身處綠色的開放空間可以幫助人們放松、減壓。在與自然接觸的過程中，人們發現了一種可以幫助治療心理疾病的特殊療法——自然生態療法。本期 “隨身英語” 討論如何使用生態療法來幫助改善心理健康。

Vocabulary: health 詞匯：健康

The great outdoors: it’s the place to head for when you’re in need of peace and quiet, open spaces, beautiful scenery and exercise. Whether a huge mountain range or a local country park, these natural areas are a perfect tonic for our stressed-out lives, and their therapeutic effect is being used more and more to treat mental health.

As an example, in the foothills of the Snowdonia National Park in the UK, specialist therapy sessions are held to help people who suffer from depression, anxiety and stress. Outdoor art-related activities are held for patients, but the setting alone has been credited with improving the mood of patients. Art psychotherapist Pamela Stanley told the BBC that there was a "growing body of evidence" to support eco-therapy.

It’s true that for most of us connecting with the natural world definitely lifts our spirits. But the mental health charity Mind says eco-therapy has been recognised as a formal type of treatment that can sometimes be prescribed to someone by a doctor. It doesn’t involve taking medication, but instead it just develops a person’s relationship with nature. This natural remedy can take on many forms, but can include doing yoga in a forest, gardening or even hugging a tree.

Evidence has shown there are many benefits of this ‘green’ therapy, including improving social contact, social and work skills and coping abilities. It’s what Dr Rachel Bragg from the University of Essex calls ‘psychological restoration’. She told the BBC’s All in the Mind programme that nature-based therapies should be part of a "toolkit" of care for patients.

One reason why getting back to nature is, well, natural, is something called biophilia, a sort of understanding or empathy with the natural world. According to environmental psychologist Birgitta Gatersleben, “the idea that nature reminds us of life, and if we (are) exposed to the natural elements, then our sort of negative feelings get almost immediately replaced with positive emotions.”

Of course, eco-therapy won’t cure everything, but it is an option for therapists to use. And as we become more aware of the causes and effects of mental health, it’s good to know that help might lie outside our towns and cities, and that nature can give us a helping hand.

詞匯表

tonic 滋補劑
therapeutic 有益健康的
mental health 心理健康
therapy session 心理治療療程
depression 抑郁
anxiety 焦慮
stress 壓力
patient 病人
mood 心情
psychotherapist 心理治療醫師
eco-therapy 生態療法
lifts sb’s spirits 提高（某人）的興致
treatment 治療
prescribe 為……開藥
medication 藥物
remedy 療法
social contact 社會聯系，社交往來
cope 應對
psychological restoration 心理恢復
natural 正常的，自然的
biophilia 熱愛生命或自然的本性
empathy 設身處地為他人著想
cure 治好
a helping hand 助人一臂之力

測驗與練習

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What can being outside be a good treatment for?

2. What medication do you need to take for eco-therapy?

3. True or false? Eco-therapy is something therapists have to use to help patients with mental health.

4. How might biophilia change our negative emotions into positive ones?

5. Give an example of ‘connecting with nature’, mentioned in the article.

2. 請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. I love gardening. It puts me a good mood and is very _______.

therapeutic           therapy                       therapist                     therapying

2. The best _______ for a cold is probably drinking lots of hot honey and lemon and having plenty of rest.

empathy               eco-therapy                cure                            coping

3. Because of the _______ I’m taking, I am not allowed to operate any heavy machinery.

prescribed             tonic                          medication                   anxiety

4. My dad has got a bad back so I said I’d give him _______ with the shopping.

a help hand          a handing help            a helping handle         a helping hand

5. My parents grew up in Paris, so for me it seemed the _______ place to live.

natural                  prescribed                  coping                         stressed

答案

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。  

1. What can being outside be a good treatment for?
The therapeutic effect of being outdoors is being used more and more to treat mental health.

2. What medication do you need to take for eco-therapy?
Eco-therapy doesn’t involve taking medication, but instead it just develops a person’s relationship with nature.

3. True or false? Eco-therapy is something therapists have to use to help patients with mental health.
False. Nature-based therapies should be part of a "toolkit" of care for patients, but won’t cure everything.

4. How might biophilia change our negative emotions into positive ones?
Biophilia - a sort of understanding or empathy with the natural world – turns our negative emotions positive when we are exposed to the natural elements.

5. Give an example of ‘connecting with nature’, mentioned in the article.
Doing yoga in a forest, gardening or even hugging a tree, are all examples of ‘connecting’ with nature.

2. 請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. I love gardening. It puts me a good mood and is very therapeutic.

2. The best cure for a cold is probably drinking lots of hot honey and lemon and having plenty of rest.

3. Because of the medication I’m taking, I am not allowed to operate any heavy machinery.

4. My dad has got a bad back, so I said I’d give him a helping hand with the shopping.

5. My parents grew up in Paris, so for me it seemed the natural place to live.