Walk and Talk Therapy

Walk and talk Therapy does exactly what it says on the tin. The Counsellor and Client will meet at a pre-determined outside appropriate space arranged prior to the session. The session then takes places walking side by side.

It can be more dynamic than a traditional therapy session and is particularly seen as useful if you have felt “stuck” in your therapy in the past or the present. The active movement can help with releasing tension and aid development of new thoughts and ideas. It makes an accurate metaphor for moving forwards in our work.

Walk and talk sessions like a traditional counselling session is client led, you determine the pace of both the talking and the walking. Walking can be less intimidating than sitting opposite a counsellor which changes the dynamic, there is also a lack of eye contact that would normally come with traditional counselling which can help release inhibition especially if you’re apprehensive about sitting alone in a room with the therapist looking at you.
It can be a refreshing change for people who spend all day in their home or place of work. Often the idea of spending another hour sat inside can be off-putting, the opportunity to combine therapy with a walk, gentle exercise, fresh air and the natural world can be beneficial and appealing.

We have used Walk and Talk therapy effectively with several clients and it is an option that can also be utilized as a combination of standard therapy. Sometimes if a client is struggling with a particular subject it can be the change that is needed to allow the client to work through and engage more with the topic.

The first session usually takes places in a more formal setting whether at your home, place of work or pre-arranged location to allow for us to discuss with you the contract, the contingency plan for if the weather is bad for your sessions, a suitable place for us to meet and walk and also your confidentiality.

Confidentiality is as important to us with Walk and Talk work as it would be with any other Counselling service we offer. However, when working outside there is the potential for seeing people you might know, or that may know the therapist, in the first session we will discuss how you want to deal with this if it arises. There is also the issue that if other people are close by they maybe able to hear parts of the conversation. This will all be discussed during your first session.

Whilst Walk and Talk is not a suitable option for everyone it can be particularly useful for people who feel trapped in a life, role or subject. Being outdoors can make people feel “freer” and activity will increase the blood flow to the brain and release endorphins which can be helpful when exploring difficult topics or tackling issues.

If you would like to discuss this option further or have any questions please feel free to contact us at BrainHub CPW and Phil or Harriet will happily try to answer any questions.

Why not give it a try?