Nature is Becoming My Favorite Therapist

Master Naturalist, Eryn Lynum, invites us to become "Wonder Conservationists."

Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.

-Henry David Thoreau

As of June 12th, I celebrate 13 years in private practice as a trauma-informed, board-certified life coach—who loves nothing more than a deep dive into how interpersonal neurobiology, trauma memory reconsolidation, and spiritual formation are interconnected.

I see each person who sits in front of me as a sheer blessing, and I hold their hearts with the utmost respect and dignity.

Going to therapy is a fiercely courageous act.

I know the pressure of dialing a therapist's number or clicking “schedule” on their online scheduler—still to this day I tremble and question the moments just before taking that action.

Thoughts rush in like a giant wave: I don’t need this. I can buck up and push through.

My loudest inside voice (cue harsh, shaming tone) often says, “When will you finally be whole? C’mon already. More therapy? More seminars? More…more…more. Get it together, Rardon.”

I was trained in the school of theology that said Jesus was enough.

Yes, He is, but I’ve come to learn that Jesus is also very concerned with my mental and emotional health—as it deeply connected to my spirituality.

Nature is Becoming My Favorite Therapist

“Wonder ought never to go,” the theologian Oswald Chambers once said. “With a child the element of wonder is always there, a freshness and spontaneity, and the same is true of those who follow Jesus Christ’s teaching and become as little children (Matthew 18:3).”¹

Once again, Master Naturalist and Author Eryn Lynum becomes my teacher, and her wisdom invites me to return to my favorite therapist: nature.

She writes,

We often think of the faith of a child as an ingrained, intuitive faith undiluted and undefiled by our life experiences and doubts. A child is quick to trust. But that can leave us with this tension: Is this blind faith? Yet childlike faith is not childish. Childish is a silliness and immaturity that ideally we grow out of. Childlike, on the other hand, extracts the beauty and wonder from how a child views the world. It is not jaded by life’s disappointments and defeats. It is not naive, but rather pure. Untarnished. Optimistic. Fresh. A childlike faith is closer to its source—more in tune with the Maker. Surrounded by the wonders of creation, you can revive your own childlike faith while simultaneously preserving it in your children.”
—Chapter 4, “Nurturing Contagious Curiosity in Your Children”

In Part 2 of my conversation with Eryn, she left us with a beautiful challenge: Become a Wonder Conservationist.

Maybe, like me, you have lost a bit of your childlike wonder and awe.

It’s a slow, subtle process. Little by little, we lose our wonder and replace it with worry.

Some call this “adulting,” but does “adulting” have to be dull and wonder-less?

Why can’t it be dynamic and wonder-filled?

Let’s start with a few questions:

1. When was the last time something took your breath away—in a perfect kind of way? It can be as simple as the smell of a really good coffee.

2. When was the last time you exhaled a deep worry? For me, it was on a beautiful bench in my local botanical garden. I exhale a lot on beautiful benches. Benches are a huge theme in my book, Stronger Every Day.

3. When was the last time you heard yourself laugh out loud? Hands down, I laugh aloud every time I FaceTime with my grandchildren. They immediately spark joy and laughter. Depression and melancholy fade into the distance, thank God.

4. When was the last time you permitted yourself to be unproductive? Maybe it’s just me, raised to be a high-achiever, high-functioning human. More is more, and less is unacceptable. *If you need help understanding this idea of the cultural expectation of productivity, listen here.

5. Finally, when was the last time you felt the earth under your feet, felt the rough bark of an ancient tree, or stepped outside to look up into the stars? These seemingly silly acts are a vital part of my joy-building practice.

Welcome Nature as Your Therapist

This week, join me as I take Eryn’s challenge to become a Wonder Conversationalist.

I’m making space for more creative wonder. This involves time and energy.

I’m opening my heart, mind, soul, and body to more awe-inspiring activities. This involves intentionality and focus.

I’m inviting Curiosity to walk with me. I love to personify these qualities and treat them as new friends. This involves opening my heart to new possibilities.

Let’s start with a few action steps:

1. Listen to this week’s episode (above) and if you missed Part 1, maybe listen to that episode, as well. Click here.

2. Take a little “heart and mind” inventory. I use the spiritual tool, Lectio Divina, for personal examination.

3. Permit yourself to “become a Wonder Conservationist.” Yes, it starts here.

4. Visit a new spot in the community. Maybe you start in your yard. As you know, I joined my local botanical garden and am taking some new classes there.

5. Thanks to my Brooke, I purchased a Smart Watch that actually is opening my eyes to my stress level. It also measures my sleep, oxidation level, and many other aspects of my health journey. At first, I didn’t think I’d like one, but it has been “eye-opening,”—fulfilling its purpose 100%!

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts! Let’s make Summer 2024 the absolute best!

1. Lynum, E. (2023). Rooted in wonder: Nurturing your family’s faith through god’s creation. Kregel Publications.