Walk & Talk: The Power Of Walking As Therapy

It was Glenn’s own experiences of running marathons during the poignant times of his life that gave him insight on the benefits of collaborating exercise therapy, nature, and cognitive behavioral therapy to achieve clarity and focus. “I can remember using running as my opportunity to think, analyze, process and respond effectively to life distress.” He used marathon training to help create his career goals, ease the stress of returning to graduate school, and establish his business – Advance Potential Psychological Services, LLC. His development of Walk-n-Talk Therapy proved to be successful, and Glenn expanded it to his private practice clients.

Currently, Glenn and his clients are often found walking the north and south side trails of Lake Michigan, treading on outdoor running tracks, hiking paths in forest preserves and various city parks, and even, for the busy executive, strolling along the Chicago River post-rush hour. While Glenn is flexible in location and activity, he only considers locations that provide safety, discretion for conversation, terrain for walking, and therapeutic ambiance to provide integrity and comfort to the therapeutic session.

Clients, of all fitness levels, are encouraged to experience Walk-n-Talk Therapy. Glenn makes it a point not to confine his clients to only walking, but also allows for the occasional, traditional in-office therapy session. “If a client needs to sit and rest, then, no problem; the session continues and life moves on,” Glenn said. “I want my clients to feel heard and empowered, not judged.”

For clients, this style of therapy has several benefits; it puts physical and mental distance between the client and their stress- causing environment, and it inspires self- awareness physically and creatively. The nature component is conducive to the client’s lifestyle, and opens the senses to the client’s natural settings; be it lakefront, forest preserves, Grant Park or city streets. Client have reported experiencing a sense of calm, clarity, focus and energy following these sessions.