Emotional Regulation in Nature: Why Movement Helps Us Feel More in Control

Ever feel like your emotions hit like a wave—too big, too fast, and hard to understand? Whether it's anxiety, anger, sadness, or even emotional numbness, learning to regulate your emotions isn’t about “controlling” how you feel — it’s about staying connected and resourced while you feel it.

At Coastal Counselling Walk and Talk Therapy, we support teens and adults to explore emotional regulation in a way that feels empowering, not overwhelming. And one of the most powerful tools? Movement in nature.

What is Emotional Dysregulation?

Emotional dysregulation is when emotions feel too intense, too unpredictable, or difficult to manage. You might find yourself:

• Snapping quickly or shutting down

• Crying and not knowing why

• Overthinking or spiralling into anxiety

• Numb, flat, or disconnected

These responses are often rooted in a dysregulated nervous system, shaped by stress, trauma, neurodiversity, or unmet emotional needs.

Why Nature and Movement Help

The body holds emotion — and movement helps it move through.

Walk and Talk Therapy supports emotional regulation in three powerful ways:

🧠 Activating the Body-Brain Connection
Walking stimulates bilateral movement (left-right motion), which engages both sides of the brain. This helps process emotions and reduce overwhelm, similar to EMDR techniques used in trauma therapy.

🌿 Creating Space for Emotions to Unfold
Being in nature helps slow the nervous system. The sights, sounds, and smells of the outdoors signal safety to the brain — which helps shift us out of fight/flight or shutdown and into a more grounded, present state.

💬 Talking While Moving Feels Safer
Many clients, especially teens or neurodivergent individuals, find it easier to open up while walking side-by-side rather than face-to-face. It removes the pressure and allows emotions to rise naturally.

Supporting Teens (and Adults) With Emotional Regulation

Emotional regulation isn't something we magically know how to do — it’s something we learn. At Coastal Counselling, we walk alongside you or your teen with compassion and practical tools.

Together, we might:

• Identify your personal triggers

• Explore calming tools for the body and mind

• Learn grounding techniques in nature

• Build awareness around emotional patterns

• Develop confidence in your ability to ride emotional waves

Simple Grounding Tools You Can Try Today

Here are a few ways to support emotional regulation — no special equipment needed:

🌤 Name it to Tame it: Say out loud (or journal) what emotion you’re feeling. Labeling reduces its intensity.
👣 Barefoot Grounding: Stand barefoot on grass or sand. Feel the earth support you.
💨 Box Breathing: Inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat 3–4 times.
🌳 Tree Visualization: Imagine you’re a tree — roots in the ground, strong trunk, wind swaying your branches. Let emotions move through you, not break you.

Final Thoughts: Gentle is Powerful

Regulating emotions isn’t about “fixing” yourself — it’s about learning to ride the waves with more ease and compassion. Walk and Talk Therapy is one gentle, empowering way to help you or your child feel more in control, more understood, and more connected to yourself.

🌿 If this speaks to you, I invite you to book a session or reach out anytime. Whether you’re a parent supporting a teen, or an adult navigating your own emotional journey — you don’t have to walk it alone.

Let’s take that next step together.