Nature Connection Practices to Support Youth with Stress & Anxiety

Salina Mae and Ursula Elsa

Training Description

Young people are naturally curious, especially about nature. Unfortunately, many educational settings often do not allow for youth to experience the power of the natural world. Access to parks and nature spaces are often not easily accessible to marginalized communities. During this shelter in place, this inequity of access has become even more apparent. This workshop helps youth workers find engaging and innovative ways to integrate nature-based practices and connect our youth with our greatest mindfulness teacher - the natural world. It will provide skills and tools to share with youth that support coping with stress and anxiety and using nature in an urban setting to help self-regulate.

Learning Objectives

• Explore at least 1 activity for supporting youth in practicing mindful breathing outside 

• Identify at least 1 mindfulness-based strategy for self-regulation using the natural world