Forest Bathing
(Shinrin Yoku)
& Nature Therapy
I offer a range of outdoor activities in collaboration with the natural environment,
including guided Forest Bathing sessions, mindfulness in nature and team experiences
- suitable for individuals, groups and corporate teams
Spending time in nature is good
for you!
Wellbeing - feeling good and functioning well.
In a systematic review of 50 research studies involving 16,396 people, the University of Derby investigated the links between individuals connection with nature and two types of happiness – feeling good and functioning well. They found that people who are more connected to nature tend to have greater eudaimonic well-being, meaning they are functioning well - and in particular have higher levels of self-reported personal growth.
Scheduled Public
Forest Bathing and Nature Based Retreats
2024
All nature based retreats are based on the principles and techniques of Forest Bathing.
Allow me to guide you by using simple sense based activities and introducing mindfulness techniques, to help you to reconnect with nature and yourself.
With proven health benefits, allow your curiosity to run wild and boost your wellbeing. Join me to start your journey. Includes a short walk in the woodland.
Why join a Forest Bathing session?
Forest Bathing, addresses the need for relaxation, stress reduction, and overall wellbeing. It offers a solution to the fast-paced, technology-driven lifestyles that often leave us feeling disconnected from nature and experiencing elevated levels of stress.
By immersing yourself in a woodland or forest environment, Forest Bathing allows you to experience the therapeutic benefits of being in nature, such as lowered blood pressure, decreased stress hormone levels, improved mood, increased focus and creativity, and enhanced immune system function. It provides a much-needed escape from the daily grind and offers a respite for mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.
Find out more about Forest Bathing below ...
A Typical Session
A typical nature based session consists of:
-
an introduction and explanation
-
some simple breathing practice
-
a short woodland walk incorporating an introduction to nature therapy/forest bathing techniques
-
mindful activities using a range of senses
-
a relaxation session
-
an opportunity to share experiences with other participants
-
Tips and hints on how to introduce mindfulness and Forest bathing techniques into your daily life
Team wellbeing events
and group
Forest Bathing sessions
Are you doing enough to look after the wellbeing of your team?
My outdoor team wellbeing activities can support the physical and mental health of you and your colleagues. Spending time together in nature can have a positive impact on collaboration, creativity and resilience.
For interest and community groups, my tailored sessions can enhance your programme of activities and offer a nature based alternative to the run of the mill events.
If you would prefer an individual facilitated session or guided nature based wellbeing walk please do not hesitate to get in touch.
What is Forest Bathing?
Forest Bathing involves immersing yourself in nature in a mindful way, using your senses to connect with the natural environment.
Developed from the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku, Forest Bathing can help us to slow down and switch off from the hustle and bustle of modern day living. Simply being in a forest or woodland can help us to step away from today's busy world and look after ourselves both physically and mentally.
Be Mindful
Share
Recharge
More than just a walk in the woods, Forest Bathing takes you to a different level of sensory awareness and there is a wealth of scientific evidence that proves spending time in nature and practising being in the present moment, can lead to:
-
improved concentration and memory
-
regulated blood pressure
-
reduced stress, anxiety and depression
-
increased energy
-
a boost in the number of natural killer cells which exist in our body to fight off infection and viruses
-
faster recovery from illness or surgery
-
a more efficient immune system
-
better quality sleep
-
enhanced mood
-
increased creativity
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he/she seeks"
John Muir
"The art of forest bathing is the art of connecting with nature through our senses"
Dr Qing Li
The Origins of Forest Bathing
Forest Bathing refers to spending immersive time under the canopy of trees and has developed from the Japenese practice of Shinrin Yoku . In Japanese shinrin means forest, and yoku, although it has several meanings, refers here to a ‘bathing, showering or basking in’. The concept was developed in Japan in the 1980s as a type of preventative health care to combat stress caused by living and working in large cities and towns. With over 60 forests approved for forest bathing in Japan alone, and plenty of emerging worldwide science based research, Forest Bathing is spreading rapidly throughout the world.
In the UK The Forest Bathing Institute [TFBI], of which I am a Team Member, has been carrying out research in conjunction with a number of University's and published a research paper into the health benefits of Forest Bathing+ (TFBI's own brand of Forest Bathing). The paper reports there were improvements in positive emotions and mood, rumination, nature connection and compassion and a majority of participants showed signs of improved health, through indicators such as heart rate. Furthermore, Forest Bathing was found to be as beneficial as other established wellbeing interventions.
Choose your Course
Make sure you have left your phone and camera behind. You are going to be walking aimlessly and slowly. You don’t need any devices. Let your body be your guide. Listen to where it wants to take you. Follow your nose. And take your time. It doesn’t matter if you don’t get anywhere. You are not going anywhere. You are savouring the sounds, smells and sights of nature and letting the forest in.
Dr Qing Li ‘The Art and Science of Forest Bathing’
Simply click on each date to see what is available on that day!
Session Schedule
Dec 11 - Dec 17
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
Simply click on the date of the event you are looking for or check out each date to see what is available on that day! For Retreats the events are located on the Mindful Meditation page
Can't find what you're looking for
If have any further questions or need clarification on any of the options for Forest Bathing and Nature Therapy, or would like to book a session for your work colleagues, community group, group of friends or family, please complete the form below to arrange a chat.
Let's Talk
©2022 by Big Tree Training. Proudly created with Wix.com