<p> This study examines the lived experience of families who engage in nature. While an emerging research base is developing concerning the impact of natural settings on well-being, this study seeks to add to nascent clinical literature by using phenomenological methods, with the goal of revealing and explicating the constituents of the essence of an experience in nature. In all, 13 participants were recruited, 7 of whom were female and 6 of whom were male, across 5 different families. While each individual participant’s experience was unique, 13 key constituent themes emerged from the study. These themes included (a) positive impact on one’s state on being, (b) elicitation of a special and unique feeling, (c) expectancy and frequency of outings, (d) heightened feelings of familial connection and closeness, (e) vivid memories of nature experiences, (f) caution toward dangerous aspects of nature, (g) recommendations to build capacity of outings, (h) increased physical activity, (i) lack of distractions innate to the experience, (j) intention and planning, (k) a respect for and desire to protect nature, (l) enhanced communication in nature, and (m) a desire to share aspects of nature with others.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:3712140 |
| Date | 28 August 2015 |
| Creators | Burke, Hillary Saasha |
| Publisher | California Institute of Integral Studies |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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