A Fuller Picture

I’ve been thinking on the barriers to getting humans out for forest bathing/forest therapy and how that intersects with my own personal experiences culminating in this - a fuller logistical picture of a forest therapy walk. My flavor of mental illness is an obsessive compulsive anxiety so it is often helpful (sometimes necessary) for me to know specific details and prepare accordingly. When you attend a forest therapy walk, the guide handles all of this for you by having existing knowledge of the area and being aware of any potential hazards there, carrying a first aid kit, having certification in wilderness first aid, keeping time and keeping track of you all - so all you need to do is show up and wear clothing in which you will be comfortable outside. If you feel ready to go, then I encourage you to stop reading here and book a walk! Let the rest of the experience unfold for you in the moment.

For the rest of us - here’s the details. Guides craft forest therapy walks in partnership with the natural world and with the attendees in mind so if you have any (and I mean ANY) accessibility requests or general concerns let me or your guide know. The walk begins with some history of the practice, the logistics, and any potential hazards in the area (poison ivy! but don’t worry I carry a remedy because we come prepared to keep you safe). Walk duration can vary from 1.5 - 3 hours but will be clearly indicated in the walk description before you sign up. Most of our time is spent engaging in a series of invitations that the guide has prepared or is feeling in that moment on the land. Every part of the practice is trauma informed and open so you participate in whatever way you wish, including not at all, with the one request that if you leave you let your guide know. And we mean that - if you feel like you really just want to lay in the grass, or maybe the previous invitation is still inspiring you and you’d prefer to continue with it, or maybe I mentioned something about scents but you got caught up in the sounds of the birds - all of that is totally okay. The guide shares how long the invitation will last and how they will gather everyone back together (I use a coyote howl) - you don’t have to worry about keeping time or where to go, we will even come find you if you wander too far and can’t hear the call back (this rarely happens). After each invitation there may be an opportunity to share, which is as open as the rest of the practice in that you can share in whatever language or form you wish including silence. For these invitations you may find yourself wandering out to explore, sitting on the earth, crouching down, laying on a mat in the grass. Your guide will come prepared, but you can bring a towel, yoga mat, or sit-upon. Having a water bottle is also nice, especially in hotter months, but I encourage you to keep your hands free. The guide will bring everyone back together to close out the walk.  Because the walks are more of a wandering there isn’t a designated length and we may go out only a few hundred yards. One of the great things about the practice of forest therapy is how it can be tailored to meet us where we are - do you need to stay seated in one spot for the duration of the walk? done. Do you feel most comfortable in your own yard and want a walk there? can do. There is zero judgement if you need to leave at any point, you don’t have to say why, just let your guide know so we don’t think that we have lost you.

The above, except my personal asides, is based on training from the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs. Did I miss something you want to know? Just ask.