The benefits of nature contact for mental health are well-documented, including improved mood, executive functioning, and sense of belonging and connection. Nature has been found effective in addressing a spectrum of mental health issues including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and addiction – challenges that can result from or exacerbate problems faced by individuals who live in nature-deprived inner-cities. The importance of integrating effective, culturally relevant interventions into community mental health treatment cannot be understated. Yet significant gaps remain in understanding how populations who have been historically underrepresented in nature and outdoor activity, particularly individuals with mental health or substance use challenges in South Central Los Angeles, perceive, access, and engage with nature. Reflexive thematic analysis of nine semi-structured interviews revealed four key themes: living in South L.A. can be isolating and stressful, nature can be healing, experiences and barriers are socially, culturally, and structurally mediated, and choice, representation, and trusted networks are pathways to engagement. Implications for social work practice emphasize embodied experiential interventions that incorporate nature, such as ecotherapy and expressive arts, alongside trusted others and culturally-responsive providers. Findings support the need for collective healing spaces, community-driven programming, advocacy for systemic policy changes, and treatment approaches that challenge dominant narratives about recovery and healing.