"Emma's words are profound, her photography is inspiring and her illustrations are exquisite. This book is the literary equivalent of Prozac." --Emma Freud Emma Mitchell's richly illustrated and evocative nature diary tracks the lives of local flora and fauna around her home and further afield and shows how being in the wild benefits our mental and physical wellbeing. Emma Mitchell has suffered with depression for 25 years. In 2003, she left the city and began to take walks in the countryside around her new home, photographing, collecting and drawing as she went. Each walk was as medicinal as any talk therapy or pharmaceutical. Emma's moving and candid account of her year is a powerful testament to how reconnecting with nature may offer some answers to today's mental health epidemic. While charting her own seasonal highs and lows, she also explains the science behind such changes, calling on new research into such areas as forest bathing and the ways in which our bodies and minds respond to wildlife. Filled with Emma's beautiful drawings, paintings and photography, this is a truly unique book for anyone who has ever felt drawn to nature and wondered about its influence over us. Perfect for: - People who discovered the benefits of being in nature while social distancing during the pandemic - Anyone seeking alternative or additional treatments for depression - Readers who like personal accounts of overcoming challenges
