Harkness includes data and responses from an online survey that he conducted on his blog, and interweaves findings from published scientific studies revealing that birding (or even just getting out into nature) is correlated with improved mental health. I’ve been writing about Bird Therapy for three years now and in 2017 I had articles published in Birdwatch magazine and The Curlew. Nature is the ultimate distraction therapy, providing a platform and safety net for everyday issues to be cast aside, offering time for one to reflect and recollect. He works as a Special Educational Needs Coordinator and has worked with vulnerable groups for nine years.

The therapy programme - B.I.R.D

Harkness didn’t start out a birder, either), you will be captivated by the story, and will find yourself becoming more aware of the birds around you -- their sounds and behaviors and relationships -- and noticing the positive impact that regular bird watching has on your mental health. They are a powerful piece of our own resilience toolkit, for removing ourselves from the chaotic trappings of everyday life. Visual beauty can be found in the simple pleasures of nature; from the lush greenness of trees in late spring, to the wind-rippled surface of a lake on a snappy February morning. Next time that you go out to a wild place, let your senses indulge in the wonders around you and take time to notice the subtle aesthetics in everyday natural encounters.

The author is a careful observer and his thoughtful descriptions of his own mental state likely served as a valuable roadmap of his progress towards healing. The feel of the fresh air against your face is refreshing, and add to this the smell of fresh earth after an April shower and the multi-sensory experience is complete. But the honesty and vulnerability of the writing resonates deeply and keeps you reading, almost like following a delicate golden thread through a dark labyrinth and out into brilliant light again. Joe started his (now defunct) Bird Therapy blog in 2015, which led to him writing a book, with the same title. To ensure that the main points are clear, there is a list of useful tips at the end of each chapter.

A Bird Therapy Blog by Joe Harkness - The Outdoor Guide

Treatment comprises a programme of specialised, neurodevelopmental movement patterns, designed to stimulate neurological feedback to the brain, promote neurological integration, reduce dysfunctions and encourage maturation within the Central Nervous System. Further, this uplifting and insightful book will provide inspiration and new ideas to mental health professionals and much-needed comfort and hope to everyone struggling with mental health issues. Harkness shares the (sometimes harsh) reality of his mental health struggles, but we learn how bird watching positively impacts his life, how it provides a special place to where he can escape the maelstrom of modern life, and how it increases his social connectedness by providing the opportunity to meet others with a similar passion for birds. For two years, I’ve been writing about the therapeutic benefits of bird-watching, keen to share my own positive experiences with those who ended up reading. So, just to keep everyone updated, especially in my self-imposed Twitter absence; things are going really well with the book.In addition to advice and information for how to deal with mental health issues, it is candid and accessible and, at times, amusing. The development edit led to some sweeping changes in the way I'd formulated the book, but thanks to Simon, the editor, it reads so much more smoothly than it did. You can help to support the publishing of my book about the mental health benefits of birdwatching by contributing to the crowdfund. He has written features for numerous publications, including: The Guardian, Condé Nast Traveller, BBC Wildlife Magazine, iNews, Birdwatch Magazine and Birdwatching Magazine. In a world of uncertainty – I find that nature and birdwatching are a constant source of comfort and solitude.

A Dose of Nature: Why Birding Will Boost - Birds and Blooms

Three years later he has become a spokesperson for the benefits of birdwatching, spreading the word everywhere from Radio 4 to Downing Street. Although I’m a lifelong birder, I was particularly interested to learn how birding develops mindfulness.Hence, patient’s completing treatment are provided with opportunities to pass through ‘normal’ developmental milestones of infantile development, revisiting critical stages of brain development, removing barriers to learning, and enabling developmental progression/rehabilitation. Whether you enjoying bird watching or wildlife photography or just being in nature, this book provides a useful examination for how these quiet interests can bolster and support your mental and emotional wellbeing. In this groundbreaking book filled with practical advice, Joe explains the impact that birdwatching had on his life, and invites the reader to discover these extraordinary effects for themselves. Joe is currently writing an educational book titled Inside/Outside, which will be published in 2023 by Routledge.