique that engages both hemispheres of the brain to facilitate the processing and integration of distressing emotions and memories. By activating neural pathways through rhythmic, alternating stimuli, BLS helps foster communication between the left and right brain, promoting a state of psychological balance and enhancing emotional regulation.” (To learn more about Bilateral Stimulation, read here: https://www.goodingwellness.com/post/what-is-bilateral-stimulation)

In simpler terms, research has shown that the movements of walking—specifically the swinging of the arms and legs along with the shifting of one’s gaze back and forth—improve brain function and emotional regulation. And while this is theoretically true if we jump on a treadmill, the fact is that on treadmills, we are typically staring at a screen, which limits our eye movement by a massive degree. It is only when we are untethered from a screen in a natural setting that our bodies, eyes, and minds conspire, through movement, to work together optimally. This is pretty easy to try out! Just go outside and take a walk around the block without looking at your phone. If you’re paying attention, you will notice that your mind is looser—juicier, even—that ideas and thoughts spontaneously come and go, and that you have the space to listen to them, as maddening as they may be!

Which leads me to the second reason being in nature is a huge must-do: it creates the space for us to think organically without the constant direction of technology or other outside influences. At this stage in the game, anytime we do this, it is a statement of rebellion. Whenever we are hooked into social media, television, and even podcasts and books, we are thinking about and responding to someone else’s ideas. While some amount of this is okay—certainly because we are a tribal species—having that be our only cognitive environment is downright scary. When we are outside, it’s just us. No one is telling us what to think, what to click, what is important, or—worst of all—what to buy. We have the chance to reacquaint ourselves with our own unique and fascinating selves. (I get pushback on that too, by the way, but trust me, you are unique and fascinating!)

There is a third reason getting outside is great for our mental health—perhaps the most important reason of all—and that is that it provides us with an opportunity to connect to wonderment. Webster defines “wonderment” as “a feeling of great surprise and pleasure.” Notably, it is impossible to be in a state of anxiety or depression while one is in a state of wonderment, and the natural world, if we allow ourselves to be present in it, is filled with miracles great and small that can easily transport us there. Here is a short list of things I’ve seen less than five minutes away from my home in boring old Illinois that transformed my mindset:

• Two newborn fawns nursing simultaneously from their mother  A flock of Eastern Bluebirds perched on a field of swaying milkweed as the sunset and lit up their bright blue backs until they glowed
• Millions of crawdads emerging from the river mud to mate in abeyance to some primal directive 
• Coneflowers, Bee Balm, Carolina Bluebells, Swamp Buttercups, and a whole bunch of other flowers with fun names to say
• A Great Horned Owl, who sat and made direct eye contact with me for no less than one full minute

If you’re wondering where to go to find these and other amazing things, I will first suggest Harms Woods: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/harms-woods/. Harms Woods includes multiple locations with lots of different trailheads and places to explore. To get to Lake Michigan (a true wonderment itself), drive out to Gilson Beach: https://wilmettepark.org/lakefront-gillson-park/. If you have a dog, try Beck Lake or Prairie Wolf Dog Parks: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/becklake/, https://www.lcfpd.org/prairie-wolf/. You can also wander around River Trail Nature Center: https://www.bing.com/maps?q=nature%20centers%20near%20me&FORM=ARPSEC&PC=ARPL&PTAG=30530231 and The Grove: https://glenviewparks.org/facilities/thegrove/, or even Wagner Farm: https://glenviewparks.org/facilities/historic-wagner-farm/.

One simple way to get yourself to a state of wonderment is to look for a “gift” each time you go outside. A gift is one special thing that we wouldn’t have seen or experienced if we hadn’t bothered to go, and appreciating it is an effective shortcut to feeling great.

This spring, challenge yourself to get away from your screens and your routine, and connect with the natural world. I’m not a person who makes promises lightly, but I promise you—the benefits will be impactful, long-lasting, and maybe even life-changing.

At this stage in the game, anytime we do this, it is a statement of rebellion. Whenever we are hooked into social media, television, and even podcasts and books, we are thinking about and responding to someone else’s ideas. While some amount of this is okay—certainly because we are a tribal species—having that be our only cognitive environment is downright scary. When we are outside, it’s just us. No one is telling us what to think, what to click, what is important, or—worst of all—what to buy. We have the chance to reacquaint ourselves with our own unique and fascinating selves. (I get pushback on that too, by the way, but trust me, you are unique and fascinating!)

There is a third reason getting outside is great for our mental health—perhaps the most important reason of all—and that is that it provides us with an opportunity to connect to wonderment. Webster defines “wonderment” as “a feeling of great surprise and pleasure.” Notably, it is impossible to be in a state of anxiety or depression while one is in a state of wonderment, and the natural world, if we allow ourselves to be present in it, is filled with miracles great and small that can easily transport us there. Here is a short list of things I’ve seen less than five minutes away from my home in boring old Illinois that transformed my mindset:

• Two newborn fawns nursing simultaneously from their mother  A flock of Eastern Bluebirds perched on a field of swaying milkweed as the sunset and lit up their bright blue backs until they glowed
• Millions of crawdads emerging from the river mud to mate in abeyance to some primal directive 
• Coneflowers, Bee Balm, Carolina Bluebells, Swamp Buttercups, and a whole bunch of other flowers with fun names to say
• A Great Horned Owl, who sat and made direct eye contact with me for no less than one full minute

If you’re wondering where to go to find these and other amazing things, I will first suggest Harms Woods: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/harms-woods/. Harms Woods includes multiple locations with lots of different trailheads and places to explore. To get to Lake Michigan (a true wonderment itself), drive out to Gilson Beach: https://wilmettepark.org/lakefront-gillson-park/. If you have a dog, try Beck Lake or Prairie Wolf Dog Parks: https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/becklake/, https://www.lcfpd.org/prairie-wolf/. You can also wander around River Trail Nature Center: https://www.bing.com/maps?q=nature%20centers%20near%20me&FORM=ARPSEC&PC=ARPL&PTAG=30530231 and The Grove: https://glenviewparks.org/facilities/thegrove/, or even Wagner Farm: https://glenviewparks.org/facilities/historic-wagner-farm/.

One simple way to get yourself to a state of wonderment is to look for a “gift” each time you go outside. A gift is one special thing that we wouldn’t have seen or experienced if we hadn’t bothered to go, and appreciating it is an effective shortcut to feeling great.

This spring, challenge yourself to get away from your screens and your routine, and connect with the natural world. I’m not a person who makes promises lightly, but I promise you—the benefits will be impactful, long-lasting, and maybe even life-changing.