Healing that moves
with you
Walk-and-talk therapy meets you outdoors — where movement, nature, and honest conversation open doors that sitting still sometimes can't.
Book a Free Consultation How It WorksSome of the most honest conversations happen while moving
Walk-and-talk therapy is exactly what it sounds like: we meet outdoors, and we walk together while we talk. There's no couch, no clinical office, no fluorescent lights. Instead, there's open air, natural rhythm, and the kind of ease that often emerges when we're moving side by side rather than sitting face to face.
At Ultreya, the pilgrimage has always been a guiding metaphor — healing as a journey taken one step at a time. Walk-and-talk therapy makes that metaphor literal. Some people find that movement quiets the noise enough to finally hear what they've been carrying. Others simply breathe easier when they're not confined to four walls.
This isn't therapy lite. It's full, evidence-based clinical work — it just happens on a path instead of in a chair.
"Some of the most important things I've witnessed in a session have happened while walking — a pause, a longer exhale, a truth that finally had room to arrive."
— Ben Miller, MA, LPCC
Grounded in science,
felt in the body
Walk-and-talk therapy isn't a trend — it's supported by a growing body of research on movement, the nervous system, and how the brain processes difficult experiences. Here's some of what the science tells us:
Movement grows the brain
Aerobic activity increases Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a protein that supports new neural connections and plays a key role in learning, memory, and mood regulation. A meta-analysis of 29 studies found a significant effect of exercise on BDNF levels, with particular benefit from a single session of aerobic activity.
Huang et al. (2014). A meta-analytic review of the effects of exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. PMC4314337
Nature calms the nervous system
Time spent in natural environments has been shown to lower cortisol levels, reduce rumination, and increase feelings of safety — creating conditions where therapeutic work can go deeper. A landmark Stanford study found that a 90-minute walk in nature reduced both self-reported rumination and activity in brain regions associated with depression, compared to an urban walk.
Bratman et al. (2015). Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(28), 8567–8572. PMID 26124129
Walking activates both brain hemispheres
The alternating left-right movement of walking creates bilateral stimulation, which supports memory integration and emotional processing — similar to the mechanisms used in EMDR therapy. Research on bilateral stimulation in EMDR shows decreased amygdala activity and increased prefrontal cortex engagement, supporting the processing of traumatic memories.
Amano & Toichi (2016). The Role of Alternating Bilateral Stimulation in Establishing Positive Cognition in EMDR Therapy. PLOS ONE / PMC. PMC5061320
What to expect
from a walking session
We start with a check-in
Every session begins with a brief grounding moment — noticing how you arrived, what you're carrying today, and what feels most alive or pressing. This isn't just small talk; it helps set the intention for where we walk, physically and emotionally.
We choose our pace — and our path
There's no performance here. We walk at whatever pace feels right to you. Some days that means slow and meandering; other days it's steadier. The route is chosen with privacy and quiet in mind — typically a park or trail in the South Bay area where you can speak freely.
The work unfolds as we move
Conversation guides the session, but movement informs it. We might pause to sit when something heavy surfaces. We might slow down to let a thought settle. Somatic cues — what your body is doing while you talk — become part of the material. You don't have to perform emotion; you just have to show up.
We close with intention
The last few minutes are for integration — briefly naming what surfaced, what felt meaningful, and what you want to carry forward. Ending a session while walking means we also transition back to your day gently, rather than going from deep emotional work straight to a parking lot.
How this connects to
somatic healing
Walk-and-talk therapy doesn't stand alone — it's part of a broader family of body-based, or somatic, approaches to healing. Trauma and grief aren't only stored in memory; they live in the body. Movement is one of the most natural ways to begin releasing what the body holds.
EMDR & Bilateral Stimulation
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) uses alternating left-right stimulation to help the brain process stuck memories. The bilateral rhythm of walking engages a similar mechanism — gently activating both hemispheres to support memory integration and reduce the charge on difficult experiences.
Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Experiencing (SE) works with the body's physiological responses to stress and trauma. Walking sessions create natural opportunities to notice and work with body-based signals — tension in the chest, a shift in breathing, a sudden urge to slow down — all of which can be meaningful therapeutic material.
Mindful Movement & Yoga
Like yoga, walking therapy invites you to be present in your body without requiring you to perform or perfect anything. Breath, posture, and pace all become gentle anchors to the present moment. For clients who already use yoga or movement as a resource, walk-and-talk can feel like a natural extension of that practice.
Polyvagal-Informed Care
Walking in a safe, natural environment activates the ventral vagal state — the nervous system's mode of calm engagement. This is precisely the state in which meaningful therapy becomes possible: regulated enough to feel safe, present enough to go somewhere real.
What a session
actually looks like
Here's the honest, practical information you'll want before deciding if this is right for you.
Location
Sessions take place at quiet, private outdoor locations in the South Bay area of Los Angeles — typically parks or accessible trails where you can speak freely without concern for being overheard.
Session Length
Standard sessions are 50 minutes — the same as a traditional session. We plan routes that fit this timeframe, so there's no rushing and no pressure to end mid-thought.
What to Wear & Bring
Comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing. Water if you'd like. Nothing else is required. You don't need to be a hiker — if you can walk at a relaxed pace, this works.
Weather & Cancellations
Southern California is generous with good weather, but if conditions aren't right, we shift to telehealth for that session. You'll always have a backup plan, and you'll never lose a session to rain.
Privacy & Confidentiality
All standard confidentiality protections apply. Routes are chosen with privacy in mind, and if we happen to encounter someone you know, we can pause our conversation — just as you would with any therapist in a public setting.
Is It Right for You?
Walk-and-talk is appropriate for many people, but not all clinical presentations. We'll discuss it together during your free consultation to make sure it's the right fit. Some clients do walk-and-talk exclusively; others alternate with telehealth.
You might be
wondering
Yes — and for some people, more so. Research suggests that movement can enhance cognitive flexibility and emotional processing, making it easier to access and work through difficult material. The clinical work is the same; the setting adds something, not subtracts. That said, it's not the right fit for every person or every issue, which is why we discuss it together first.
Walk-and-talk therapy is not a fitness program. We walk at a pace that works for you — often quite slowly. If you can stroll comfortably for 50 minutes on mostly flat ground, you can do this. The goal is presence, not performance.
That's okay — it happens, and it's one of the things we prepare for. We choose routes with benches and quieter spots so we can pause and sit if something big surfaces. Outdoor spaces can actually be gentler for emotional moments than a clinical room; there's something about open air and sky that holds grief a little differently.
This is a real consideration with outdoor therapy. We discuss it in advance, and we have a simple plan: if you see someone you know, just give me a signal and we can pause our conversation or I can step aside briefly. Many clients find that this happens rarely, and when it does, it's manageable. We always choose routes with your privacy in mind.
Ultreya Counseling is a private pay practice, and does not accept insurance directly. Walk-and-talk sessions are billed at the same rate as standard sessions ($250 for 50 minutes). Sliding scale options are available — please reach out to discuss. A superbill can be provided for potential out-of-network reimbursement.
Yes — and often it's a wonderful fit. Many kids and teens find it much easier to talk while moving than while sitting across from an adult in an office. The reduction in direct eye contact and the natural rhythm of walking can lower the pressure significantly. We discuss logistics with parents beforehand, and parental consent and coordination is part of the process.
We move to telehealth for that session. Living in Southern California makes this a rare situation, but it's always planned for. You won't lose a session — we simply adapt.
Absolutely. Many clients do both — walking when it fits their schedule and the weather cooperates, doing telehealth in the evenings or when they need more privacy or stillness. We'll figure out what rhythm works best for you.
Sources cited
on this page
- Huang, N., Shi, M., Li, Z., & Wang, D. (2014). A meta-analytic review of the effects of exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4314337
- Erickson, K.I., et al. (2011). Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(7), 3017–3022. Supporting evidence for BDNF and neuroplasticity via aerobic exercise.
- Bratman, G.N., Hamilton, J.P., Hahn, K.S., Daily, G.C., & Gross, J.J. (2015). Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(28), 8567–8572. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26124129
- Park, B.J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Kasetani, T., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2010). The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 15(1), 18–26. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19568835
- Hunter, M.R., Gillespie, B.W., & Chen, S.Y. (2019). Urban nature experiences reduce stress in the context of daily life based on salivary biomarkers. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 722. frontiersin.org
- Amano, T. & Toichi, M. (2016). The Role of Alternating Bilateral Stimulation in Establishing Positive Cognition in EMDR Therapy: A Multi-Channel Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study. PLOS ONE / PMC. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5061320
- Schubert, S.J., Lee, C.W., & Drummond, P.D. (2011). The efficacy and mechanisms of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: A systematic review. PMC. Background on EMDR bilateral stimulation mechanisms.
- Porges, S.W. (2022). Polyvagal Theory: A Science of Safety. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 16, 871227. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35645742
Every journey starts
with one step
If you're curious about walk-and-talk therapy, the best place to start is a free 20-minute consultation. No commitment, no pressure — just a conversation to see if we're a good fit.
Book a Free Consultation