Nature-based spiritual contemplation: a counseling approach for enhancing mental health among nature lover communities

The growing mental health crisis among adolescents and young adults highlights the need for holistic and spiritually grounded counseling approaches. This mixed-methods study examined nature-based spiritual contemplation as an Islamic counseling approach among nature lover communities in Lumajang, Indonesia. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and psychological scales from 50 participants. Findings showed that nature-based spiritual contemplation enhances emotional regulation, inner peace, spiritual awareness, social solidarity, and positive meaning-making. Regression analysis revealed a significant positive effect on mental health (p < .05) with a contribution of 29.3% (R2 = .293), indicating its potential as a promotive mental health approach.