Back to the hearth, into the heart: A nature-based creative therapy group for adolescents impacted by sexual abuse.

This article focuses on a nature-based creative therapy (NBCT) group designed for adolescents aged 14–18 who have experienced sexual abuse or assault, conducted within a semi-wild urban natural landscape in Bristol, United Kingdom. The NBCT approach integrates environmental arts therapy, trauma-informed group psychotherapy, and eco-psychology, using seasonal cycles and nature-based rituals to support safety, emotional processing, and reintegration according to the three-stage trauma model. Facilitated by trained art psychotherapists, the group fosters connection to self, others, and the natural world, enabling symbolic self-expression, embodied therapeutic practice, and a sense of belonging that counters isolation and shame. The article presents a visual and narrative account of a group session, reflecting on the therapeutic benefits of nature as a healing and regulating environment, while noting the need for further evidence-based research to expand access to this innovative intervention.