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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
2.75 rounded up to 3. Good premise. Didn’t rate the depth of ideas, structure or writing style.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
This was a very interesting read and consolidated a lot of my new thinking re needing to rebalance your life. It has been such a journey this year and I am exploring new ideas. I found the author very knowledgable as she was speaking from personal experience.
Over the last year I have reconnected more with nature and now also have a dog. I am working less and spending more time with the family - finally have the work/life balance I always wanted.
I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review which I have done so
Over the last year I have reconnected more with nature and now also have a dog. I am working less and spending more time with the family - finally have the work/life balance I always wanted.
I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review which I have done so
"What is important is learning to incorporate the great outdoors into your normal life, whatever shape that is...We have to see the Natural Health Service as something integral to our way of life."
Following trauma resulting in PTSD and as a result of a chance discovery of 'Orchidelirium' (Victorian orchid madness), political journalist Isabel Hardman returned to her childhood roots through botany. She found searching for plants and flowers calmed her mind, got her outside and gave her purpose. This led her to try and look into other ways nature can help metal illnesses. Each chapter covers different outdoor activities and discusses case study examples with those whose mental illnesses have diminished or been better managed as a result of them. Such activities include gardening, bird-watching, dog-walking, running, forest bathing and wildlife. We are part of nature and benefit from being experiencing it.
Published in hardback before the pandemic this paperback version (which I read a digital ARC of courtesy of @netgalley and @atlanticbooks) includes an extra chapter about how time outside in nature has become more valuable now life is restricted.
I've also experienced trauma, along with depression, postnatal depression, stress and anxiety and always find nature and being outdoors help me. Even now, during Lockdown 3.0, I always feel better for what I refer to a 'march' around the parkland I am lucky enough to live near to. Fresh air, exercise, the beautiful trees, plants and wildlife never cease to make me feel better, a small part of something bigger, which I try to impress upon my children. I've struggled previously living in towns and cities, find my current rural village, with its historic park and the countryside surrounding it, suits me better.
"...time and again an intervention from the great outdoors has made treatment that bit easier, life worth living and symptoms that bit less allconsuming."
Following trauma resulting in PTSD and as a result of a chance discovery of 'Orchidelirium' (Victorian orchid madness), political journalist Isabel Hardman returned to her childhood roots through botany. She found searching for plants and flowers calmed her mind, got her outside and gave her purpose. This led her to try and look into other ways nature can help metal illnesses. Each chapter covers different outdoor activities and discusses case study examples with those whose mental illnesses have diminished or been better managed as a result of them. Such activities include gardening, bird-watching, dog-walking, running, forest bathing and wildlife. We are part of nature and benefit from being experiencing it.
Published in hardback before the pandemic this paperback version (which I read a digital ARC of courtesy of @netgalley and @atlanticbooks) includes an extra chapter about how time outside in nature has become more valuable now life is restricted.
I've also experienced trauma, along with depression, postnatal depression, stress and anxiety and always find nature and being outdoors help me. Even now, during Lockdown 3.0, I always feel better for what I refer to a 'march' around the parkland I am lucky enough to live near to. Fresh air, exercise, the beautiful trees, plants and wildlife never cease to make me feel better, a small part of something bigger, which I try to impress upon my children. I've struggled previously living in towns and cities, find my current rural village, with its historic park and the countryside surrounding it, suits me better.
"...time and again an intervention from the great outdoors has made treatment that bit easier, life worth living and symptoms that bit less allconsuming."
This book was beautiful. Perfect balance of personal anecdotes, scientific study and well being advice. In the past I have found "self-help" books on mental health to be pushy, insensitive and irritating, but Hardman's book was not condescending in the least. I felt as though she took me with her on her journey to explore new activities and felt motivated to try some of them.
This book didn’t start great for me, it discussed gardening, birdwatching and these aren’t activities that I’ve ever really been interested in, nor did I find myself interested in them when they were being discussed, however, I am interested in more active aspects of nature, such as running and wild swimming, both of which I found really interesting and relatable aspects of the books. I really enjoyed the different perspectives and the studies that have been done so far to show the perks of being outside on our mental health.
Definitely a book worth reading if you need a few ideas that may or may not help with your mental health but it’s got some very interesting and different suggestions. I have actively begun looking at the nature that exists when I’m out a walk, noticing the birds that are around (though I wouldn’t personally enjoy spending time researching birds or plants to identify them or find rare plants). I like that the book opens up the conversation about mental health and doesn’t aim to fix it, it gives us all a call to action and has some great tips for friends of those with mental illnesses.
A great read, definitely one to recommend!
Thanks to @NetGalley and @Atlanticbooks for the ARC.
Definitely a book worth reading if you need a few ideas that may or may not help with your mental health but it’s got some very interesting and different suggestions. I have actively begun looking at the nature that exists when I’m out a walk, noticing the birds that are around (though I wouldn’t personally enjoy spending time researching birds or plants to identify them or find rare plants). I like that the book opens up the conversation about mental health and doesn’t aim to fix it, it gives us all a call to action and has some great tips for friends of those with mental illnesses.
A great read, definitely one to recommend!
Thanks to @NetGalley and @Atlanticbooks for the ARC.
Political journo and assistant editor of Spectator Isabel Hardman writes of how the outdoors helps us heal and aids our mental health. From cold-water swimming to equine assisted training to service and therapy pets to gardening, Hardman explores alternative ways to combat mental illness through patient testimonials and her own lived experience.
She also talks of the placebo effect and a call for change in the last chapters. Because we do need to acknowledge that mental health issues are apparent, and no doubt post-pandemic there will be more cases surging.
Fairly enjoyable in terms of ideas of what to do and where to go and what to read.
She also talks of the placebo effect and a call for change in the last chapters. Because we do need to acknowledge that mental health issues are apparent, and no doubt post-pandemic there will be more cases surging.
Fairly enjoyable in terms of ideas of what to do and where to go and what to read.
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
I thought this book was very informative - it had a lot of facts in it. I loved the fact that every technique the author wrote about, she also tried herself. I didn't really like that there were a lot of facts about birds and flowers because I wasn't really interested in that. However, I thought the book was overall really good and very helpful.