ABSTRACT
In today's society, for a variety of reasons from technological distractions to schools cutting back on recess, children are missing essential nature exploration. Metaphors can act as symbolic bridges of personal connection inspiring solutions that strengthen a child's own inner resources and resiliency. Storytelling with children can help to provide an emotional and psychological dissociation from their problems and can also help lower resistance. Ecopsychology theory and research is an essential underpinning for all therapeutic work that is nature based. Berger and Mcleod view nature as partner or 'co-therapist' in the healing process and believe in 'using the relationship with nature as the key reference point for therapy'. Nature can also be culturally and geographically specific, and children in therapy can sometimes feel an instant connection to the varied nature objects in play therapy room. Working with children and nature in the playroom focuses on the alive three-way relationship of healing between the therapist, the child, and the natural world.
