Nature for Mental Health in Plymouth, MI
By Kerry Biskelonis, LPC, RYT
Published 3/27/2026
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Building Resilience in Michigan - Spring 2026
Welcome to spring. What I’ve always loved about springtime is the reminders of resilience. After months of dormancy, the crocuses still bloom. Daffodils fight the persistent frost. The grass, having been covered by ice and snow, reveals itself - still green despite the heaviness laid on top of it for months.
I got caught in a thunderstorm while walking my dog today. I noticed the bubbles on the pavement where water was meeting water. I lifted my head up towards the sky and let the rain shower across my face. The air was damp and warm, humid without a bite of chill. The rain poured in huge droplets, soaking us both quickly.
And it was delightful. I felt reborn. I felt cleansed. I felt so connected.
Who are your friends in the wild?
I re-downloaded my Merlin birdwatching app - the one that listens to bird sounds and identifies the friends in the trees. I mean that literally: friends. I find this so important - to know who I’m spending time with outdoors. When I hear their songs, I want to know who they are. Is it the cardinal? The red-winged blackbird? The chickadee, robins, or sparrows? To know their songs is to know my neighbors, my companions - heard through open windows and on walks.
I feel the same way about the trees. I want to know each of them - the beech and the cottonwoods, the oaks and maples. Which are crabapple trees? Which are invasive? Who was invited here? Who pushed their way in? How do they talk to each other? I feel my feet bounce against the plush moss, sensing its webbing connecting to the forest floor, in communication with all the roots and life living beneath.
Discover a renewed sense of life and vitality.
After months of frozen landscapes, quiet skies, and frigid air, it’s remarkable to be reminded of life again. How the birds return, the rabbits still run, the squirrels are busy, and the trees stayed through it all. Even after the storms that knocked down so many beloved giants, I think about how the trees stay connected even after one falls - how even though their trunk and above-ground limbs are gone, their roots are still spiraling underneath, like a grave beneath a missing headstone. Still there, present, connected, taking care of one another.
What a Michigan-Based Therapist is Learning from Nature
We have a choice in how we look at things, at each moment. Getting caught in the rain can bring disruption and annoyance, or it can be a chance to be showered by a spring rain that has been absent for too long. When one of us falls, we can believe all is lost - that once we can no longer see them, they are gone forever. Or we can believe their roots still exist, their spirit remains, just on the other side of what we can see.
Can we trust that we’re never abandoned, never alone - as we listen to the birds, press our hands against the tree bark, feel the roots beneath our feet?
Nature is our greatest teacher of life and death, of continuity despite what we can no longer see. Nature tests our faith in the everlasting and enduring.
But are we listening? Are we getting to know these friends - this life - right outside our door?
This is the choice. Where we put our attention matters. It matters to our own resilience, our trust, and our ability to soften through hard seasons.
I’m happy to dance in the rain.
Where can I find a therapist near me?
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Conscious Transparency: This newsletter was edited by AI for grammar, spelling, and sentence structure, but every idea, tone of voice, perspective, and word choice was my own. This newsletter is imperfect because a human wrote it. Thank you for your graciousness.
This week’s Tools, Gratitude, Innovation, Feels
Tools: Have you ever taken a walk without your device? No AirPods, no phone? Try it. Even if it’s uncomfortable. Notice what you hear and see. Stay present in it - all of it.
Gratitude: I had the opportunity to volunteer with a bunch of 5-year-olds, and it was the most joyful experience I’ve had in months. 5-year-olds are a special group. Shout-out to the little girl who asked for lots of hugs and said, “You’re cute”. Getting a compliment from a kindergarten is quite special. The most joyful experiences I’ve had lately are ones of service and community. This isn’t new revelations - it’s how we stay connected to meaning and purpose.
Innovation: The energy has shifted, and we’re awakening from a fog and being asked to move into action - to build and layer on our lessons. A suggestion I have is to reach out to someone or a group for a real, in-person connection. Ask to meet for coffee, go on a walk, meet at yoga, volunteer - just get out there and connect with one thing, truly and deeply. What I love about getting out in the world is that you never know what else may come from it, and it’s often serendipitous.
Feels: I’ve been trying to stay connected to those “God Moments” or moments of surprise, awe, and coincidence. I keep a Captain’s Log often, filling a journal with these little magical moments. It helps me feel less lonely and inspires me on down days. But like with most things, it requires attention - paying attention - the art of mindfulness and awareness. If you’re missing what may be in front of you, trying to present itself, then starting with mindfulness may be the next best thing.
