How Nature Can Support Your Emotional Recovery, Backed by Science

Today, 20th March 2025, is the Spring Equinox… A time of balance between light and dark, day and night; a time of renewal and fresh energy. It’s also Nowruz, the Persian New Year, a celebration of new beginnings that has been honoured for millennia. In nature, this is a moment of transition as winter loosens its grip and new life begins to emerge.

If you’re going through a divorce or separation, this shift in seasons carries a powerful message: what feels like an ending is also the start of something new.

Nature as a Companion in Emotional Recovery

Divorce can leave you feeling lost, drained, or like you’re standing on shaky ground. It’s a time of deep change; emotionally, mentally, and even physically. But nature has a way of soothing the mind and heart. And there’s real science behind this.

Eco-psychotherapy (a field that integrates nature into emotional healing) suggests that spending time outdoors can be deeply restorative. Research supports this: a study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that spending just 20 minutes in nature significantly lowers cortisol levels, reducing stress and enhancing overall well-being.

Psychologists have long recognised the therapeutic effects of nature. Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989) proposes that natural environments help us recover from mental fatigue by offering a gentle, effortless form of attention known as ‘soft fascination’. This means that when you walk through a forest, sit by a river, or even just observe a blooming tree, your mind is able to rest and reset in a way that screens and cityscapes cannot provide.

Spring as a Symbol of Your Own Renewal

Spring represents renewal, a time when the earth wakes up and life begins again. Trees that looked lifeless all winter suddenly burst into bloom. The days get longer, and the air feels full of possibility.

In many ways, divorce is like winter - a season of stillness, reflection, and even perceived barrenness. But just like the natural world, you are built for growth. No winter lasts forever, and no heartbreak is permanent.

Nowruz, the Persian New Year, embodies this philosophy beautifully; it is a celebration of hope, with traditions that include deep cleaning (symbolising letting go of the old) and setting intentions for the future. Your own life is doing the same. You’re stepping into a new season, even if it doesn’t feel like it yet.

As you process your emotions, nature can serve as both a guide and a mirror. Walking in a park, noticing new buds on trees, or simply breathing in the crisp spring air can be a reminder that change is natural, and growth follows even the harshest seasons.

Practical Ways to Use Nature for Healing

If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, nature can be a powerful ally. Here’s how to bring more of it into your healing process:

• Take a walk every day – Even a short walk in a park or quiet street can help calm your mind. Studies show that walking in nature reduces overthinking, which is often linked to anxiety and depression.

  
  

• Engage your senses – Close your eyes and listen to birdsong. Breathe in the scent of fresh grass or blooming flowers. Feel the warmth of the sun on your skin. Tuning into these small moments keeps you present and grounded.

  
  

• Find a ‘sit spot’ – Choose a place outdoors where you can go regularly - a tree in your backyard, a bench at a local park. Notice how the world shifts around you over time. It’s a gentle reminder that change is always happening, even when it’s hard to see.

  
  

• Bring nature indoors – If getting outside isn’t always an option, bring elements of nature to you. House plants, fresh flowers or even nature sounds can create a sense of calm and connection.

  
  

Stepping Into Your Own Spring

It’s easy to see divorce as just an ending. But like the turning of the seasons, it’s also an opening. The Spring Equinox and Nowruz remind us that after darkness, light returns. After stillness, growth begins.

This season isn’t just about the world around you waking up; it’s about you waking up, too. A new version of you is taking shape, one step, one breath, one day at a time.

If you need support as you navigate this transition, DC² is here to help. Just as nature finds a way to bloom again, so will you.