All insights Reflective Practice

Outdoor thinking for inside people

Katy Draper22 March 20264 min read

Why walking outside changes the shape of a difficult question — and what reflective walking sessions actually involve.

Some questions cannot be answered at a desk. They are too big, too tangled, or too tightly bound up with the version of you that has been answering questions all week. They need different scenery — literally.

Walking changes the shape of a problem. Movement, distance from the building you usually solve things in, and the steady rhythm of a footpath all combine to give the thinking brain room to breathe. Add a coach walking quietly beside you, and the work that emerges is often the work that needed to happen.

Reflective walking sessions are not therapy in nature, and they are not a wellness experience. They are coaching, outside. Highly effective for leaders who think best when they are not being looked at.

About the author

Katy Draper is a Registered Nurse, ICF ACC credentialed coach and burnout specialist with 40+ years inside UK healthcare. She works 1:1 with senior clinicians and healthcare leaders.

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