9. Why are we so disconnected from nature Part 2, with Dr. Lena Dicken

In this episode of the B.Real Podcast, host Brittany Bijan sits down with psychologist and self-described “outdoor mom” Dr. Lena Dicken to explore how therapy gave her the “language” of emotion, why honest conversations deepen relationships, and how simple nature-based rituals can calm our nervous systems. They talk about raising kids to love the outdoors, navigating friendships with real honesty instead of avoidance, and what it means to “do the work” emotionally as adults.5 Key Takeaways• (0:00:00) - Emotional language is a learned skill, like a new language, and it deepens relationships when practiced regularly.• (0:01:29) - Simple practices like leaving your phone at home, eating outside, and opening windows can create daily moments of calm and connection.• (0:02:33) - Modeling an outdoor lifestyle—beach days, hikes, and star-watching—helps kids associate nature with feeling calm and connected.• (0:07:33) - The “OV method” centers on slowing down, being present, reaching for optimism, and having hard emotional conversations instead of avoiding them.• (0:09:47) - Many adults never learned healthy communication growing up, but we’re still responsible for doing the work and choosing honest conversations in our relationships.“You have to learn how to articulate your feelings, how to listen to somebody else's feelings, and it is a skill… it’s like a muscle. The more you do it, the stronger it gets, and the more you are open to having those conversations, the deeper your relationships.” – Dr. Lena Dicken Guest & ResourcesGuest: Dr. Lena Dicken – Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Founder, The Outdoor PsychologistLearn more: outdoorpsychologist.comConnect with B:Instagram: @brittanybijanJoin the B. Real Community : https://brittanybijan.myflodesk.com/brealcommunityKnow more about 40Fit blueprint: https://stan.store/BBijan?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio