While the name “Forest Bathing” conjures images of a cool dip in a pond - there is no actual immersion in water (except maybe splashing our feet or hands in a creek, but that is completely optional and doesn’t require any special preparation.) The “bathing” refers to the immersion into the natural environment, and also to beneficial chemical compounds called phytoncides that are released from trees and shower down on us as we walk in the forest. Phytoncides are the tree's immune defense against fungus, viruses and pests and when inhaled by humans, benefit our immune systems as well!

Nope, forest bathing walks are rarely longer than a half mile long - but we will take around 2 hours to travel that short distance! Slow wandering is interspersed with periods of sitting, standing or lying down, so this is definitely not a high exertion activity.

As fascinating and beneficial as it is to learn naturalist knowledge, I am not a naturalist. Forest bathing walks are a different way to understand and know Nature - through somatic connection rather than cognition.

I am not a therapist, counselor, or psychologist. In the context of Forest Therapy, the forest is the therapist - as your guide, I help you connect to Nature through sensory invitations. I am trained as a Nature Therapy Guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, insured, and certified in Wilderness First Aid and CPR. Forest Bathing includes opportunities to witness and be witnessed, it is one way for us to strengthen our community bonds but it is not mandatory. And while healing may happen, please remember, this is not a psychotherapy group. Please reach out if you have further questions about this

It is a mouthful, isn’t it? Coined in 1996 by cultural ecologist and geo-philosopher Dr David Abrams, this term illuminates that there is a world that extends beyond the human experience. At first glance one could say, well, isn’t that just nature? I mean, it is easier to say one word than four… but nature tends to mean “the place out there, beyond the four walls”, a thing that is separate. We, as humans, have created a rigid and quantitative world that strives for dominance over Nature but the More Than Human World cannot be tamed. It includes human beings in its web of interconnectedness, just as it includes all beings in a non-hierarchical embrace.

Ah, you caught that! Human being, tree being, rock being. All beings have a story, all beings have wisdom and can impart their knowledge about our place in the More Than Human World. In the human-centric world we might call rocks, rivers, insects, plants “things” in nature. By shifting our language to respectfully acknowledge that these entities have an impact on our shared existence, we change the way we connect with them. This language evens the playing field and reduces the conditioned tendency to objectify beings in the More Than Human World. I appreciate that it can feel very strange at first, but after some time, just this simple shift can inspire a huge shift in the way we interact with our environment, inspiring wonder, reverence and interconnectedness. Why not give it a try?

Forest bathing is a skill: one that I hope you will learn and practice on your own and with your loved ones. Of course you can go on your own, and there is a special synergy that is created when a group of people come together to practice and share time, space, and thoughts with each other. I identify as an introverted person and before completing this training the thought of forest bathing with a group would have not been the most compelling. However, I have experienced the many specific benefits that arise from sharing this adventure with others. If you’re an introvert too, and are hesitant and/or nervous - but are curious about forest bathing with a group, please feel free to contact me before the walk and we can have a low-stakes chat about what to expect :)

I am still a licensed massage therapist and certified Hanna Somatic Educator - however my practice is full and my books are closed to new clients. Forest Therapy is a gentle, effective embodiment practice that has many proven health benefits that are similar to bodywork, such as reduced stress, increased relaxation and improved feelings of wellbeing. Why not give it a try, you might be pleasantly surprised by the positive therapeutic effects of spending a couple hours in the woods.