Locations
I mainly work from two locations:
One is a large area of parkland in the city. This is made up of different landscapes including woodlands, water and grassland, as well as various wildlife. It is a public space, but it’s also large enough that it’s possible to find a quiet space to be reflective in peace.
The other is in the Peak District, approximately 10 miles from the city. This has a slightly wilder feel to it, and is often very quiet during the week. You will need to be very confident outdoors to work here, as the terrain is quite hilly and rocky in places. Though there are larger paths, there are no paved areas here. It is accessible by train and bus, and has parking.
Both locations I work at have a nearby café, so in colder weather there is always a possibility of getting something warm to drink. I do also bring a thermos flask so that we can make a hot drink during our sessions if we feel like if you feel like something like that.
What times of year is it possible to have outdoor therapy?
Outdoor sessions run throughout the year. Spring, summer, autumn and winter each bring their own element to the work. Sometimes we have to adapt and listen to what the weather is saying, perhaps through altering our route or how much we walk.
We’ll still go outside if it rains, and even in colder weather. There might be times when I have to move our session indoors if the conditions are likely to put us at risk (for example if the weather is very icy). I will also listen to you if you aren’t feeling comfortable going outside in certain conditions. It’s important that we both feel safe outdoors and we can work with that.
In rainy weather it’s often possible for us to find somewhere out of the way, to shelter from the rain.
Sometimes, we plan to work for a few weeks in the room if we are doing some more structured work or if we know that there is going to be a spell of particularly cold or icy weather. That way you know what to expect and there isn’t so much last-minute changing of plans.
Moving between indoors and outdoors
I work outdoors in certain places on specific days, so we’ll always work in the same location. Sometimes it is possible to reschedule a session to a different day if you don’t want to work outdoors that week. It won’t always be possible though, so it’s worth thinking about how you feel about being outside in different weather.
There is sometimes scope for us to base our work so we split it between the therapy room and working outdoors (for example every other session can be indoors, or we can be a little bit more flexible and more inclement weather). That depends on my schedule so if you’re hoping to do this, get in touch and I’ll see what’s availability.
Frequency of sessions: how often will we meet?
For logistical reasons, outdoor therapy sessions are a weekly commitment generally, as I have relatively few outdoor slots and we’re constrained to daylight hours in the winter.
How long do sessions last?
Outdoor sessions in Sheffield are an hour long.
Sessions in the Pet District are a little bit longer, I allow one hour 15 minutes. This is to give us a chance to get away from the car park and more into the woodland.
Our first session will be an hour.
How confident do I have to be in an outdoor environment
If we are working outdoors in Sheffield, we will have lots of opportunities to walk on paved paths, and there are plenty of benches and places we can shelter when it rains.
In the peak district, the terrain is hillier and rockier. You will need to feel confident on less even terrain. If you want to work in the peak district but don’t feel confident or sure that it would work for you, we can start sessions in Sheffield and build up from there.
How much do sessions cost?
Sessions cost £70 per hour.