Sitting across from someone for 50 minutes, making eye contact while you talk about the hardest stuff in your life, is not everyone's idea of a relaxing time. For a lot of people, it's the exact thing that keeps them guarded in therapy for weeks.
So what if the couch wasn't the only option? What if you could do the work while moving, side by side, with fresh air and a trail ahead of you instead of a wall?
That's the heart of walk-and-talk therapy, and I got to hear about it straight from someone who does it every day. I'll let her introduce herself:
Hello, my name is Brooke Jones. I’m the Owner and Counselor of WayfindHer Counseling in McKinney, TX. Growing up, my family valued spending time outdoors. Whether I was camping, swimming, playing sand volleyball, enjoying smores around a fire, or driving a fourwheeler around a pasture for hours, I recall feeling true joy when I spent time outside. Then I grew up and a lot of life happened in a short amount of time. My husband and I built a beautiful life with our three kids during our 20s and early 30s. We were fortunate enough to be able to travel a lot during this season and every time we traveled and spent time in nature, I was reminded of the joy I felt when I was a kid. It was during these trips that I began to dream about counseling women in nature. After years of dreaming and praying, the right opportunity presented itself and I took the leap. This summer I opened WayfindHer Counseling and while owning a business comes with its challenges, I’m so grateful for the work I get to do every day. If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to visit my website or check out WayfindHer Counseling on social media.
wayfindhercounseling.com Facebook and Instagram: @wayfindhercounseling
From there, I asked her all the questions I think a curious person would want answered before trying it.
How it started.
Before she opened her practice, Brooke spent five years as a school counselor at a local middle school, and that's where her turning point came. A middle school student who was frequently dysregulated had been pulled from class again, and she was at a loss for how to help him. They happened to be near a set of doors leading to the courtyard, so she asked if he wanted to step outside for some fresh air. Within 90 seconds, he was completely regulated. She started walking and talking with students, then with teachers, and saw the same shift over and over. It worked on her too. After stressful days, she and her husband would walk and talk, and by the time they got back, she felt so much better.
When she researched counselors doing this in private practice, she was surprised by how many there were, and even more surprised she had never heard of it in her area. She saw a gap and decided to fill it. She still offers traditional office sessions and telehealth, but the heart of her work is introducing women in her area to the power of nature and walking while talking.
What a session actually looks like.
Sessions start near a prominent landmark close to the parking lot, usually by a restroom, so clients can use it before they start. Then comes a quick check-in. "Do you feel ready to walk today?" Based on the answer, the session takes shape. Some days a client has had a stressful week and has been looking forward to "walking it out" for days. Other days they're not feeling their best, so they find a comfortable place to sit off the main path instead.
Clients set the pace, with one reminder: this isn't an exercise session, it's a counseling session, so the pace has to stay reasonable. Most sessions cover about 1.5 to 2 miles.
Brooke has preferred routes she has scouted and knows are a good fit, and walking the same route each time means clients spend less energy figuring out where they're going and more on the work. But sometimes she lets the client lead, especially if they're working on being assertive or confident in their decisions. Leading the walk becomes practice for leading their lives.
And yes, the clinical tools still work. Her approach is eclectic with a lot of CBT, which usually involves seeing a list or illustration. She adapts with storytelling and metaphors, uses the nature around them, sends electronic copies of activities after sessions, and sometimes brings a clipboard in her backpack so they can sit at a bench or picnic table for part of the session.
Why walking?
This is the part that gets me. Walking side by side feels different than sitting face to face. Clients aren't "forced" to make eye contact while they talk, which can make it easier to share the things they might hold back in an office. Brooke remembers being reluctant to share things with her own counselor early on, for fear of disappointing or being judged by them, and believes a side by side setting would have helped. She sees the same thing with her own kids, who open up far more easily while walking.
She also believes being outside adds something beyond the movement itself. She points to research on the mental health benefits of nature, including lower anxiety, lower cortisol, and improved mood, and has read that our eyes favor fractal patterns like those on a leaf, which may help reduce stress. In her words, there's no way to replicate the benefits of fresh air and sunshine indoors.
Even the pace becomes part of the work. Clients will sometimes push harder up a hill or speed up while processing a big emotion, without being prompted, and then you can visibly see the relief once they've worked through that energy.
Who it helps, and who it's not for.
Brooke finds walk-and-talk well suited to clients dealing with manageable levels of anxiety or depression, life transitions, or building confidence and self esteem. In general, it can benefit anyone open to trying it.
There are clear exceptions. She wouldn't do walk-and-talk with someone who can't manage their anxiety outside of the office, who is a danger to themselves or others, or who is struggling with an eating disorder (depending on the presentation). She also won't do it when there's a medical reason walking might not be safe, like a high risk pregnancy close to the due date or recovery from surgery, unless a doctor gives explicit permission. And because this is Texas, she's especially cautious with anyone who has heat intolerance.
The real talk: limitations.
Confidentiality is the biggest one. Some things feel uncomfortable to say where someone might overhear. Brooke plans routes and times that are less crowded, and she talks through the limits of confidentiality with clients before they ever walk, including the "what if we run into someone we know" questions. Plenty of people wear headphones or AirPods outdoors these days, which helps, but it's about letting each client make a fully informed decision.
Then there's the weather. If conditions look unsafe, they move to the office or go virtual. If it's raining without lightning, the client decides whether to keep walking, sit under a pavilion, or end early. Sometimes rain feels like a fresh start, so she doesn't discourage it unless it's unsafe or too distracting. Some clients also try it once or twice and decide it's not for them, and others love it but choose the office on weeks they know something big is coming. Both are completely normal.
If you're curious.
Brooke doesn't accept insurance at this time, and she didn't want to mislead anyone about coverage, so check with your own insurance company if that matters for you. There's also no official certification for walk-and-talk therapy, so look for a counselor who clearly offers it, ideally with a free consultation call, and ask what a session looks like, where it takes place, and whether it's used for every session or only occasionally.
As for what to wear, the goal is to be comfortable, not fashionable. Dress in layers, because you can take layers off but can't put on ones you don't have. She carries a backpack, so she's happy to hold your keys, phone, wallet, or water bottle during the session.
When I asked what surprised her most, she said it's almost always a positive experience for clients, even though she's never surprised by that. Most clients are a little skeptical until they try it. Her advice for anyone considering it: you don't have to be certain this is right for you, you just have to be willing to take the first step.
If you're in the McKinney area and this sounds like your kind of therapy, check out her website at wayfindhercounseling.com, or find her on Facebook and Instagram at @wayfindhercounseling. And if you're wondering what kind of therapy might be the right fit for you, visit my contact page and schedule with me or book a consultation.
