At U-center, we know that you can use every little extra in the beneficial process of working on yourself. The environment plays an invaluable role in this process. A beautiful, quiet place does wonders for a person's mental state. On Earth Day, our occupational therapist Rianne Schoenmakers shares her impression of the environment, walking experiences and tips.
"U-center's locations are perfect, in the middle of the Limburg hills. Wherever you look, it's green. As one client recently put it, the color green was incredibly healing and calming for him. Now let me also wear green very often."
Always different
We are in border territory here. Along the way you can suddenly come across a border stone just like that. This area touches on the vacation feeling because it is so non-Dutch. U-center at 23A Julianastraat overlooks Belgium and the Vijlenerbos from the side and back. U-center International across the street gives an unobstructed same but even more expansive view from the front. At the back there is a view of Germany. That horizon is easy to spot because of the many windmills. In between, behind the Vijlenerbos, is the Drielandenpunt.
It is always different, in every season, with every weather condition, and behind every hill you will find a totally different atmosphere. In this area you are often allowed to cross fields and meadows. These entrances and passages can be recognized by the striking turnstiles, "stegelkes" as they are called. This is quite unique for the Netherlands. There is open land and forest and the Geul and Gulp rivers flow through it. You can walk flat along the water and -more challenging- into the hills. And I like to share that with the clients, who often ask if we can go outside.
Use of nature
Therefore, as soon as we can, we do our lessons in the back of the grass. This year (2021) that even happened once already in February! On weekends, as soon as the weather permits, I also do sessions outside, taking advantage of nature as much as possible. Unfortunately, corona has given a lot of restrictions on that in the last year, but hopefully it will be possible again soon.
Hiking tips from Rianne
Directly from U-center are several short walks, half an hour to three quarters of an hour, without route markings quite doable, if you always keep the same direction: right, right, right, right, right, (or left, left, left, left) and you are already back on the Juliana Street or nearby. There are also many walks on the Internet here, and the tourist office. I use an app to plan walks, where I can immediately see what the distance is: MapOut. Komoot seems to be a good one, too.
If it is nice and sunny I look for open terrain. For example from U-center towards Belgium, via Diependal, beautiful! Is it too hot, then I go more through the woods. The Upper Wood, the Lower Wood, the Schweiberger Wood, the Vijlen Wood. As soon as the weather permits also with clients so. Just as it gives me peace in my head, it works the same for them. Being outside and moving are important contributions in their development process."