In Walk and Talk Therapy, you will meet with your therapist at a location off the Bruce Trail here in Hamilton.
From there, you and your therapist will walk as much (or as little!) as you wish. One loop of the trail takes approximately the length of a therapy session (45-60 minutes), so it is an option to do the full loop, or to walk part way and have some of the session seated on one of the many benches throughout the trail.
Walk and Talk Therapy provides a unique opportunity to combine the healing forces of nature, physical activity, and psychotherapy all into one!
Walk and Talk Therapy is great for those who want to be physically active while also gaining benefits from psychotherapy at the same time. Nature-lovers find this method of therapy to be particularly enjoyable, as it provides us with many opportunities for mindfulness and gratitude with the beautiful scenes occurring naturally around us. It can also be helpful for those who think best when they are on the move, as some describe experiencing more creativity flowing when engaging in physical activity.
Contact our walk and talk therapists today if you have any other questions about Walk and Talk therapy, or if you’d like to book a session!
Kayleen Edwards, MA, RP, RYT200 (she/her) CLINICAL DIRECTOR
Susan deJonge, MEd., OCT, RP (qualifying), MACP (candidate), she/her STUDENT THERAPIST
Robyn Floyd, RP (qualifying), MACP (candidate), she/her STUDENT THERAPIST
Cavan Edwards, MACP, RP (qualifying) (he/him) ASSOCIATE THERAPIST
Megan Bouck, MACP, RP (qualifying) (she/her) ASSOCIATE THERAPIST
For more information on Walk and Talk Therapy, you can check out our blog post or continue reading to the Frequently Asked Questions below:
Walk and Talk therapy costs the same as an in-office therapy session – $130 plus HST. However, the Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) does charge a parking fee of $10 which includes entrance to the trail. This fee can be paid by credit card at the parking lot entrance.
As with all therapy sessions, you will be able to pay via credit, e-transfer, cash, and cheque. Upon payment, you will receive an invoice listing “Psychotherapy” for you to submit for reimbursement from your insurance company.
Any new clients must start with at least one in-office session prior to beginning Walk and Talk Therapy. The in-office session is so we have an appropriate setting to complete Consent Forms, intake paperwork, and to get to know each other more. From there, we can further discuss Walk and Talk therapy, and if it would be a good fit from you.
I do Walk and Talk therapy on Wednesdays from 9:00 am til 2:00 pm, and on Tuesdays with variable hours. Please email me to book, as booking for Walk and Talk therapy is not available through our main online booking page.
Please wear comfortable exercise clothes and running or hiking shoes to Walk and Talk therapy. You may also want to wear sunglasses, a hat, bug spray, and sun screen to ensure proper protection from the elements!
If the forecast the day before or morning of your scheduled session is predicting rain, we will work together to reschedule your appointment to a more appropriate date and time. If it begins to rain during our session, we can discuss whether you would like to continue, end the session early, or complete the session in a more sheltered location (e.g. under a pavilion).
Yes! You can switch back and forth between in-office and Walk and Talk sessions whenever you would like. You can do one Walk and Talk session, weekly Walk and Talk sessions, or one-offs here and there. The flexibility is up to you and what works best with your schedule.
It is understandable that confidentiality is a concern both for us and the clients we serve.
In Walk and Talk Therapy, it is true that others may overhear the conversation as they walk by or that there is the chance of seeing someone either of us knows on the trail.
Prior to beginning Walk and Talk Therapy, we will take time in-office to review a consent form specially tailored to these confidentiality issues and discuss your comfort level with various options. We may agree to limit our conversation when in earshot of another person, and we will make an agreement as to how we will handle the potential situation of running into someone you may know. We may also discuss whether there are certain issues you prefer not to discuss at Walk and Talk therapy, instead opting to discuss those in in-office sessions. My goal is to make you feel comfortable so that you may get the most out of your therapy session, whether in-office or in the forest!
Kayleen was featured in Maclean’s magazine in an article about the ins and outs of walk & talk therapy:
