Nature and Mental Health: The California Coast and Outdoor Spaces at Amend

Amend Treatment’s coastal location isn’t just beautiful—it’s deeply therapeutic. Outdoor therapy, ocean proximity, and natural spaces are powerful contributors to healing from depression, anxiety, and trauma. In this blog we’ll explore the connection between nature and mental health.
 

Nature Is a Co-Therapist

At Amend Treatment, we believe that healing doesn’t just happen in an office. It happens under the sun, near the rhythm of the waves, and in quiet outdoor moments that allow Clients to reconnect—with themselves and the world around them. Our facilities’ location on the California coast is more than scenic—it’s a central part of how we support whole-person healing.
 

The Ocean as Medicine

The ocean offers more than just a view. There’s growing scientific understanding of how “blue space,” environments near water, supports mental wellness:

• Sound and Rhythm: The repetitive sound of ocean waves can help calm the nervous system and promote mindfulness.
• Movement and Visual Flow: Watching water move can support meditative states and reduce mental clutter.
• Negative Ions and Air Quality: Ocean air has been associated with increased serotonin levels, improved sleep, and reduced stress by activating the parasympathetic nervous system.

 

Green Therapy: Why Nature Helps

Research shows that spending time in natural settings can reduce cortisol levels (the body’s primary stress hormone), improve executive functioning, and boost mood. According to the NIH and studies in Frontiers in Psychology, regular exposure to green or blue environments correlates with lower anxiety and greater resilience—key outcomes for our Clients at Amend.
 

Amend’s Outdoor Healing Spaces

Our Clients don’t just glimpse nature—they engage with it. The outdoor spaces at Amend are designed to be therapeutic settings where:

• Movement Therapy Happens: From walking paths to yoga on the lawn, physical activity is integrated into our care model.
• Reflection is Welcomed: Private seating areas and landscaped gardens allow for personal contemplation.
• Group Therapy is Reimagined: Many group sessions happen in nature-rich environments, where Clients often feel more open and connected.

From the outdoor lounge and shaded seating areas to the restorative breeze of the Pacific, everything about our campus invites presence and healing.
 

A Day in Outdoor Healing

After a morning group therapy session in the shaded outdoor patio space, a Client walks to the yoga deck for a gentle mindfulness class. The session ends with quiet meditation while birds chirp nearby and the ocean breeze brushes the trees. Later, the Client sits in a quiet corner with a journal, reflecting on the morning’s insights. Before dinner, they join a small processing group held beneath the palms, where nature’s calm seems to soften even the toughest emotions.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is outdoor therapy evidence-based?

Yes. Research from NIH and leading psychology journals supports nature-based interventions as effective in lowering stress and improving cognitive functioning.

What kinds of therapy happen outdoors at Amend?

Movement therapy, mindfulness, process groups, and individual reflection exercises.

Do Clients need to be physically active to benefit?

Not at all. Even sitting quietly in nature has been shown to reduce stress hormones and enhance emotional processing.
 

Nature and Mental Health Healing at Amend Treatment

Nature heals. Come breathe with us. Learn more about Amend’s immersive, whole-person treatment experience by the sea.
 
Research Sources:
NIH: Nature and Mental Health
Frontiers in Psychology – Blue Space and Wellbeing
Greater Good Science Center – Nature and Mental Health