Walking Therapy in Canterbury & Kent

Q: Where do the walking sessions take place?

In and around Canterbury, on routes chosen to be quiet enough for a private conversation. We agree the route in advance so you know exactly where you will be going and roughly who you are likely to see.

Therapy, outdoors

The same counselling, with the same practitioner, for the same fee. The only thing that changes is where it happens.

Walking sessions take place in and around Canterbury, on quiet routes agreed with you in advance. You walk at a conversational pace, side by side, for the usual 50 minutes.

It is an option within individual therapy rather than a separate service. Some people walk every week, some now and then, and some try it once and decide a room suits them better. All of those are ordinary.

Who tends to find it helps

There is no particular kind of person this is for, but some things come up again and again.

We are not claiming walking makes therapy work better. What we can say is that for some people it makes therapy possible, or makes the difficult things easier to say, and that is reason enough to offer it.

Sitting still in a room feels like part of the problem
Direct eye contact makes it harder to say difficult things
You think more clearly when you are moving
The idea of a therapy room puts you off entirely
You are outdoors often, and being inside to talk feels wrong

Things worth knowing first

Outdoor sessions involve trade-offs a room does not, and it is better to hear them now than discover them later.

None of these is a reason not to try it. They are simply things we agree between us before the first walk, so nothing about it is a surprise.

It is weather-dependent, so we agree what happens on bad days
Confidentiality outdoors is different: we plan routes to stay private
You may pass someone you know, and we agree beforehand what to do
It suits some pieces of work and not others, and we can move indoors
It is not right for everyone or for every session, and that is fine

Questions about walking therapy

How it works, where it happens, and what changes when it rains.

What is walking therapy?

It is ordinary counselling that takes place while walking outdoors rather than sitting in a room. The therapist, the confidentiality, the length and the cost are all the same. The only difference is where the conversation happens, and that you are side by side rather than facing each other.

Is walking therapy a separate service I book instead of counselling?

No. It is an option within individual therapy, not a different service. Some people walk every session, some occasionally, some never. We agree what suits you and the work, and you can change your mind at any point without it being a decision.

Where do the walking sessions take place?

In and around Canterbury, on routes chosen to be quiet enough for a private conversation. We agree the route in advance so you know exactly where you will be going and roughly who you are likely to see.

What happens if the weather is bad?

We agree that in advance rather than deciding on the day. Depending on what suits you, that might mean walking anyway with suitable clothing, moving the session indoors to our Canterbury room, or meeting securely online instead. Your session time is not lost.

Do I need to be fit to do walking therapy?

No. The pace is conversational and the routes are gentle, and we will fit them around what your body can do. If walking any distance is difficult, say so and we will plan accordingly, or use the room instead.

Worth trying once to find out

You can talk it through at your initial assessment and decide then, or later, or not at all.

Schedule an initial assessment

£35 · 45 minutes · No obligation to continue

Walking therapy in Canterbury