Healing with Nature: A Social Justice Framework

Hosted by UT’s Environmental Justice and Ecotherapy student organization –

We depend on nature for our health, well-being, and survival. There is a growing body of research that proves the many benefits of spending time in nature from simply walking in the park to using clinical ecotherapy interventions. Using a social justice lens, Starla will inspire you think critically about historical traumas that have impacted the relationship communities of color have with nature. We will talk about the power of nature to heal individuals & communities, while honoring the ways people of color have always leaned on Mother Earth to thrive.

This event is FREE and open to the public. No RSVP required.

About the speaker: Starla Simmons is a clinical assistant professor at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work. She has more than a decade of experience working as a school social worker, providing a range of direct care services to students, families, and staff. She is strongly rooted in social justice and racial equity, with a passion for supporting the vitality and resilience of communities of color. She is experienced in holistic practices such as eco-therapy, mindfulness and TBRI (Trust-based Relational Intervention). Simmons facilitates trainings in Austin for non-profits around the topics of racial equity, social justice, mindfulness and ecotherapy. In the community, Simmons has served as an Austin leader for the national non-profit Outdoor Afro, which celebrates and inspires Black leadership in nature and served as board chair for Mama Sana Vibrant Woman, a local non-profit that provides pregnancy and birth support to women of color.