What do you think of when you hear the word, camping? Does it bring up memories from childhood of tents, smore’s, fireflies or mosquitos? I grew up camping all over Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota as well as taking road trips to New York, Wyoming and Arizona with our little pop-up camper. I loved the summer months when we would discover a new campground in a National Forest. We would bring our bikes or the canoe and create new adventures pretty much every other weekend. I r

This month I am exploring the use of the outdoors to help improve your mental health. I think we all know how the outdoors can help our physical health, but did you know that being outdoors can also ward off illness and actually make you happier? The best part is, there are certain parts of the outdoors that do specific things with your health. Last month I covered the importance of including water in your outdoor adventures. This week I am going to explore why the mountains

What is your favorite way to spend time outdoors? Do you like to garden? Walk your dog? Go camping or hiking? Spend time at a beach or lake? These are just a few examples of how we like to enjoy the outdoors. It turns out, being outside is better for our mental health than our physical health and being near water can actually decrease our levels of anxiety, depression and anger while increasing our brain to experience more empathy, self-awareness and positive emotions. These

This month I am going to explore the reasons why nature and the outdoors can benefit your mind, body and soul. An old Chinese proverb- “If you want to be happy for a lifetime, be a gardener.” Research shows that those who connect with the earth, on a daily basis, experience less stress and have a more positive outlook on life. One of the methods I have used in the past with my clients, especially in the spring and summer months, is called Mindful Gardening. Taking time to co