Walk and Talk Therapy in Sacramento

Walk and Talk Therapy is simply mental health counseling that takes place outdoors while walking. You get the combined benefit of nature, therapy, and movement. We are fortunate to have easy access to the beautiful American River Parkway in Sacramento, California with quiet paved and unpaved paths. In this time of the coronavirus, walking outside can be a nice alternative to video sessions and may offer less risk of exposure than office sessions.

Walk and Talk Therapy allows for a novel therapeutic experience.  It combines the benefits of bilateral movement while talking through issues and “moving towards” your valued goals.  It also affords the opportunity for mindful action. Some people prefer walking sessions compared to sitting and notice they feel more energized after this kind of session. Some people find it easier to talk while walking side by side rather than looking directly at one another in the traditional office setting.

Our primary purpose is your psychotherapy, and I will still be your psychologist, not a trainer.  Even though walking is exercise, and we most definitely get the benefit of this movement, it is not meant to be a strenuous workout.  We will walk at a pace that is comfortable and allows for us to talk easily.  It is not about the destination but the journey! I was interviewed by an article for Today on "How to establish a walking routine" for inspiration about walking during this time of COVID-19.

We can decide to change our plans if too hot or cold or wet, even at the last minute.  You always have the opportunity to come in for an office, phone or video session instead. We can be flexible because my office is so close to the parkway. 

We will discuss privacy issues beforehand, since we will be outside of the office together.  The paths tend to be quiet, although we will sometimes see students on their way to classes at Sac State or people out out for a stroll, jog, or bicycle ride. 

First, we discuss pragmatics and discuss informed consent for unexpected issues that could come up while outside doing Walk and Talk Therapy.  You can decide to try it just once or decide to do it on a periodic or regular basis. It’s up to you! See the pictures below to get a sense of the scenery and type of paths that are available. It is not uncommon to see turkeys and deer along the way. 

Walk and Talk Therapy has been gaining more interest in the media and by other mental health professionals. In fact, my practice was featured in a blog about Walk and Talk by a leading practice management system.