ANTHONY: THE STREETS AROUND NEWTON CENTRE ARE FILLED WITH LOVELY HOMES.
ONE MIGHT SEEM HEAVENLY.
♪ >> MUSIC ORIGINALLY HAPPENED OUT OF DOORS.
MUSIC IS AS OLD AS HUMAN KIND.
WE NEED TO RETURN TO THE ROOTS OF IT BECAUSE IT IS SO ELEMENTAL.
♪ ANTHONY: WHEN THE COVID CRISIS HIT, PROFESSIONAL HARPIST JUDY WAS NOT SURE HOW SHE WOULD GIVE LESSONS.
SHE HAD TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.
>> THIS IS THE BOX BACK HERE.
IT HAS FORCED US TO THINK OUTSIDE.
ANTHONY: THE ANSWER WAS AT HER FINGERTIPS.
>> WE COULD SOLVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS BY MEETING OUTSIDE.
IT TURNED OUT TO BE LOVELY.
WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THIS BEFORE ANTHONY:?
ANTHONY:STUDENTS ARE SIX FEET APART.
MASKS ARE OPTIONAL.
>> THE CHALLENGES WEATHER -- IT COULD BE REALLY HOT, THE WIND BLOWS THE MUSIC OFF THE STANDS.
BEING OUTDOORS IS FORGIVING IN SOME WAYS.
THE WIND AND THE BREEZE IS BLOWING AT THE WRONG NOTE HERE OR THERE YOU THINK IT IS MUSIC, IT IS HERE TO MAKE US FEEL SOMETHING.
MAKING MUSIC IN NATURE WE FEEL IT MORE THAN WE DO INSIDE PLAYING EVERYTHING PERFECTLY.
♪ >> SO THE PROBLEM I AM HAVING IS THERE IS JUST TOO MUCH STUFF ON MY PLATE.
ANTHONY: ALSO MOVING OUTSIDE, THE INNER LIFE.
>> LET’S GO BACK TO THE TOP OF THE BOUNDARIES.
ANTHONY: LISA WESSON HAS TAKEN HER SKILLS AS A THERAPIST AND HIT THE TRAIL.
SHE HAS WALK AND TALK THERAPY.
>> IT IS SOLUTION FOCUSED.
THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO IT ARE SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED.
THEY ARE DONE BEING COUCH POTATOES, MORBIDLY OBESE, DRINKING TOO MUCH, COMPLAINING ABOUT BOYFRIENDS AND HUSBANDS.
THEY ARE READY TO TAKE CHARGE.
THOSE ARE MY PEOPLE.
ANTHONY: OUTDOOR THERAPY WOULD SEEM TO BE A NATURAL.
EXERCISE IS KNOWN TO INCREASE FEELINGS OF WELL-BEING.
THE NATURAL SETTING HELPS PEOPLE OPEN UP.
>> IT IS A GREAT PROCESS TO RELEASE TRAUMA AND PAIN AND FROZE GRIEF YOU CAN’T GET OUT SITTING IN A CHAIR ACROSS FROM SOMEBODY IN AN OFFICE.
>> I HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
I’M A BETTER THERAPIST MYSELF.
ANTHONY: THE PSYCHIATRIST AT MCLEAN HOSPITAL SAYS THE CRISIS HAS MADE INDOOR THERAPY EMBLEMATIC PARTICULARLY WITH GROUPS.
MANY OF HIS COLLEAGUES ARE FOLLOWING HIM OUTSIDE.
>> MOVING OUT INTO NATURE AND THE OUTSIDE MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
ANTHONY: OPEN-AIR THERAPY ARRIVED -- AVOIDS ONE PANDEMIC PROBLEM.
>> IT SOUNDS MUFFLED, IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE ALL OF MY FACIAL EXPRESSIONS.
THERAPISTS RELY ON HUMAN EXPRESSION.
ANTHONY: BACK IN THE WOODS, LISA CONTINUES TO ENCOURAGE HER CLIENTS TO TAKE ATION PUTTING ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER.
>> WHEN THEY COME TO ME, THEY HAVE BEEN TO A THERAPIST BEFORE SITTING AND REHASHING THEIR TRAUMA.
NOT ME.
IT IS NOT ME.
ANTHONY: SHE WAS ONE OF A GROUP OF THERAPISTS HONORED AT THE STATEHOUSE FOR INNOVATIVE WORK.
SHE FINDS IT AN UPHILL BATTLE TRYING TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT WALK AND TALK THERAPY.
>> I AM ALWAYS INVITING THEM TO TRY IT.
THEY SAY SHE IS A MAVERICK.
I AM LIKE, TRY IT.
I DO THIS, IT WORKS.
ANTHONY: MEANWHILE BACK IN CENTRAL SQUARE STARLITE SQUARE IS JUMPING.
THE TEMPORARY PERFORMANCE VENUE IN A CAMBRIDGE PARKING LOT HOSTS VARIOUS GROUPS DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS.
TODAY A CONTEMPORARY MOVEMENT CLASS FROM THE DANCE COMPLEX.
>> IT IS LIKE CHURCH FOR SOME PEOPLE TO MOVE TOGETHER.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TAKING THE SAME AFRICAN CLASS THE SAME WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR 25, 28 YEARS.
ANTHONY: THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DIRECTOR OF THE DANCE COMPLEX SAYS ZOOM CLASSES HAVE BEEN USEFUL BUT THE ARRIVAL OF STARLIGHT HAS LIFTED SPIRITS IN THE DANCE COMMUNITY.
>> TO HAVE THIS TOPLESS ROOM OF BEING ABLE TO BE A HOME FOR DANCE AND ALL OF THE ARTS IN HERE IS SUCH A GIFT.
ANTHONY: AND BACK TO OUR THERAPIST, WESSAN HAS A PORTFOLIO OF DIFFERENT WALKS TO ACCOMMODATE THE DIFFERENT PHYSICAL ABILITIES AND WALKING SPEEDS OF HER CLIENTS.
ALL ARE RELATIVELY FLAT AND DESIGNED TO TAKE ABOUT 50 MINUTES, THE STANDARD THERAPISTS HOUR.
AND THE OUTDOOR SESSIONS DON’T HAVE TO END WITH WINTER.
SHE HAS CLIENTS WHO HAVE NO PROBLEM BUNDLING UP AND WORKING ON THEMSELVES.
WE SHOULD NOTE THAT IN OBSERVANCE OF HEALTH CARE HIPAA REGULATIONS ABOUT PRIVACY, WESSAN’S CLIENT IN THAT WALK AND TALK SEGMENT WAS A FRIEND WHO AGREED TO BE FILMED.
COMING UP, OUTDOOR YOGA WITH FRIENDS, ANIMALS, AND INSE