Forest Therapy

Anxiety, stress, and disconnection are affecting many of us. A 2020 survey from the CDC found anxiety levels three times as high as in 2019 and depression levels four times as high, especially in young adults.. (New York Times, 2020) Life is moving quickly, and our connection to nature, ourselves, time, and others, is thinning.

The impact is serious. Lack of refreshment time for your brain and body leads to mental fatigue, stress induced high blood pressure, and even hormone imbalance.

Mental refreshment: “Soft fascination,” what our brains experience when viewing nature, brings refreshment and replenishment. (NRPA, 2013)

Physical improvement: Blood pressure and cortisol (stress hormone) reductions as well as immune system boosting are evidence-based results from nature immersion.

Emotional regulation: Reduction in stress, hostility, anger, depression, and anxiety is shown via nature immersion research.

Adapted from the Japanese practice of “shinrinyoku” or “forest bathing,” Forest Therapy invites you to connect with nature through all the senses. You have the opportunity to relax, reconnect with the natural world, renew your relationship with time, and share space with others.

Forest Therapy walks are 2-3 hour experiences. Forest bathing isn’t hiking or nature identification; it’s a chance to have a mindful interaction with nature in a new way. Your guide will suggest simple, sensory ways to interact with your surroundings. “The forest is the therapist, the guide just opens the doors,” The Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) notes. Every experience is unique as we, and nature, are always changing.

Join the Next Forest Therapy Walk

Georgia Bromehead was the first practicing certified Forest Therapy Guide in Nashville through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT). She is passionate about helping Nashvillians connect with nature and themselves in a new way. She notes, "We don’t have to escape to a full wilderness for a nature experience; we can connect to nature’s benefits in our urban environment. Nature is waiting for us!" In addition to guiding, Georgia is a Psychotherapist Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She loves combining the two powerful modalities.

Read more here.