Park Sessions and Walking Therapy in St. Louis, MO

There’s something about sitting in an office, week in and week out, that just feels like it won’t be helpful to you. Maybe some social anxiety is preventing an office visit from feeling comfortable. Maybe it feels too much like a doctor’s visit. Or, maybe you just want an easier way to incorporate some non-sedentary time into your life.

In addition to in-office and virtual therapy, we offer Park Therapy:

The other benefits to therapy in the park may be less obvious but they are actually well-researched.

There are many connections between our brain and body, so moving while addressing therapeutic topics can lead to deeper insight and more creative problem-solving. As we feel the benefit of moving during a session, we can talk about the broader benefits of exercise on emotional and mental state and start to build helpful habits together.

A pretty cool benefit (at least, I think so!) is that as our body rhythmically syncs with another, our self-confidence increases. And I know I already mentioned it, but fresh air and sunshine are just so insanely good for our health, that doing therapy in an outdoor setting can give the benefits of talk therapy a compounding effect.

When I partner with clients, I talk a lot about the “brain-body connection.” Utilizing walking while doing the talking part of therapy helps us capitalize on this connection in real time. I also talk about how our brains work — the neural pathways, the use of different neurotransmitters — and being in a place of movement while helping you do some things to “retrain your brain” allows us to see that happening in real-time together. It’s pretty cool.

Ok, so how does it actually look for you? Great question!

2 options for Park Therapy:

Option 1: We sit in a shaded part of the park, with the park as the “office”. The spot still affords privacy, so you don’t feel like you have to censor yourself! I dress in workout clothes, not professional ones, so if people look over at us, they wouldn’t be able to guess we are client and counselor, but instead probably friends or colleagues catching up.

Option 2: Walk a 50-minute loop that is about 2.5 miles. I know a few shortcuts throughout this loop, too. So, if it’s hot, you’re tired, or any other variable, we can do a shorter loop and sit on benches for the remaining time. While there are other people on the path we’ll use, they aren’t so close they’ll be able to tell it’s a therapy session. If there’s anyone walking behind us, we can pull to the side and let them pass, then resume our pace again.

Why Queeny Park?

We know the Park really well, which allows us to fully tune in to you and the session. The paths are clear and also an easy loop, which means our therapists don’t have to worry about when to turn next or how much longer the session is and if there is time to get back. Also, if there were to be a trip & fall incident, or issue with a car, plenty of people are around that could help with any of those issues.

Additionally, Queeny Park is truly next door to our office. So, if you are on the way to a park session and suddenly bad weather blows in, it is easy and convenient and absolutely no-hassle to detour to the office instead. This really takes a lot of stress out of deciding whether to go indoor or outdoor on a certain day, when it’s uncertain if the rain will just start coming down or if you realize it’s just too hot, or any other weather-related circumstance!

Queeny Park is also a peaceful, calm park. Though it’s never deserted, it is also easy to find quiet and privacy on our walks through here. 

A few extra considerations for Park Therapy:

Begin Park Sessions or Walking Therapy
in St. Louis, MO

Let’s get some fresh air and a fresh perspective! Meeting in Queeny Park is a great alternative to therapy in the Ballwin, MO counseling clinic. When the weather is bad, we can detour to the office or also chat via telehealth for online therapy in Missouri and online therapy in Illinois. Truly, anywhere in the state! If you’re a Chicago resident, we have in-person therapy available in Chicago, too! Taking this first step is a big deal, so you are already making great progress! Just follow these simple steps and we will get started.

Other Mental Health Services at Marble Wellness

At Marble Wellness, our goal is simple: Counseling services designed to help set you on a path of living a more fulfilled, calm, and happy life. We specialize in anxiety, depression, grief, chronic illness, therapy for men, couples, and maternal overwhelm. We can also help new moms with various postpartum concerns, moms in the thick of parenting, and moms with teens. We can also chat from wherever you are in the state with online therapy in Missouri and online therapy in Illinois. No matter where you are in your journey, we would love to support you.