Nature Based Therapy

30/09/2025

| We often think of narcissism as ego or arrogance, but what if those traits are actually rooted in unhealed trauma?

Narcissistic behaviours can develop as unconscious defence mechanisms — survival strategies formed in childhood when emotional needs weren’t met.

Seen through a trauma-informed lens, these patterns aren’t evidence of a broken character but signs of a wounded inner child.

Healing begins not with shame, but with compassion, safe relationships, and the slow work of reconnecting to the authentic self.

READ IN FULL:

Narcissism and trauma are deeply connected. Unhealed wounds can shape behaviour, and a trauma-informed lens offers compassion and healing.

26/09/2025

Looking for something nourishing to tune into this weekend?
Here's a brand new podcast episode: Nature’s Classroom.

I’m joined by Richard Scales, founder of Therapeutic Horticulture with WA the Scales Way. Richard shares his journey of bringing nature into classrooms and communities, showing how plants, gardens, and green spaces can nurture learning, wellbeing, and connection.

In our conversation, we explore:
🌱 How horticulture can support healing and growth
🌱 The ways nature itself becomes the teacher
🌱 Why slowing down helps us reconnect with the living world

Whether you’re an educator, parent, or practitioner, this episode invites you to see nature as a classroom for resilience, healing, and possibility.

22/09/2025

It can feel wrong to celebrate progress when challenges remain.
But honouring growth, whether in yourself, your community, or the world, doesn’t erase the pain.

It reminds us that healing is possible.
It gives us the energy to keep showing up.
It fuels the resilience we need to create change.

Joy isn’t naive. Gratitude isn’t denial. Both are acts of defiance in a world that profits from fear.

What’s one piece of growth, big or small, that you’re grateful for today?

16/09/2025

| Have you ever noticed how the news rarely highlights joy? Instead, it beams fear, tragedy, conflict, and catastrophe straight into our homes, phones, and minds.

This isn’t a conspiracy; it’s capitalism. Fear grabs attention, anxiety keeps us scrolling, and sadness sparks outrage—all of which fuel profit.

Yet while we’re fed a steady diet of crisis, the world is still bursting with beauty: babies being born, neighbours helping each other, kids dancing in puddles.

The good is still happening. Every single day. All around us.

READ IN FULL: https://www.naturebasedtherapy.com.au/fear-driven-media

Fear-driven media fuels sadness and anxiety. Discover how the news impacts mental health and simple ways to focus on joy instead.

12/09/2025

Looking for something nourishing to tune into this weekend?
I've got two new podcast episodes for you.

🌿 Remembering Our Roots: Nature, Culture and the African Spirit with Sharlene Cohen of Urban Rewild
🌿 Grounded in Country: Nature-Based Community Development with Karen Jesson

Take some time out, pop on your headphones, and let these conversations inspire and ground you.

09/09/2025

Please see below an image that shows emotional states in the middle and perceptions connected to intellectual health on the outer.

When we feel emotions, these are transformed into intellectual perceptions.

This will help you work with the holistic health assessment of you are finding it challenging to seperate the two.

Emotions we feel, intellect we think.
Emotions are held in the body and the gut brain. Intellect is perceived through the mind.

Intellect can be changed and is often created through lived experience and developed perceptions. It can be challenged.
We create narratives based on our experiences, which forms beliefs.

Emotions are often real and felt. You can’t change how you feel only what you perceive from these feelings.

I hope this helps.

This is why it is important to ask the question, how do u feel about that?Rather than what do you think about that?

If you would like to learn more about holistic healthcare and work with the assessment I developed you may wish to take this short course!

https://www.naturebasedtherapyacademy.com.au/holisticmentalhealthcare

27/08/2025

| When we step into nature, we don’t just see trees, rivers, or mountains; we see reflections of ourselves.

A bending branch may remind us of resilience, a flowing river of surrender, an ocean of awe or fear.

For those carrying trauma, nature’s steady rhythms, sunrise, moon cycles, and stillness offer a safe witness.

Grounding. Restorative. Healing.

Indigenous wisdom has always known this truth: the land is kin, teacher, and healer. Nature doesn’t just mirror our wounds; it reflects our strength, resilience, and belonging.

Link to the blog in the comments.

23/08/2025

🌿 Controlled Crying, Connection, and the Wisdom of Nature 🌿

In Healing Developmental Trauma, Dr. Laurence Heller introduces the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM), a therapeutic approach that helps us understand how unmet needs in early childhood can shape our lifelong patterns of connection, trust, and self-regulation. One of the earliest experiences that can impact this is the practice of controlled crying.

Controlled crying, where infants are left to cry for extended periods in an effort to “teach” them to self-soothe, can inadvertently disrupt the development of secure attachment. From a NARM perspective, this touches directly on the five core needs—especially connection and attunement. When a baby’s cries go unanswered, their nervous system learns that reaching out for comfort may not bring safety. Over time, this survival strategy can lead to challenges with trust, autonomy, and even intimacy.

But nature reminds us of a different rhythm. In the wild, no young creature is left to cry alone. A bird feeds its chicks at every call. A mother kangaroo tucks her joey close into the pouch. A wolf nuzzles her pups, responding instinctively to their whimpers. Across ecosystems, connection is not just a luxury—it is the very foundation of survival.

As humans, we are no different. Our nervous systems are wired for co-regulation, for feeling safe in the presence of another. When parents respond with warmth and attunement, they mirror what nature has always known: that connection fosters resilience.

Moving away from practices like controlled crying doesn’t mean parents must be perfect—it means we can lean into the wisdom of nature and our own intuition. By holding, soothing, and responding, we offer our children the roots of trust and the wings of autonomy.

Healing, too, is found in reconnection with nature—walking barefoot on the earth, listening to the trees, noticing how every being belongs. Just as NARM supports adults in reclaiming connection to self and others, nature invites us back into a relational web where our needs are seen and honored.

💚 In the end, healing developmental trauma is about remembering what the earth has always whispered: we are not meant to cry alone.

22/08/2025

A beautiful reader reflection on Trust the Timing of Your Bloom reminds me why I write and share these words. 💚

If you’re needing a gentle reminder that everything unfolds in its own time, this piece may speak to you, too.

Read it here: www.naturebasedtherapy.com.au/trust-the-timing-of-your-bloom

14/08/2025

Awe isn’t just a feeling—it’s a doorway into presence.

In this soul-stirring episode of , Kit speaks with Sheryl Hanula of Nourishmeant Radical Wellness about the transformative practice of slowing down, noticing beauty, and letting awe reshape how we see the world.

Together, they explore:
• What “The Art of Awe” means in everyday life
• How awe can shift our mindset and heal our hearts
• Nature-connectedness and embodied meditation practices
• Using creativity and photography to deepen presence

Whether you’re seeking inspiration, healing, or a fresh way to connect with life, this conversation invites you to rediscover the beauty in every moment.

🎧 Listen to the full episode now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wns7VcLRGHQ
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5rbVRmomX6xTiHn38hmk3G

Nature Based Therapy · Episode

12/08/2025

Day 2 at the 2025 AusMumpreneur Awards & Conferences ✨

Today was overflowing with stories of strength, authenticity, and courage. Hearing the journeys of so many incredible women reminded me why we choose to start our own businesses — driven by passion, fuelled by purpose, and inspired by the little people who are our biggest “why.” 💛

I’m beyond grateful and proud to share that I won the award in the Counselling and Therapy category 🏆💫

This recognition isn’t just mine — it’s for every woman building something from the heart, for every mum balancing dreams and family, and for every story of resilience that lights the path for others.

Here’s to passion-led businesses, to making an impact, and to doing it all with love. 💕

11/08/2025

Day 1 – 2025 AusMumpreneur Awards and Conference: Inspiration, Connection & Big Ideas

Today was the start of something truly energising. Walking into a room full of women balancing business dreams with family life felt like stepping into a hive buzzing with possibility. The air was electric — a mix of ambition, courage, and the occasional whiff of strong coffee.

The keynote speakers shared raw, honest stories about their journeys — the triumphs, the tears, and the toddler interruptions along the way. It was a reminder that success isn’t a straight road, but a winding path filled with resilience and creativity.

Between sessions, I connected with other amazing women whose ideas are as diverse as they are brilliant — from tech startups to handmade products infused with heart. There’s something powerful about hearing “me too” from someone who gets it.

As I left with my notebook brimming with ideas, I realised this conference isn’t just about building a business. It’s about building ourselves — stronger, smarter, and more supported than before.

Bring on Day 2!!!