Nature as a Healing Partner: Research-Backed Benefits of Green Spaces

picture of a river in SW Fife - In the heart of Fife, West Lothian and Kinross, we’re surrounded by beautiful landscapes—rolling hills, river paths, and tranquil forests and parkland.

Have you ever wondered whether the outdoors could be part of your journey to a healthier, stronger mind?

I’ve said it before, and I’ll likely say it again—we are fortunate to be living in a time when neuroscience is catching up with what so many have long intuited: that attuning ourselves to nature has deep and lasting benefits for our wellbeing. Best of all, it doesn’t require equipment or expertise—just a willingness to step outside. It really is that simple.

Working in nature as a counsellor has been one of the most inspiring aspects of my practice. Gone are the walls of a small therapy room; instead, we enter a different kind of therapeutic space—one shaped by trees, sky, paths, and weather. This space can feel as small or as expansive as the session requires. A long, winding path with no clear end might mirror the stuckness a person feels in life, while for another it might invite curiosity and exploration.

Even as we walk and talk, something is happening within. Nature is quietly doing its work. Increasingly, science is able to demonstrate what many of us have sensed: that being in green spaces can improve attention, reduce rumination, support memory, and lower stress hormones.

These benefits may not always be immediately visible or consciously felt, but over time, I’ve come to witness how outdoor therapy gently shifts things. An simple example: for those familiar with therapy, you’ll know that silence often plays an important role. But outside, silence isn’t really silent—nature has its own soundscape. If you’re unsure what to say, nature offers its own kind of welcome: the birds, the rustle of leaves, or even the sound of your feet striking the earth. It holds the space with you.

I will leave you with some aspects of the current research below that demonstrate that nature can help in the path to healing. If you are still not sure, then why not step out yourself and go for a walk. Maybe take a few moments to listen - to the birds, to the wind, to the water.

Breathe in, hold and then breathe out. Take in nature and all that it offers.

The research:

🧠 Mental Health & Cognitive Benefits

Bratman et al. (2015) – Nature reduces mental distress

Participants who experienced nature showed significantly lower levels of rumination and reduced neural activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex, a brain region linked to depression.

Berman et al. (2008) – Nature improves memory & attention

Participants exhibited significant increases in memory span after the nature walk relative to the urban walk.

Physical Health & Stress Reduction

Ulrich (1984) – Nature speeds up healing

Patients recovering from surgery in rooms with a view of trees had shorter hospital stays and needed less pain medication.

Li et al. (2007) – Forest bathing reduces stress hormones

Cortisol levels, blood pressure, and pulse rate significantly decreased after just two days of forest bathing.

🌱 Community, Belonging & Connection

Kuo (2003) – Nature builds social capital

“Green spaces are associated with stronger social ties and safer, more connected neighborhoods.”

WHO (2016) – Green spaces are public health resources

Urban green space can reduce morbidity and mortality, improve mood, and enhance overall wellbeing - download their document “Urban green spaces and health” 2015

🌳 Long-Term Happiness & Resilience

White et al. (2013) – Greener living, happier lives

“Controlling for individual and regional covariates, we found that, on average, individuals have both lower mental distress and higher well-being when living in urban areas with more green space”

Further reading:

How Nature Helps Us Heal - from the Great Good Magazine
a good summary of research findings

Nurtured by nature - Psychological research is advancing our understanding of how time in nature can improve our mental health and sharpen our cognition - from American Psychological Association May 2020.