Nature is healing.

A walk in the park, watching a sunset or listening to the rain drumming on the windows: those experiences have the potential to calm frayed nerves and restore peace of mind. But we have to be in the moment to reap those benefits. If we hurry through that park while stewing over the person who cut us off on the road on our way here, if we watch the sunset thinking only about the fact that we are alone or with the wrong person while doing so, if we listen to the rain, worrying about its impact on our roses or vegetable gardens, then we aren’t in that moment – and we are likely to feel worse for the experience.

PaRx Canada is an organization that wants to support mental health and increase people’s awareness of the benefits of moving and spending time in nature. I am proud to have joined the ranks of health care providers in Canada who can prescribe time in nature as a tool to re-establish or support mental health.

How it works:

As a registered PaRx Canada prescriber, once a month I can prescribe one free Parks Canada Discovery Pass for an adult while supplies last (youth 17 and under enjoy access to Parks Canada administered locations for free). The client then must also visit the PaRx Canada website and Log Their PaRx to receive their pass.

Existing clients who struggle with anxiety or depression and who feel that they may benefit from regular exposure to and activity in a natural environment can talk to me about the option of a nature prescription (or I may suggest it to them). A prescription can be offered if…

• we have worked on mindfulness techniques that allow the client to stay in the moment for some time and thus would benefit from a nature prescription
• they have limited financial means that make regular visits to national parks impossible (since there is a limited supply of free passes for prescriptions, only clients in the low-income or pay-as-you-can fee categories will be considered for this program at this time; I hope that over time PaRx can expand its offers)
• they are reasonably close to a national park to make regular stays feasible for them
• I have a prescription available within my limit (one prescription a month)