Contact with nature reinforces mental health care at Utinga State Park
The initiative brought together patients from the Multiprofessional Residency Program in Mental Health Care at the Hospital das Clínicas, as a therapeutic tool
On a morning marked by integration, well-being, and contact with nature, the Gaspar Vianna Clinical Hospital (HC) held, in partnership with the Forest Development and Biodiversity Institute of Pará (Ideflor-Bio), a special activity at Utinga State Park. The initiative brought together patients from the Multiprofessional Residency Program in Mental Health Care at HC, aiming to promote therapeutic benefits in a natural and welcoming environment.
The program involved outdoor and educational activities, providing participants with experiences that combine leisure, environmental awareness, and health. According to the Environmental Management technician at Ideflor-Bio, Sineide Vasconcelos, the action aimed to enhance participants' connection with the environment.
“This action provided an opportunity for a connection with nature through extremely healthy physical activities, such as riding tricycles in the Park and visiting Bolonha Lake, as well as understanding the Conservation Units (UCs) of Pará through a lecture in the Park's auditorium,” she explained.
The head of the Planning Center at HC and leader of the Contemporary Mental Health Research Group and its Implications for Public Health, Mário Vieira, highlighted the therapeutic gains of the activity. “Activities like this improve psychosocial interaction, with the recovery of psychosocial and affective values sublimated by the illness process. The relationship with nature brings to light social, affective, and healthy bonds of appropriate coexistence,” he stated.
Enhancement - In addition to the affective and social aspects, the specialist emphasized that contact with natural environments also stimulates the motor and cognitive functions of patients. “There is an improvement in motor, physiological, and mental performance, as well as an enhancement in the sense of urbanity, which is lost due to the process of mental illness,” added Mário Vieira.
For the organizers, Utinga State Park offers ideal conditions for expanded care actions, as it combines environmental conservation, infrastructure, and safety. The space is one of the main UCs in the Metropolitan Region of Belém, with a vast forest area and attractions such as Bolonha Lake and Água Preta, as well as interpretative trails that favor integrative health practices and environmental education.
The manager of the Administrative Region of Belém at Ideflor-Bio, Júlio Meyer, responsible for managing Utinga State Park, celebrated the realization of the activity and reinforced the importance of initiatives like this. “Utinga State Park is a public space designed for the well-being of the population, and when we manage to integrate it into mental health actions like this, we expand its social and environmental function. It is gratifying to see the Park contributing directly to the quality of life of people in treatment,” he declared.
According to him, the partnership between HC and Ideflor-Bio demonstrates how the integration of different public policies can strengthen health care, especially in the field of mental health, promoting not only treatment but also inclusion, citizenship, and reconnection with the environment.
Text by Sinval Farias, supervised by Vinícius Leal / Ascom Ideflor-Bio
