PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • July 18, 2025
I love being a physical therapist. But during the summer of 2020, I hit a wall. I was burned out — emotionally exhausted from treating patients recovering from COVID-19 and coping with the daily stress and uncertainty of the pandemic. My baseline anxiety didn’t help matters. So, I turned to nature. Nature-based therapy isn’t just good for patients, it’s good for clinicians, too. I feel lucky to do what I love while enjoying Maine’s beautiful natural settings. I hope more health professionals will recognize nature as a powerful tool for healing, and that it will become a more accepted part of clinical practice. As we incorporate nature into clinical practice and advocate for it as public health infrastructure, we must also prioritize equitable access and safe experiences for all. ~ Katie Palano, PT, DPT, MPH, NCS