Coed Hiraeth Ecotherapy Centre
Anyone who owns a woodland knows what a powerful antidote to stress it can be, a bolthole to get away from it all and get your sense of proportion back. Frederick Luckman discusses his work with the Coed Hiraeth project and explains how woodland can be used for its therapeutic value in aiding recovery from depression and other disorders…
We are developing a magical 48 acre woodland near Carmarthen, into an exciting multi-purpose Ecotherapy Centre. We are local skilled practitioners drawn from complementary backgrounds who share a vision and passion for working outdoors with people.
In Welsh, the phrase “Hiraeth” conveys a deep sense of yearning to be part of a community. Our work will focus on creating opportunities for participants to generate a greater sense of belonging, by working alongside others in both vocational and therapeutic woodland programmes.
A report from Mind calls for a new green agenda for mental health, following growing evidence in support of an accessible, cost-effective and natural addition to existing treatment options: Ecotherapy.
Their report states: Ecotherapy is a natural, free and accessible treatment that boosts our mental wellbeing.
As the cost and prescribing of drugs continues to rise, and 93 per cent of GPs say they have prescribed antidepressants against their better judgement owing to a lack of alternatives, Ecotherapy needs to be seen as a clinically valid option that can play a vital part in patients’ recovery.
We will offer pilot programmes to local health agencies to demonstrate the effectiveness of Ecotherapy using outdoors one-to-one counselling and group work. Our new approach will initially aim to support people’s recovery from eating disorders, depression and poor self esteem, for example.
We are also creating, with the local specialist school (Emotional and Behavioural Disorders) Rhyd y Gors, experiential woodlands placements for their pupils. As the woodlands are brought under management (Coed Cymru 10 year plan) and the infrastructure installed (low impact build trails, roundhouses and log circles), we will create further opportunities for forest school activities and woodland volunteering.
Ultimately at Coed Hiraeth we will offer a cure for “Nature Deficit Disorder”. Our programmes are designed to get children, young adults, youth groups, and adults back into nature and restore a sense of balance that has been thrown off by the influx of electronic media, video games, hectic schedules and community breakdown. We feel that allowing individuals to connect with one another in such a setting is the foundation where true teams are built.
The complexity of everyday-life is peeled back to the basics of food, water, shelter, and companionship. When this happens, personas are stripped down and individuals suddenly find themselves on an equal footing with all members of the group. Woodland work creates challenges, which must be met as a group through the united strengths of all participants. One cannot do it alone. This is where the fast pace of society is replaced with hands-on experiential learning, allowing true leadership and teambuilding to be developed.
Our woodland therapy will support participants to discover or reconnect with a sense of their inner selves. This self-reflection leads to a strengthening of character and personal growth that fosters the development of heart and spirit within each participant.
We are grateful to www.woodlands.co.uk who have leased the woodlands to us through their community programme.
For further information go to www.coedhiraeth.org
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Discussion
A superb and amazing concept that should be on offer to all!
We have two boys with autism one boy is also ADHD, Dyspraxic and Dyslexic. We have recently purchased a small woodland/pasture/river and steam for the benefit of our family and friends to enjoy. This recent purchase has to be the best investment that we have ever made. One son is a talented artist and he has really benefited from the scenery and peaceful environment, when creating his master art pieces. He suffers from depression so the atmosphere lifts his moods. The positive effects on his mental health have been quite outstanding.
Our other son needs space and freedom to run, get dirty, and get wet and to make small wooden spears amongst lots of other activities. Our two daughters relax and take time out from their demanding school/university lives. The stress of living with two brothers with complex needy disabilities has quite a negative impact on them both, so they need time to heal and love themselves to.
We camp, play ball games, build dens, dams, collect wood for our multi-stoves, build path ways, bridges and clear and manage the woodland. We are very new to this and keen to learn more about the trees, vegetation and wildlife and while doing so the whole family is benefiting. You can not beat “being at one with nature” and working together as a team. No TV, play stations or mod cons, it’s simply simple and peaceful.
I couldn’t agree more with the Ecotherapy Centre concepts and values. Our woodland keeps us all physically and mentally fit together. The fresh air knocks us all out, I have problems sleeping at night but not down at our little heaven, where I sleep like a log!
We all lead complex, stressful and difficult lives trying to fit into our fragmented communities so give yourself a break and take some time out, even for just an afternoon the effects can be quite astonishing. Our heaven has been a life saver! Who knows one day we will be in a position to share with members of the public our little sanctuary.
Love and peace
Laura
what a fantastic discovery, that you are doing this. I endorse every aspect of your philosophy. Thank goodness that people are waking up.
Will you be offering chances for people with mental health problems to participate?
My specific interest is my son, 24, diagnosed schizophrenia. Highly sensitive. Urgently in need of rescue from themental health services before it is too late.
I really look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes
Jan Armstrong
We have a similar but smaller project -only 7 acres which we welcome young people with various disabilities, the unemployed and children/teens at risk of exclusion. I fully endorse what has been said above about the healing benefits.
However we are struggling with bureaucracy because of the discrepancy between the Forestry Commission’s definition of ‘forestry’ (according to DEFRA’s latest strategy for Trees, Woods and Forests and that of planning law. We maintain the wood using young people and volunteers but are struggling to get permission for a forestry shed and access because they consider us too educational. To get educational use is really difficult. There is a plethora of requirements – the same as would be expected of a new build school basically. We don’t want to provide car parking on that scale in a small woodland, especially as we have access to a parish car park 10 minutes walk away.
I am curious to know what land use category you will need for your ecotherapy centre?
Also do please log onto the government’s web site for suggestions of laws to change and vote for updating the definition of forestry to include community and educational use!it would be great to have some support. Please forward to anyone who maybe interested.
http://yourfreedom.hmg.gov.uk/repealing-unnecessary-laws/update-definition-of-forestry-to-include-community-and-educational-use/idea-view
Deb Millar
29 July, 2010