Find room to breathe, connect, and experience something new

Nature Therapy Group is a five-session, in-person series held in parks around Tampa Bay. Through gentle mindfulness, reflection, nature-based activities, and shared processing, you will have space to step away from daily demands, reconnect with yourself and others, and begin experiencing nature as a therapeutic partner.

Monday mornings | 9:00–10:30 a.m.
$100 for the complete five-session series
5–12 participants

Nature offers more than a backdrop

Each week, a different natural setting invites a different kind of experience. You might sit quietly, notice what your senses are taking in, create something with natural materials, explore a small challenge, or work cooperatively with others.

This is not a hiking group, fitness program, or test of outdoor skill. Activities are gentle, adaptable, and guided by challenge by choice. You may participate, adjust, pause, observe, or decline. Each experience is followed by reflection that helps connect what happened outdoors to the way you move through daily life.

What Every Session Includes

Time to arrive, settle, and connect with the setting
A guided mindfulness or personal reflection practice
A structured nature-based activity or cooperative challenge
Opportunities for individual exploration and group connection
Choice about how and how much you participate
Reflection on what you may want to carry into the week ahead

What the Group Supports

This group offers a gentle, structured opportunity to:

Find relief from the pace and pressures of daily life
Strengthen connection with yourself, other people, and the natural world
Practice presence without needing to arrive at the perfect response
Notice thoughts, sensations, emotions, and protective patterns with curiosity
Experience cooperation and social connection without pressure to perform
Explore how nature can support grounding, reflection, and regulation
Give yourself space to set down some of what you have been carrying

This Group May Be a Fit If

You want a meaningful break from the demands of everyday life.
You are curious about using nature as part of reflection and personal growth.
You want gentle connection with others in a small, structured group.
You are open to mindfulness, sensory experiences, or accessible activities.
You want to practice noticing and responding differently in real time.
You appreciate having choices about your level of participation.
You can participate in agreements around privacy, respect, and shared space.

You do not need outdoor expertise, athletic ability, or previous experience with mindfulness or group therapy.

What to Know Before You Join

When does the group meet? Monday mornings from 9:00–10:30 a.m. Exact dates will be announced when enrollment opens.
What does it cost? Registration is $100 for the complete five-session series.
Can I attend individual sessions? The group is designed as one connected five-session experience. Registration includes all five meetings rather than individual drop-in sessions.
How large will the group be? The group will begin with at least five participants and will be limited to twelve.
Do I need to be outdoorsy or physically active? No. Activities are intended to be gentle and adaptable. You will not be expected to hike long distances, demonstrate outdoor skills, or participate beyond your chosen level of challenge.
What if an activity does not feel right for me? Challenge by choice applies throughout the series. You may participate, adapt, pause, observe, or decline an activity.
What about accessibility and weather? Specific meeting points, accessibility information, what to bring, and the weather or rescheduling process will be provided before the series begins. Please share access needs during the registration process so Mary can discuss what support may be possible.
How is privacy handled outdoors and in a group? The group will establish shared expectations around privacy and respect. Because sessions take place in public settings and involve other participants, complete confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.

Your Five-Session Journey

Mindfulness in Nature

Session 1: North Shore Park

Begin by slowing down and noticing how you experience the natural environment. Practices may include an arboretum walk, a peaceful pause, or a nature scavenger hunt.

Reflection by the Water

Session 2: Fort De Soto Beach

Use the shoreline as a setting for slowing down, creating, and releasing. Practices may include beach mandalas, shelling, and an experience focused on letting something go to the elements.

Connection and Cooperation

Session 3: Crescent Lake Park

Explore the nature that exists close to home and notice how you respond while working with others. The session may include a nearby-nature practice and accessible cooperative activities or challenges.

Small Challenges, New Possibilities

Session 4: Lake Seminole Park

Pause in a peaceful place before taking part in a micro-challenge scavenger hunt. Each invitation offers a chance to notice your response, make choices, and experiment at your own pace.

Reflection and Integration

Session 5: Boyd Hill Nature Preserve

Use reflective journaling and a final nature-based activity to consider what you have noticed across the series, what you are ready to release, and what you want to carry forward.

Let nature help you make space for what comes next

You do not need to know exactly what you hope to discover. You can begin with curiosity, a willingness to notice, and permission to participate at your own pace.