All counselling sessions are led by Julie Bickers, a qualified counsellor who holds BACP accreditation and is a Certified Outdoor Therapist.
Counselling and Nature-based Therapy
Inner Wild Counselling offers counselling services and nature-based approaches for adults in Shropshire, with different ways of working depending on your needs, preferences and what feels comfortable for you.
You can choose from in-person counselling in Shifnal and Shrewsbury, ecotherapy, walk-and-talk therapy across Shropshire and surrounding areas, online counselling across the UK, and selected outdoor activities and events.
In-Person Counselling
In-person counselling takes place in a private therapy room at Inner Wild Counselling in Shifnal or Shrewsbury, providing a confidential and supportive space to explore your thoughts, feelings and experiences at your own pace.
Approaches and techniques may include:
- Acceptance and commitment therapy
- Cognitive behavioural therapy
- Holistic therapy
- Mindfulness-based techniques
- Nature-based techniques (inc. eco-art therapy)
In-person counselling may be helpful when you’re experiencing:
Anxiety, depression, life transitions, grief, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, stress, overwhelm, and those seeking deeper self-understanding.
In my blog, When Life Looks Fine on the Outside But Doesn’t Inside, I explore what it can mean to keep going when things feel difficulty internally.
Ecotherapy
Ecotherapy takes counselling outdoors and adds activity to it. Depending on what suits you and the season, sessions might include stationary activities, wilderness immersion, gardening, animal-assisted therapy or mindfulness in a natural setting. It’s available for individuals and for groups, so you can come on your own or with others, depending on what you need. Sessions are longer than walk-and-talk, to leave time for the activity as well as the conversation.
Walk-and-talk, by comparison, is traditional counselling outdoors, walking or sitting on a bench.
Sessions may include:
- Mindful grounding exercises
- Sensory-awareness practices
- Nature metaphors for personal insight
- Gentle, reflective exploration of your challenges
- Seasonal or weather-informed themes
Ecotherapy may appeal if you:
- Feel disconnected from nature or yourself
- Feel overwhelmed or burnt out
- Experience anxiety
- Find it difficult to feel comfortable in a traditional indoor setting
- Feel drawn to reconnecting with the natural world
Walk-and-Talk Therapy
Walk-and-talk therapy combines counselling with gentle movement and time outdoors, offering an alternative to sitting indoors during a traditional counselling session.
Benefits include:
- Reduces pressure of eye contact
- Can help you feel more settled and grounded
- Encourages free-flowing conversation
- May suit people who find it easier to talk while walking or who feel uncomfortable sitting indoors for a traditional session.
Locations across Shropshire and Staffordshire
Walk-and-talk therapy is available across Shropshire and surrounding areas, including Staffordshire.
Online Counselling
Online counselling offers a way to access counselling from a private, comfortable space using a laptop or computer. Sessions are available across the UK, making online counselling an option if you live outside Shropshire or prefer to work remotely.
Online counselling may suit you if:
- You prefer to talk from your own space.
- You live outside the local Shropshire area.
- Travelling to an in-person session isn’t practical.
- You prefer the flexibility of online sessions.
Events & Workshops
Outdoor wellbeing events and workshops are offered at selected times throughout the year, depending on the season and availability.
- Mindfulness walks in nature
- Nature art group therapy
- Grounding workshops
- Green exercises
- Mental health and wellbeing retreats
I run outdoor wellbeing events, including Open Minds in the Wild, a day in the woods for men with bushcraft, activities and conversation. The first day sold out, and new dates will be added soon.
