“Put on Your Walking Shoes”: A Phenomenological Study of Clients’ Experience of Walk and Talk Therapy

ABSTRACT

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many therapists and their clients found it uncomfortable being indoors with others for extended periods. As a result, some mental health counselors pivoted to having their sessions outdoors, referred to as “Walk and talk therapy”. This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to understand adult clients’ (n = 7) lived experiences of walk and talk therapy. Two themes emerged: (a) the rhythm of walking and talking and (b) the disharmony of walking and talking. Each theme had corresponding subthemes. Implications for practice and recommendations for future research are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Walk and talk therapy
• counseling outdoors
• nature-based counseling
• creativity in counseling

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).