Kate reflects on not 'having control in life' as she praises healing power of nature

The Princess of Wales described nature as "healing" while visiting a charity that offers nature-based support for mental health.

Kate made a private visit to Dose Of Nature in west London last week, meeting staff and people helped by the organisation, which provides clinically-led "nature prescriptions" to boost wellbeing.

A long-time advocate for spending time outdoors, particularly during her cancer journey, the princess observed in a recent essay: "By spending time in nature or being creative, we can nurture the very skills and emotions that cannot be digitised: awareness, empathy, humility, and above all, love."

Visiting Pensford Field, the charity’s site near Kew, Kate met founder Dr Alison Greenwood, clinical lead Dr Georgina Gould, and team members to discover more about their innovative mental health support.

She also spoke to Tom, now a staff member and volunteer nature guide, who was aided by Dose Of Nature in building confidence, resilience, and connection to the natural world during his recovery.

Kate said to him: “Our journey has been very very different, but it’s so wonderful to hear how your nature connection and how it’s been so healing for you, and I felt the same.

“The fact that you’re able to provide that to so many other people in this community; that sense of purpose and meaning, and belonging, through that experience, I think is something that has got the longevity and the sustainability of feeling like, almost without knowing what’s to come, without having the control in your life of knowing what the future might hold, the fact that you feel that you can cope with things, because you feel that interconnection, I think that makes it holistic in a very true essence.”

Founded in 2018, Dose Of Nature works with NHS and GP referrals to support individuals experiencing a range of mental health challenges through its nature prescription” programme.

The charity uses nature as a tool for wellbeing, combining a psychology led approach, one-to-one guidance from volunteer nature guides and nature immersion to help people reconnect with nature, improve their wellbeing and build lasting resilience.

Last the charity delivered 547 nature prescriptions through its hubs in the Boroughs of Richmond and Guildford, supporting people experiencing a wide range of mental health challenges.