Birdwatching Therapy Group

A five-week group, utilizing the therapeutic value of birdwatching as a pathway to reflection, support, and community connections! The intention of the group is to have participants attend all 5-weeks to build meaningful conversation, connection, and therapeutic skills. This is highly recommended, but we recognize that this may not be an option for everyone so we have opened the group up to different dates, with a minimum requirement of attending 2 sessions. Please select all dates you plan to attend. Who is this group for? This is a group open to anyone wishing to build deeper connections, slow down, rediscover wonder, and gain support in an overwhelming world. Whether you are feeling burnt out, anxious, stuck, depressed, overwhelmed, or isolated, you are welcome here. What can you expect? We will start sessions at Cornelia Fort Airpark, taking time to get to know each other, reflect, share our concerns, worries, and joys while developing therapeutic skills in a group setting. This will also be a time for some brief education about birds of Tennessee, their migratory patterns, behaviors, and what they can teach us about ourselves and the world. We will take a walk on the Shelby Bottoms greenway, exploring, and cultivating wonder and awe as we do so and will wrap up with a debrief of our experiences, continuing our goal of connection. Structure and content of sessions may vary week to week. What can you gain? Connection and support - A weekly pause from the stress and demands of the world, where you can commune with nature and share the things that have been weighing you down. Mindful awareness - A greater ability to stay present and engage. Flexible thinking - Practice more flexible ways of responding to automatic thoughts and assumptions, rather than reacting. Curiosity - Learn to approach both new and familiar experiences with genuine wonder and exploration, making space for a sense of awe. Knowledge about birds - Learn a little about the birds of Tennessee in the process! - This is an inclusive space with zero tolerance for hate speech or discrimination. The path is paved and wheelchair accessible.