Nature Connected
What is Forest Therapy?
And What Do You Mean by Forest Bathing?
For starters, the terms "forest therapy" and "forest bathing" are often used interchangeably. While the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) trains people to become Certified Forest Therapy Guides, we recognize that some people are hesitant to try something out with the word "therapy" in the title. So, it's not uncommon to hear guided walks advertised as "Forest Bathing Walks" or even something like "Immersive Nature Experiences" or "Nature Wellness Walks". A forest therapy guide is not a therapist, but research suggests that these walks are therapeutic. If anyone is playing the "therapist" role, it's the forest or whichever outdoor place you are spending time in.
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Our way of guiding is partly inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku. Back in the early 1990s, the Japanese government was looking at ways to support the health of citizens who were increasingly living more urbanized lives. Given that humans have evolved in natural environments for most of our existence, they wondered whether spending time in forests could be beneficial for human health. Not surprisingly, they discovered this to be the case! One big discovery was that humans benefit from breathing in the atmosphere of the forest. Trees and plants give off what are called "phytoncides" for their own protection, which you might compare to essential oils. As it turns out, humans benefit by breathing them in as well. Specifically, phytoncides support our immune systems. The term "forest bathing" then refers to the experience of bathing in the atmosphere of the forest.​​
When we're spending time relaxing in the forest, we're forest bathing. Or if we're in some other outdoor environment, we might say that we're "nature bathing". What makes Forest Therapy different is that it's a practice and it follows a standard sequence. Guides are trained to support participants to slow down and connect with the natural world by tuning into their senses in ways that facilitate connection with nature that usually leads to emotional, mental, physical, or spiritual gains. ​
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You may already spend a lot of time on your own in nature, which is great! Though for most people, it can be challenging to truly slow down in life and focus on the present moment. This is where a guide steps in—to offer what we call "invitations" that are designed to focus your attention on what you are noticing in your immediate environment. We spend much of our daily lives caught in thought loops—planning, analyzing, worrying. A forest therapy guide invites people to step away from this constant mental chatter and shift into sensory awareness: feeling the texture of a tree’s bark, noticing the scent of the earth after rain, or hearing the layered sounds of birdsong. This shift helps calm the nervous system and fosters presence.
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There are a host of benefits that can arise from spending time in nature in this way—less stress, regulated blood pressure, improved sleep, more creativity, and a better mood to name a few.​​​​
If you're interested to learn more about health benefits and the science backing forest therapy, visit:​
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The Association of Nature and Forest Therapy's website at https://anft.earth/research/
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Dose of Nature's website at https://www.doseofnature.org.uk/the-evidence2