Therapy that moves with you—literally.

At Wild Journey Recovery, healing isn’t confined to four walls. Walk and Talk Therapy is a somatic, relational, and nature-based alternative to in-office sessions. Together, we take therapy outside—walking or sitting in the quiet of natural spaces like trails, parks, or forest paths—to explore what’s present, what’s painful, and what’s possible.

This approach offers the grounding presence of nature, the regulation of movement, and the spaciousness to feel, process, and shift. Whether you’re experiencing stress, anxiety, burnout, disconnection, or grief, walking alongside a therapist outdoors can support emotional clarity, nervous system regulation, and meaningful transformation.

Walk and Talk Therapy in Calgary & Surrounding Areas

The healing benefits of nature-based therapy are backed by both research and experience. Studies show that walking in natural environments improves mood, reduces anxiety, and supports cognitive function.

Walk and Talk Therapy also intersects meaningfully with EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). EMDR was created by Francine Shapiro, who first discovered the therapeutic impact of eye movements while walking in nature. She noticed that as her eyes moved from side to side—tracking the environment—distressing thoughts began to lose their emotional charge. This phenomenon, known as bilateral stimulation, is now a core component of EMDR and supports the brain’s ability to reprocess traumatic memories. Walking in nature can naturally recreate this bilateral movement and support integration in a similar way.

Why Walk and Talk?

Reclaim connection to your body: When we live in our heads—overthinking, looping, or ruminating—movement can help us gently return to our bodies. Walking offers a way to feel instead of fix, and opens space for insight and relief.

Nature co-regulates us: The natural world has a way of helping us slow down. Trees don’t rush. Water flows. Birds sing without urgency. Being immersed in nature supports your nervous system in settling, helping you feel more grounded and resourced.

Less intensity, more ease: Walking side-by-side (instead of face-to-face) can feel more relaxed and spacious. For many people, this encourages deeper reflection and easeful sharing.

My Background in Wilderness Healing

Before opening my private practice, I worked in a wilderness addiction treatment center where I guided young men in wild, remote landscapes. This experience deepened my understanding of how nature mirrors the inner world and offers space for profound healing. I witnessed firsthand how the wilderness helped people reconnect with their bodies, emotions, and deeper truths. This approach now informs how I hold space in outdoor therapy sessions—honouring both the wildness within and the wisdom around us.

FAQs

  • Walk and Talk sessions are currently available in Calgary and the surrounding areas:

    • Calgary City Limits – $200/session

  • Each session is 50–60 minutes.

  • Locations are chosen together with care to ensure accessibility, quiet, and connection to nature. If needed, we can accommodate limited mobility and other access considerations—please reach out to explore options. I will meet you at the decided location.

    There are many locations throughout Calgary but I predominantly meet clients in the SE, SW and NW quadrants. Various park locations include: Fish Creek, Edworthy, Nose Hill, Discovery Ridge, Bow River Walk ways and the Gelnmore Reservoir.

  • If the weather takes a turn for the worse, we can always pivot to an online session. I will always be monitoring the weather for these reasons and communicate any changes if necessary.

  • You can email me at theresa@wildjourneyrecovery.com to book a walk-and-talk session with me. These sessions will occur on Tuesdays and are not bookable online.