Headquarters Mental Wellness

Overview

What is animal & nature therapy?

Some of the most powerful therapeutic experiences happen with horses, dogs, gardens, and forests — not with another person. Animal- and nature-based approaches use these relationships as the medium for change. They're especially effective for trauma, anxiety, grief, addiction recovery, and for people who find traditional office-based therapy hard.

Animals don't perform; they reflect. A horse will mirror your nervous system within seconds, telling you something true about how you're showing up that no person could. A walk in a forest measurably lowers cortisol. A garden teaches patience.

Practitioners include licensed therapists with additional training (e.g., EAGALA-certified equine therapists), as well as ecotherapy facilitators and integrative practitioners who blend nature with mental health work.

Approaches

Within this category

Equine-Assisted Therapy

Therapy involving horses — usually on the ground, not riding. The horse becomes both partner and feedback system. Powerful for trauma, anxiety, grief, addiction recovery, and family work.

Ecotherapy / Forest Bathing

Intentional time in natural settings — forests, parks, gardens, water — guided by a trained practitioner. Research shows time in nature measurably lowers stress hormones and supports emotional regulation. More structured than a walk; often includes mindfulness, reflection, and movement.

Naturopathy

Whole-person care using nutrition, herbal medicine, and lifestyle changes. Naturopathic doctors (NDs) are licensed in many states. Evidence varies by treatment — ask your practitioner what their approach is grounded in.

Nutrition

Working with a registered dietitian or clinical nutritionist to support mental wellness through food. Strong research connects nutrition to mood, focus, and energy. Especially relevant for anxiety, depression, ADHD, and eating disorder recovery.

Animal Assisted Therapy

Therapy involving trained animals other than horses — most often dogs, sometimes cats, rabbits, or farm animals. The animal's presence helps regulate the nervous system and lowers the bar for opening up. Useful for kids, trauma survivors, and people with social anxiety.

Other Animal Nature

Other animal- or nature-centered therapies not listed above — wilderness therapy, adventure-based work, horticulture/gardening therapy, and emerging integrative approaches.

Common Questions

Things people ask

Do I have to be comfortable with horses to do equine therapy?

No. In fact, the work often starts exactly with the discomfort. You don't ride — most equine therapy happens on the ground. Practitioners work with people who've never been near a horse.

How is nature therapy different from just spending time outside?

Spending time outside is genuinely therapeutic on its own — a 20-minute forest walk lowers cortisol measurably. Nature therapy adds intention and a trained practitioner: structured exercises, reflection, and the option to talk through what arises.

Are these approaches evidence-based?

Equine therapy and ecotherapy both have growing research bases and are used in clinical settings — especially for veterans, trauma survivors, and addiction recovery. Naturopathic approaches vary in evidence by specific treatment — ask your practitioner what their recommendations are grounded in.

Will insurance cover equine therapy?

Sometimes — especially when a licensed mental-health professional leads the sessions and the equine or nature work is part of clinical treatment. Equine therapy in a clinical setting is more likely to be covered than a standalone session. Nutrition and naturopathy are rarely covered for mental health but may fall under general health benefits. Many practices in this category offer sliding scale.

Can I do this kind of work if I live in a city?

Yes. Ecotherapy practitioners work in urban parks, community gardens, and any accessible green space — no farm required. The range of what's available in and near cities has grown significantly. Filter by location to see what's close to you.