Frida Öhman and Jennie Fylking found their lives transformed through regular nature meetings. They moved from isolation and meaninglessness to curiosity and joy.
Water sparkles in the autumn sun while campfire smoke drifts through the air. Two women cheer happily by the fire. They successfully started the fire using a fire starter.
About twenty people gathered for two days at Fjällnora Nature Reserve near Uppsala. They learned basic outdoor skills from Mats Eklycke of the Outdoor Promotion Association.
Participants included employees from healthcare centers and psychiatric services across Sweden. The goal is to use nature as a tool against mental health problems.
They cooked burgers over open fires, chopped wood, and held lessons among the trees. Eklycke wore knee-reinforced pants with many pockets, showing his outdoor experience.
Many people feel afraid of nature, Eklycke explained. We try to show them it's quite simple, he said.
The program demonstrates Sweden's practical approach to mental health care. Instead of only offering therapy indoors, they bring people directly into nature.
This method costs little to implement but provides measurable benefits. Participants learn skills they can use independently after the program ends.
Nature therapy programs are expanding across Sweden as mental health needs grow. The country's abundant natural spaces make this approach particularly suitable.
Could other countries with similar natural resources adopt this model? The Swedish experience suggests they might find equal success.