Family conflict is not the only thing clinicians should count. A more useful measure may be how reliably adults return, take responsibility, and reconnect with a child after a rupture.

By Cassie Weymouth With editorial support from the Center for Nature Informed Therapy Resiliency. Transformation. Grounding. These are some of the words students used to describe their experience during the Peace in the Wild Alps Retreat, a nature-informed study abroad experience led by Dr. Heidi Schreiber-Pan and the Center for Nature Informed Therapy. The program brought together 11 Monmouth University students — both undergraduate and graduate — along with two professors f

Three practices for returning to the world around us Evening settles over Loch Raven Reservoir, while the living world continues around us. Recently, I was sitting in a beautiful place at sunset. The sky was changing color, and the light was settling across the landscape. I was also on the phone with my mother. My father is struggling with dementia, and we were trying to figure out his care so that my mother could come visit. I was brainstorming solutions, considering possibi

Spending time outside does not automatically create a relationship with nature. Heidi Schreiber-Pan explores how curiosity, attention, and the willingness to notice may deepen both connection and healing.

Summer can offer rich opportunities for outdoor therapy, but hot weather asks clinicians to practice with greater care. Drawing from CNIT graduate community wisdom, this Field Notes article explores how to adapt sessions with shade, water, slower pacing, cooling supports, body awareness, and flexible safety planning.

You are not a problem to solve. You are a living system to understand. A nature-informed take on parts work, where the same relational lens scales from your inner world out to the family and beyond.

At the end of time outside, we pause to notice what might have attached. But this practice goes far beyond the trail. The tick check is a powerful metaphor for releasing the stress, tension, and emotional weight we carry — and a core principle of nature-informed therapy.

We know nature helps—but “just getting outside” isn’t enough for rising trauma, burnout, and disconnection. Learn how CNIT trains mental health and community helpers and develops Therapeutic Pathways that bring practical, evidence-informed support into parks and gardens.

The APA Monitor’s feature on walking therapy marks a turning point for nature-based care. In this reflection, Dr. Heidi Schreiber-Pan shares why movement and the living world free clients to speak, think, and breathe—and how CNIT is building equitable, evidence-based pathways for practitioners and communities.

From late-night air-raid alerts to quiet moments in the field, this filmmaker’s view of CNIT’s training at the Ukraine–Hungary border reveals how nature-informed therapy helps park rangers and conservation workers navigate grief, fear, and resilience—without losing their connection to the places they protect.

After devastating floods, our relationship with nature can feel broken. Discover therapeutic principles—like ritualized repair and community witnessing—to heal your bond with rivers, forests, and landscapes.

In an age of AI-driven therapy apps, we gain insights but lose feeling. Nature-informed therapy restores the reciprocal relationship that truly heals.

Eleven strangers entered the Dolly Sods Wilderness carrying heavy packs—and heavier hearts. Amidst rain, discomfort, and shared vulnerability, they discovered profound healing and human connection.

Nature isn't a place to visit—it's home. Discover the Thanksgiving Address and reconnect with the Earth.

Exploring the 'indoor person' label in therapy: Understanding clients' emotional barriers to nature and fostering meaningful connections.

Nature-Informed Therapy, adventure therapy, and wilderness therapy may all move beyond the traditional therapy room, but they use nature in very different ways. Dr. Heidi Schreiber-Pan explores what sets them apart and why the distinction matters.

Grief is a journey that often feels isolating and overwhelming, especially for those who have experienced profound losses. As a...

Volunteering at a recent nature-informed therapy training was an eye-opening experience that profoundly altered my perception of mental...

I found myself in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia in hopes of some recharge and renewal. I arrived after sunset and the spas were all...

Nature moves in cycles: the moon cycle, the water cycle, the planetary cycle, the life cycle of animals, the cycles of the seasons,....