Connecting with nature to mitigate toxic stress: an exploratory study of pediatric provider perceptions.

Current research supports claims for nature's role in resilience and healing from toxic stress, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and their downstream sequelae. Beyond promoting individual patient health, access to greenspace has broader community-level benefits, including the fostering of community resilience and the reduction of socio-economic and race-driven health inequalities. While these benefits can dovetail with the public health goals of promoting healing, nature and nature contact remain an underutilized resource in the clinical setting with limited previous exploration as to why. The following is an overview of how nature can impact youth and families experiencing ACEs and toxic stress, with a focus on exploring insight from Los Angeles County pediatric providers and opportunities to enhance pediatric health care providers' roles in connecting youth and families with nature to mitigate toxic stress.