Michael Everritt

I offer Outdoor Therapy, also known as Walk & Talk Therapy. This approach combines the benefits of talking therapies with time spent out into nature. As an experienced hiker and Scout leader I have long been aware of the mental health benefits of getting away from the city. One reason I personally dislike the term Walk & Talk is that, with the right accommodation, Outdoor Therapy can be inclusive of disabled people.

In many ways the actual therapy part of Outdoor Therapy is much what you would expect. It is a talking therapy in which I provide a non-judgemental active listener, offering support and guidance where I can. Being a person centred approach, Outdoor Therapy is very much based on what works for you. We might spend the entire walk in vigorous conversation. We might enjoy quietly sharing the peace and quiet of the great outdoors. We might end up doing a bit of one and a little of the other. 

Outdoor therapy would benefit anyone who wants to talk through their feelings, but cannot stand the idea sitting in a therapist’s office. In particular neurodivergent clients could benefit from this approach. As someone with ADHD myself I know it can be challenging just to sit still for the fifty minutes of a therapy session. It could also just be a way for you to kill two bird with one stone by getting your steps in while seeing your therapist. It might be less triggering for you if you have had a bad experience of therapy in the past. 

Sessions will usually take place along the Leeds and Liverpool canal (River Aire), starting from Leeds Dock. We will walk at whatever pace you are comfortable for whatever distance you are comfortable. 

While there is no need to invest in full hiking gear, comfortable shoes and a suitable coat for the weather are recommended. The expectation is that the session will go ahead unless there is a Met Office weather warning in place.

Contrary to the name Walk & Talk, the canal tow path is smooth and level, making it suitable for wheelchair users. There are also no stiles or gates that might impede those with mobility issues. 

Sessions will usually be an hour, turning back after a short rest at the half way point. If you are up for it, there is also the option to book a double session and walk the five miles to Thwaite Watermill and back. 

Sessions can be weekly, fortnightly or monthly depending on your preference. I do also offer more traditional talking therapy online or face-to-face in LS1 if you would like a blended approach.

While every effort will be made towards confidentiality, this cannot be absolutely guaranteed given we will be in public. The tow path is usually quiet so this should be as simple as pausing the conversation while people walk past. 

A special theraputic contract will be agreed upon and signed before we start, covering things such as confidentiality in public. We will discuss your level of fitness to set expectations around the pace and distance of our walk. We will also discuss your theraputic goals before we start. 

I believe that in times like these it is only natural to feel anxious and depressed. It is only natural to be emotional. Perhaps you are tired of being made to feel like a problem to be solved? Are you fed up up of people trying to fix you when it is the world that is broken? You might have had a bad experience with therapy in the past? I hear you. As your therapist I will help you learn to recognise what your emotions are trying to tell you. I will help you to make peace with yourself and in doing so allow your self esteem to flourish.

Experience has taught me, for example, that anxiety can serve us well by keeping us on the ball. Fighting it would create the very inner conflict we want to avoid. What I have learned, what you can learn, is how to respond constructively to hard times and difficult circumstances. Everyone has the potential for personal growth, given the right conditions.

I’ve found that my approach works well with a lot of people. In particular, a lot of my clients have identified as disabled, chronically ill or neurodivergent. I know from my own lived experience with Dyspraxia that toxic positivity may well be the last thing you want to hear. Ableism is rife in our society so pretending disability does not negatively affect people is ludicrous. Instead, I have helped my clients to push back when they can and cope when they cannot. I don’t like labels but if I have to I will call this an Existential approach to therapy.

Through therapy you can build your self esteem and the gain the confidence to meet the world head on. Above all else I believe that the act of attending therapy is theraputic. I for one found that even just taking an hour out of my week was worth its weight in gold. People tell me I bring a different kind of energy and integrity to therapy. Certainly, I try to offer sessions which are refreshingly centred around your lives experience. This can be done in Person at my Park Square practice room, via Zoom or even over the telephone.

A sessions with me typically beings with an invitation for your to share your story. That might mean discussing a childhood event or one from last week. It is your therapy session so you get to decide. You set the tone. We might laugh, we might cry or we might just sit in each others company. If you do have something to discuss we will work together to make sense of it. This usually means focusing on your emotional state both at the time and looking back.

A key consideration will be how constructive your emotional response was. I firmly believe that there are no such thing as bad emotions. There are times it is entirely justified to be angry, sad, nervous or ashamed. The trick is learning how to turn emotions to our advantage. As we build your self esteem we can collaborate on reframing your emotions. As we work towards the end of the session we will hope to agree on strategies for working with your emotions rather than against them.

I offer a free 15 minute telephone consultation before you commit to your first session.