Episode 63: Nature and Mental Health

Image by Teresa Golden

Anxious? The combination of the recent pandemic, world events, plus the looming impacts or climate change have all resulted in many mental health challenges in many individuals. Mindfulness is a technique that helps to improve mental health. Mindfulness can be described as the awareness that emerges through paying attention, in the present moment, nonjudgmentally to an unfolding experience, moment by moment. A broader focus on nature-based mindfulness has been proven to be very beneficial to reducing anxiety.

Join Luke Vitagliano, a native of Westchester County in New York’s Hudson Valley, in a great conversation about Nature and Mental Health. As a doctoral candidate, Luke has research focused on creating and implementing a group nature-based mindfulness intervention aiming to reduce anxiety among college students. This approach can be expanded to others, children and adults alike. Learn about multiple nature-based health interventions, and how listeners can practice mindfulness on a daily basis.

Share Luke’s passion for enhancing mental health benefits and integrating mental health and wellness services with the great outdoors on this episode of Nature Calls: Conversations from the Hudson Valley.

Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas

Guest: Luke Vitagliano

Photo by: Teresa Golden

Production Support: Linda Aydlett, Teresa Golden and Annie Scibienski