Resources for Therapists
Nature Nurtures: The Philadelphia area therapist walking group
In 2023, I started Nature Nurtures- a monthly walking group open to all therapists in the Philadelphia area. Part self-care, part networking, this group aims to help therapists connect with one another while spending time in the great outdoors. Below are some answers to FAQs. If you're interested in joining our mailing list to stay in the loop about upcoming walks, please subscribe below.
We meet every other month on the second Sunday and we start walking at 11am.
Occasionally, walks may be rescheduled for another date if I have a conflict (i.e. May due to Mother's Day).
Please subscribe below to stay in the loop about when our upcoming walks are taking place!
Each month we meet at a different park in Philadelphia or the surrounding suburbs. To stay in the loop about where our upcoming walks are taking place, please subscribe to our email list below.
So far, we've walked John Heinz Wildlife Refuge, Kelly Drive, Wissahickon Valley park from the Pachella Fields and West Bells Mill Road entrances, Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Morris Arboretum, the Cynwyd Heritage Trail, Ft. Washington State Park, Lorimer Park, Norristown Farm Park, and Ridley Creek State Park.
For future walks, I'm exploring the Schuylkill River Trail at the Manayunk and Conshohocken trailheads, FDR park, Valley Forge National park, Peace Valley park, and Chanticleer Gardens.
If you have a park you'd like to put on my radar for a future walk, please let me know! I'm always looking for new parks that have plenty of parking, bathrooms, and a wide enough trail to accommodate a group of people.
We usually walk for about two hours. If you have to leave early- no worries! You can turn around whenever you need to.
Please let me know if you are planning on attending a walk. You do not need to let me know if you are not coming to the walk.
Please plan to arrive 10-15 minutes early to find parking, use the restroom, and do whatever you need to do before we start walking. We start our walks promptly at 11am- I try not to delay our start time by too much because it's not fair to the people who have already been waiting. If you're running late and want to try to catch up with us, you can call me to let me know.
Parking varies based on what park we're meeting at. I try my best to select meeting places that have ample parking, and will include information about parking in the event notes. If you have any questions about parking, you're welcome to call or text me.
Most of the parks we walk at have a website that you can check out for info on parking as well.
It depends on what park we're meeting at. Some parks have flush toilets, others have porta-potties, while some have no restrooms. I'll do my best to include information about bathrooms in the event notes. If you have any questions, you're welcome to call or text me.
Most of the parks we walk at have a website that you can check out for info on bathrooms as well.
The trails vary by park. When choosing parks for our walks, I try to find trails that are wide enough to accommodate a group. Some trails are paved, while others are gravel. Some trails are completely flat, while others have some incline. I'll do my best to include information about the trail in the event notes. Most parks have maps on their websites that you can check out as well.
First and foremost- some comfortable, sturdy walking shoes. Second and just as important- water. Also, it doesn't hurt to be prepared with some sunscreen and bug spray.
In the event of rain, snow, or excessive heat, I'll try to move the event to an indoor location- usually a nearby coffee shop- as long as there's one that's big enough to accommodate our group. If I can't find an indoor option for us, the event will be cancelled.
I'll send out an email by 10am the morning of the walk letting you know if it's been moved indoors or cancelled. If you have any questions about whether the walk is still taking place, you can call or text me.
While I know so many people love and benefit from time outside, these events are only open to mental health therapists.
I appreciate how many therapists love the great outdoors and that some have asked about doing more outdoor activities together through this group.
Organizing activities like kayaking or biking takes a bit more planning and it's more than I have the bandwidth for right now!
My hope is that you'll meet other therapists you connect with through this group, so you could always get together for some of these other activities with the friends you make here.
Join the Club
The group is currently on pause. Sign up to be notified when walks resume!