Description of Green Therapy

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Description of Green Therapy
Green therapy shows connection between human beings and the natural world. This is a growing field, it seeks to understand the emotional connection between individuals and the natural world. Richard Louv a prolific writer and author of two best selling books, The Last Child in the Woods, and the Nature Principle, both books amongst other journal articles by Richard Louv. He is the one who coined the term “nature deficit.” Which implies individuals staying indoors to connect with others through digital devices. Thus creates a whirlwind of problems such as anger and depression. So, if adults and children can create outdoor spaces where teens and even kids can connect with each other without being on their digital devices, then children and teens will realize they won’t need their digital devices.
Electronic Devices and Their Impact
The “nature deficit” started with the boom of electronic devices, when people started using phones to communicate with each other and playing games on the computer to play video games. This all happened when the phones and games were invented. Electronic devices also numb the brain. That is a serious problem, going outside and being active in nature can de-stimulate the mind and the body. The graph below describes how a teenagers hours are spent in a single day.

Nature affects the mind and body
Concentration, mood and perception are all affected by nature. Someone who struggles with a disorder such as ADHD or Bipolar disorder may lack in all three or just one of these aspects. Concentration varies for a person who has a disorder then for someone who doesn’t have a mental disorder such as ADHD. Green therapists are studying ways that they can help those with an over stimul...

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...ing actively involved with what’s going on with nature. There are many solutions to the “nature deficit.” Such as, incentives and initiatives. The incentives are growing, as are the initiatives. The Children and Nature Network are putting a bunch of programs together to get teens and children outdoors. Recess, schoolyard gardens and parks will help get children outside. Incentives can be having a butterfly land on one’s nose or the sheer fact of being with a friend. Those are some of the incentives and initiatives that are being done to get children outside. Green therapy is beneficial to all. Children, teens and even adults can benefit from. it. It is being used as a therapeutic intervention for many. Green therapy is a growing field. It can save children and teens from obesity, overstimulation and dysregulation (Louv, 2008.) Green therapy will last a lifetime.

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