Ebury Press, 2025
ISBN: 978-1529902648
Reviewed by Ian Mowll
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This book is about how we navigate life’s storms – not just metaphorically, but also in deep connection with the Earth. Drawing on her experience as an eco-psychotherapist and outdoor guide, the author invites us to explore the interwoven relationship between our inner landscapes and the natural world around us.
There is a lot to draw from – here are some of my highlights.
What I like about the book is that the author is a trained geologist and a practising therapist. Her enthusiasm for these two areas and their connections shines through. She also writes coherently about deep time through her understanding of geology. I find this so helpful as I feel part of a bigger whole and so many of my self made dramas fade into insignificance.
There is an emphasis on movement and being in the body through the book – something I that I find helpful to deal with anxiety. Through movement, I find that my anxiety can dissipate and my body awareness can take me away from my tendency to catastrophise.
And finally, the author says that people come to therapy not to be fixed but to be blessed in their brokenness. Maybe that’s not always true but I find this a helpful reminder that acceptance can be a key part of healing.
Weathering feels like an anchor for anyone who feels tossed around by the winds of change, and a reminder that like the Earth, we too are resilient, cyclical, and always in motion. Ruth Allen offers not quick fixes but deep companionship – and that may be the most hopeful wisdom of all.