Harvard Meditation and Psychotherapy Learning from Nature 2025

Research shows that connection to nature can have a wide range of benefits, such as improved attention, memory, mood, social interactions, happiness and wellbeing, and reduced stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic disease. Although human beings have evolved with nature, benefit from nature, and are part of nature, modern society is increasingly alienated from the natural world and our environment is in crisis. Eco-anxiety and climate distress are having a significant impact on mental health, especially among young people.
Meditation and psychotherapy can be harnessed to improve our relationship to nature, and nature can have a positive influence on how we meditate and do clinical work. This webinar series explores the importance of nature from a variety of perspectives—scientific, therapeutic, mindfulness, and indigenous. Attendees will learn useful tools and strategies to help their patients realign with, benefit from, and support the natural world. Therapists will also have a chance to explore their own relationship to nature and environmental disruption.
Who Should Attend

Primary Care Physicians
Psychologists
Social Workers
Counselors
Family Therapists
Others

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

Summarize the research supporting the mental and physical health benefits of exposure to nature.
Teach their patients mindfulness practices to enhance their sense of connection with nature in urban and rural settings.
Guide patients with trauma to alleviate their distress by engaging safely and effectively with the natural world.
Engage therapeutically with adults and youth who are experiencing eco-anxiety.
Integrate elements of indigenous wisdom into mindfulness practice.
Understand and manage the clinician’s own emotional distress associated with climate change.

 
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Friday, April 4, 2025

Week One

12:00-12:50 PM

Mindfulness in Nature Practice – Pathways to Wonder, Wisdom, and Well-Being
Mark Coleman

12:50-1:30 PM

Discussion / Q&A
Christopher Germer, PhD; Ronald D. Siegel, PsyD; Zev Schuman-Olivier, MD; Mark Coleman

Friday, April 11, 2025

Week Two

12:00-12:50 PM

Mindfully Accessing Earth for Emotion Regulation, Mental Health, and Trauma Recovery
Barbara Hamm, PsyD; Zev Schuman-Olivier, MD

12:50-1:30 PM

Discussion / Q&A
Christopher Germer, PhD; Ronald D. Siegel, PsyD; Zev Schuman-Olivier, MD; Barbara Hamm, PsyD

Friday, April 18, 2025

Week Three

12:00-12:50 PM

Hearing the Cry of the Earth: Responding Compassionately to Change, Loss, and Disruption
Kaira Jewel Lingo, MA

12:50-1:30 PM

Discussion / Q&A
Ronald D. Siegel, PsyD; Zev Schuman-Olivier, MD; Kaira Jewel Lingo, MA

Friday, April 25, 2025

Week Four

12:00-12:50 PM

Connecting and Reflecting: Contemplative Practices as a Way of Addressing Eco-Anxiety and Climate Distress
Christopher Willard, PsyD; Dekila Chungyalpa

12:50-1:30 PM

Discussion / Q&A
Christopher Germer, PhD; Christopher Willard, PsyD; Dekila Chungyalpa

Friday, May 2, 2025

Week Five

12:00-12:50 PM

Indigenous Wisdom and Integration of Mindfulness and Earth Awareness Practices and the Impact on Mental Health
Bonnie Duran, DrPH

12:50-1:30 PM

Discussion / Q&A
Ronald D. Siegel, PsyD; Zev Schuman-Olivier, MD; Christopher Germer, PhD; Bonnie Duran, DrPH