Did you know that walking while talking is an amazingly effective therapy? If someone is having a hard time, talking about it while walking will bring out more feelings, openness, and honesty because the brain lets down walls and feels more comfortable being vulnerable when it’s getting oxygen and outside stimulation.

Walk and talk therapy is also the best way to negotiate, so if you have a big deal to get done and need open minds to be present, taking those people for a walk will help everyone’s brain think outside the box and be more receptive to logic and good suggestions. This works especially well on myopic, stubborn people, but also on naysayers and negative personalities.

Brainstorming is also much more effective when walking, but in a group, it can be more difficult, so two to three people is best. Walking is also an excellent addition to any workout routine, including our 21 minute high intensity training, and it can be done with friends, family, or by yourself.

Walking balances the brain, gets creative juices flowing and opens the mind to new possibilities that otherwise wouldn’t have been seen in an indoor, seated meeting. If you must sit though, be sure to sit on the same couch side by side, or if you are at a table, sit on the corner from each other instead of across from each other. Side by side is best because that puts you both on the same page subconsciously, which is another reason walking is so effective.

Counselors should do this more too. If someone needs to work through any tough feeling or issues, walking while talking activates the best parts of the brain responsible for sorting things out. A 10-minute walk-and-talk is more productive than hours of sitting and talking – especially if someone is “stuck,” ruminating, or asking questions they can’t possibly answer (which we tend to do all too often).

By simply adopting walk and talk therapy into your lifestyle, you’ll feel the many benefits in no time. From clearer thinking to additional steps per day, your whole body will thank you.