Benefits of Walking Therapy

I wonder, why is therapy arranged to be a space where the individual is sitting in an office or online? In a LA Times article James Levine, Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, shared:

Sitting is the new smoking

Levine, 2014

If we now know sitting for long hours is detrimental to our health, is it necessary to offer therapy in an alternative format?

Walking therapy brings movement and nature into the therapy sessions. Many come to therapy with the goal of constructing a healthier lifestyle. From walking therapy, weekly sessions reduce the amount of time spent sitting or laying down. Walking therapy allows the client to bring additional movement into their life.

When walking and talking we are interpreting experiences in a different way due to bilateral stimulation. Bilateral stimulation involves the alternating right left process which occurs during walking and activates communication of the different parts of the brain hemispheres. This experience may help with emotional processing. The back and forth movement that occurs through walking supports healing. When walking and talking the body and mind are being nourished.

Online and office therapy are still an essential therapy format. However, it is important to offer additional therapy options so clients can choose which therapy arrangement helps them achieve their goals. It’s not about choosing one therapy configuration over another. Based on the clients current needs, the client can choose which therapy set up will help them achieve what they are hoping to accomplish from their therapy sessions.