Healing in the Outdoors: Nature, Water, and Wellbeing During the Summer Months
Summer invites us outdoors in ways that can be deeply restorative – especially for individuals facing cancer, survivorship, caregiving, grief, or recovery. In the midst of appointments, treatments, fatigue, uncertainty, and emotional stress, nature offers something profoundly healing: space to breathe, reconnect, and simply be.
At Gilda’s Club Minnesota, our integrative programs explore whole-person wellbeing through nature, movement, mindfulness, meditation, yoga, sound healing, expressive practices, and connection. Thanks to the generosity of dedicated professionals in our community, compassionate donors, and supportive sponsors, we are able to offer many evidence-based programs that focus on wellbeing, connection, movement, and the healing power of nature. These partnerships help make integrative healing opportunities accessible to individuals and families navigating cancer and grief journeys.
One of the most accessible and research-supported healing tools available to us is the natural world itself.
Whether it’s sitting beside a lake, placing bare feet in the grass, tending a garden, walking a shaded trail, or simply opening a window to fresh air and birdsong, time in nature can support emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.
Why Nature Matters
Research from the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and the University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality & Healing highlights the many benefits of spending time outdoors. Studies show that nature exposure may:
- Reduce stress hormones and calm the nervous system
- Improve mood, focus, and emotional resilience
- Lower blood pressure and muscle tension
- Support sleep and immune function
- Encourage gentle movement and mindfulness
- Foster feelings of connection, hope, and meaning
The Minnesota Department of Health also notes that even short periods outdoors – as little as 10 to 20 minutes – can positively impact mental wellbeing.
The Healing Power of Water
Minnesota’s lakes, rivers, and streams offer a unique form of nourishment often called “blue space wellbeing.” Emerging research from the University of Minnesota suggests that proximity to water can support emotional restoration, stress reduction, and a greater sense of calm and connection.
Many people intuitively feel this when sitting near water: the nervous system softens, breathing slows, and the mind becomes quieter.
You do not need to swim or exercise to benefit. Watching sunlight shimmer on a lake, listening to rainfall, dipping your feet in cool water, or enjoying morning coffee near a riverbank can create moments of grounding and peace.
Integrative Healing in Everyday Life
The themes of Gilda’s Club’s Integrative Pathways to Healing series encourage each of us to make small, sustainable practices that support wellbeing. Summer is an ideal season to gently incorporate nature into your daily routine:
- Practice mindful breathing outdoors for five minutes
- Take a slow walk and notice colors, sounds, and textures
- Sit beneath a tree and journal or meditate
- Listen to sound healing or calming music outside
- Stretch gently on a patio, dock, or grassy space
- Watch a sunrise or sunset over water
- Garden, even in small containers or raised beds
- Share a picnic or quiet conversation with someone you love
Many of the wellness offerings at Gilda’s Club Minnesota reflect these same principles – creating opportunities for participants to reconnect with themselves, others, and the world around them through evidence-based integrative practices. Community support from sponsors, facilitators, volunteers, and donors helps sustain these meaningful programs and reminds participants that they are not alone in their healing journey.
A Gentle Invitation
Cancer and caregiving can pull us into survival mode. Nature gently invites us back into presence.
This summer, consider allowing the outdoors to become part of your healing journey — not as another task, but as a supportive companion. Even small moments of connection with the natural world can help cultivate resilience, restoration, and hope.
As the seasons shift and sunlight lingers longer, may you find opportunities to pause, breathe deeply, and receive the quiet healing that nature so generously offers.
With deep appreciation and hope,
Katherine Todd
Executive Director
612-227-2147 main | 952-767-7620 direct
10560 Wayzata Blvd., Minneapolis, MN 55305
