Guided Ecotherapy Walk – Irrawong Waterfall

Have you heard of ecotherapy? Nature immersion or forest bathing perhaps?

Ecotherapy is the healing and nourishing effect of being in nature. Science is catching up with this free, age-old practice of looking to nature for improved health and wellness.

Learn how to deeply experience nature and build your mindfulness muscle on this slow wander and reap the mind and body benefits.

Your ecotherapy guide, Sarah Freeman, will take you on a mindful wander through nature to help you connect with yourself, your senses and the natural world around you.

The location alternates each week between the rainforest section of the Narrabeen Lagoon, Warriewood Wetlands, and Irrawong Falls.

During the activity there will be periods of silent mindful walking to practice connection with nature and opportunities to reflect on and share your experiences.

The benefits of Ecotherapy include:

• Connect with nature to feel grounded and calm
• Increase your ability to access creative thinking to help with important decision making
• Understand the science – calming the nervous system and accessing the brains prefrontal cortex
• Connecting to place and understanding that we are ‘a part’ of the earth not ‘apart’ from it
• Mindful connection to the earth helps reduce feelings of anxiety, stress, fear, and depression
• Mindful connection promotes feelings of joy, creativity, strength, and resilience
• Totally free and easily accessible form of (self-guided) therapy to increase wellbeing

The walk goes slowly through part of the Warriewood Wetlands path, then cross the road at Garden steet to follow the path to Irrawong Falls. The route is under 2km in total and the group will stop and start along the route.

What to bring: Water, hat, sunscreen, mozzie repellant; and wear good footwear and weather appropriate clothing.

Please note: this location is not wheelchair friendly. To enjoy ecotherapy from a wheelchair, please attend our Narrabeen Lagoon location on an alternate date.

About the Host

Sarah Freeman is a mature age student studying for a degree in Counselling with Australian College of Applied Professions (ACAP). Living in Cromer, she is a country girl at heart which has lead to her passion for the natural world and ecotherapy. She looks forward to contributing to and learning from diverse community members as we focus on nature to become more present and build our mindfulness muscle.