The Healing Power of Nature for Women Who Have Experienced Domestic Violence: Literature Review
The Healing Power of Nature for Women Who Have Experienced Domestic Violence: Literature Review
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Issue Date
2021-10-04
Authors
Kraul, Rachelle
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Abstract
The healing power of nature for women who have experienced domestic violence has been largely untapped in the field of counselling psychology. The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the relationship between nature-based therapeutic practices and counselling for women healing from the impacts of abuse. This hermeneutic phenomenological literature review reveals five interconnected themes that describe the healing potential of nature-based practices for women who have experienced domestic violence. These themes are healing of the self, physical and psychological healing, reciprocal healing for people and nature, valuing intuition and traditional ways of knowing, and nonduality between humans and nature. This paper expands on practical applications and recommendations for counselling based on the themes and advocates for an integration of intuitive wisdom and traditional nature-based practices in the counselling process with women who have experienced domestic violence. Inviting nature to be a cotherapist can promote safety, respect, mutuality, and trust in the therapeutic relationship in opposition to the dynamics of abuse that clients have endured in their interpersonal relationships.
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Keywords
nature-based therapy , violence against women , women who experience domestic violence , horticultural therapy
License
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States , openAccess