My nature prescription

To kick off Mental Health Awareness Week 2023, Kirsty Tyler from our Nature and Wellbeing team talks about how nature has helped her manage her anxiety.

For the last ten years, I have suffered from anxiety.

2013 is a year I’ll never forget, as it was the year that things just went wrong. My partner and I were in a long distance relationship, I lost my job, and a friend that I honestly thought I’d be friends with forever ghosted me. All of these led to an inability to deal with a lot of the day to day stresses that we deal with and eventually I was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder.

It’s been a rough time especially over the past few years, but nature helps me. Immeasurably.

I find a peace and calmness in nature, as well as happiness and often excitement. Nature makes me stop and consider things. I have to stop to appreciate it, whether it’s finding out what an unusual flower is, or trying to spot what that bird is in a tree. Spring in particular always lifts my spirits, as the little splashes of green start to appear, and the air is filled with birdsong once again.

A group of people wearing warm clothes — The Nature and Wellbeing team wrapped up and ready to go by Kirsty Tyler

I went on a wonderful dawn chorus walk with my colleagues from the Nature and Wellbeing team the other day at Brockholes Nature Reserve. It was incredible, a gorgeous mist hanging over the lakes, and more nature moments than I’ve probably ever had in the space of such a short amount of time. Goldfinches, a nuthatch, the beautiful sound of a song thrush were all wonderful moments that I’ll treasure, but the real exciting sight for me was standing behind a woven willow screen watching some bluetits, when I saw a bit of movement within the screen itself that was very un-birdlike.

Sun rays peeking between some trees and highlighting some nettles — Early morning sunlight through the trees at Brockholes - Kirsty Tyler

Keeping very still, I tried to see what it was, and was overjoyed to see a tiny brown face with glossy black eyes and twitching whiskers staring back at me – a simple little mouse, no doubt scoping out some birdseed, but exciting for me nevertheless!

May 15^th is the start of Mental Health Awareness Week, and the theme this year is anxiety. This year in particular is seeing more and more people suffering from anxiety, as our finances are affected by the cost-of-living crisis. It’s really important to not put our wellbeing on the backburner as we’re focussing on fuel and food costs and a barrage of bad news, so please do take some time for yourself. Whether it’s spending some time watching the ducks at the pond, taking in the colourful spring flowers on the canal towpath, or sitting on a bench and appreciating the birdsong, all of it can help you to feel calmer and more positive.

Finally, I wouldn't want you to read this, and think that nature has 'fixed' my problems. It's one tool in my mental health coping bag that includes regular talking therapy and prescribed medication, and it has taken a bit of time to find what fits me.

That said, it is an excellent tool, and gets me out of my busy brain for a little while, giving me the opportunity to slow down. I wouldn't have starting working for the Trust in this team if I didn't wholeheartedly believe that it works and I've been lucky enough to see many people experience that connection with the world through nature and how it's changed their outlook - I'll be sharing some of their stories throughout this week.