Who are you and for what partner organisation do you work?
I’m Freddie Lymeus, researcher at the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University.
What is your expertise related to nature-based therapy?
I’m a clinical psychologist and affiliated with the clinical psychology division as well as a researcher in environmental psychology. Much of my work to date has sought to bridge these worlds by integrating theories and practices from mindfulness-based treatments with knowledge and processes founded in restorative environments research, in well-defined intervention programs.
Can you describe the Case Study (CS) you lead in a couple of sentences?
Our case study (CS7) in RESONATE is a four-arm factorial RCT where university students with common mental health symptoms go through either a purely nature-based program, an integrated nature- and mindfulness-based program, or a purely mindfulness-based program. In comparing the three bona fide health interventions, we aim to understand how the nature- and mindfulness-based treatment components shape participants’ experiences of and engagement with the interventions, and the long-term resilience-related outcomes they achieve.
What excites you most about the RESONATE project?
RESONATE is a fantastic opportunity to join forces across so many research groups where we can contribute to a robust evidence base and broad acceptance of nature-based therapies and health solutions. It’s so much fun to get to work with this large multi-method study that takes our research to a new level and also helps answer important overarching questions about nature-based therapy.
What is your own favourite way to engage with nature for your health and wellbeing?
I stroll through my nearby suburban and rural landscapes where I can discover and contemplate how natural processes and human efforts have shaped the places through history. I’m happy when I discover an overgrown foundation or understand how my path through the woods used to connect the old farms and villages. And I stop and say hi to every animal I meet.
