By Fran Adler
My name is Fran Adler, and I’ve been a licensed therapist in private practice for over two decades. Over the years there have been many aspects of this work that I’ve greatly enjoyed. But, there is one thing about being a therapist that I’ve never been crazy about—too much sitting!
The idea of walking instead of sitting while providing therapy is not a new one. I actually started thinking about this concept early on in my career. The truth is, I never stopped thinking about it. Since I’ve always loved walking, it seemed like a win-win: good for my clients and good for me. On occasion I actually did walk with a client, a young man who preferred to talk while walking and smoking a cigarette! Walking and talking is so natural—it’s something we human beings are built to do. Yet, there are advantages for a therapist working in a conventional clinical practice. Agencies often provide new client referrals as well as submit billing to health insurance companies. For clients, there is the familiarity, privacy, and comfort of the therapy office. Still, whenever I mentioned my idea of walk and talk therapy to clients and friends, the response I received was consistently positive.
I finally started getting ready to launch Ann Arbor Walk and Talk Therapy in the winter of 2020 when Covid-19 hit. As we soon learned it was safer to be with people outside than inside buildings, and once vaccination became a reality and made it easier to socialize, I decided that 2021 was as good a time as any to meet clients outside the traditional office setting. Also, since more people have been experiencing pandemic-related issues with mental health, it seemed that there was no better time than now.
Walk and Talk Therapy combines two of the best activities for promoting good mental health: walking and talking. More and more studies are revealing what many of us already know intuitively: walking is not only good for your body, but also good for your mind. This simple and natural activity can do wonders to relieve stress, lower anxiety, and improve mood. Walking can help you calm down, give you a greater sense of control, and change your perspective. When problems seem overwhelming, walking can help you think more clearly to come up with new ideas and creative solutions.
If you’ve never been in therapy, you’ve probably had the experience of feeling better after talking with a trusted and compassionate family member or friend. One advantage of seeing a therapist is that the therapeutic relationship is apart from your personal life. You don’t need to be concerned about things like confidentiality or hurting the other person’s feelings. The term, “talking cure,” to describe psychotherapy was coined many years ago, and it is still relevant today. Talking about your thoughts and feelings with a nonjudgmental professional in a safe atmosphere of acceptance and support can be enormously helpful.
Read related article: Your Body is Talking to You
I first learned the value of therapy, not as a therapist, but as a client myself. In 1988 my young husband, Cliff, was killed by a drunk driver. In the wake of this tragedy, I sought counseling for myself and our two children, ages five and three. The benefits we derived from working with our therapist have stayed with each of us to this day. Our positive experiences influenced my decision to pursue a career as a therapist, and I have been practicing as a therapist since 1998.
My clients have ranged in age from three to eighty years old, have come from various backgrounds, and have lived in different places, yet all of them were able to improve the quality of their lives. It has truly been a privilege to work with each of them and to witness their personal growth along the way. They benefited from my professional input, and I was enriched by them as well. I bring to my practice the wisdom I’ve gained from working with all the people who’ve reached out to me for help, and also, of course, from my own life experiences.
If Ann Arbor Walk and Talk Therapy strikes you as unconventional, it is! But walking and talking can be doubly therapeutic, and may be just the right approach for you.
If walking isn’t an option for you, Fran Adler also provides phone and Zoom counseling. Please call her at 734-429-2076 or email a2walktalk@gmail.com to begin a conversation about therapy.
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