An ornithological walk to improve the well-being of mental health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot study

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many routines worldwide and has also affected the mental health of psychiatric patients and mental health professionals. One of the suggested methods for mental health improvement is more intensive contact with nature, including birdwatching as a hobby. Material and methods: After an ornithological walk in February 2021 for 5 psychiatrists and psychotherapists, in spite of unfavourable weather, all participants very positively evaluated the impact of birding on their well-being, mood and subjective evaluation of stress level. Results: Particularly important is an observation that the pandemic reality forced the whole society, including mental health professionals, to limit their behaviours and attitudes to very “adult” and responsible ones. Everyday life was reduced to functioning based on a very concrete approach to reality while abandoning activities that stimulate imagination (travels, theatre, arts). The ornithological walk allowed participants to abandon the pandemic reality and enter the space of playfulness, fantasies and childhood experiences. It enabled immersion in a friendly “mother-world” in which sensory perceptions proved to be important: smell, touch (“rush of air”), feeling of space. Birds were perceived not only as direct objects of observations but also as symbols of freedom, energy and lightness.  Conclusions: Despite the small group size, ornithological walks are recommended as a nature-based intervention exerting a positive influence on the mental health of psychiatrists and psychotherapists. It is also believed to positively affect the management of their patients, although this and many other aspects require further research.