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Journal of Health Psychology
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The Healing Balm Effect

Using a Walking Group to Feel Better

Penny Priest

University of Birmingham, UK

This qualitative study combines methods from grounded theory and ethnography, exploring members' experience of a mental health day service walking group, with regards psychological benefits of the physical activity, the outdoor environment and the social setting. Data were collected via participant observation, interviews and a group discussion, and analysed using a grounded theory approach. An overall model, the Healing Balm Effect, brings together seven categories, which describe healing properties of the experience. The categories are: Closer to What is More Natural; Feeling Safe; Being Part; Striving; Getting Away; Being Me; Finding Meaning. Clinical relevance and methodological issues are discussed.

Key Words: group • mental health • outdoor environment • walking

Journal of Health Psychology, Vol. 12, No. 1, 36-52 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1359105307071734
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?