There’s a reason you like yourself more in forests.

As a psychotherapist, many clients come with anxieties. In particular, anxieties about themselves – Did I do everything right? Am I good enough? Will future-me cope?

Many anxious clients will have a whole armory of self-critical tools, an internal reflex where this unkind and merciless inner voice will conduct midnight meetings in which every scenario and conversation is dissected and magnified, leading to the same old conclusion – You could have done things better. You are not good enough.

I am yet to ever meet a client with anxiety who likes themself. In my experience, anxiety and self-hatred usually go hand in hand.

But here’s the thing – anxious imaginations always play out the worst-case scenario, this also includes who you are and what future-you might look like. In the CBT world, it’s called ‘distorted thinking’ or ‘distorted sense of self’.

When I start working with a client, I will be curious and ask: where and when do the anxiety gremlins like to roast you the most? I make sure to note what my client’s relationship with nature is like.

Most overwhelmed and burnt out clients I work with are usually scuttling from one box to another – to work and then home – and, in their spare time, looking at the little screens. It would be fascinating to get an alien’s perspective on the current culture of our civilization.

For most of our past we’ve been on the move, it’s only in the last twelve thousand years that we stopped moving.

Go outside, move your body – our species can and will ruminate if we stop! My motto is: there’s a fine line between reflection and rumination. I believe reflecting whilst walking or looking at the sunset is typically more productive than forecasting unknown futures in the middle of night.

Next time you are at the beach or in a forest, take notice of how you feel about yourself, how do you speak to yourself? Forests, horizons, a beach or even your garden will always be kind friends that remind you that, even when things feel too much, there is beauty in the world and you are beautiful, too.

Sarah McGrath, 18th March 2026