Forest Therapy & Nature-Based Work

A Philosophy of Nature-Based Healing

Forest therapy, often described as sylvotherapy, is rooted in a simple but profound premise: humans are not separate from the natural world, and well-being emerges through relationship with place. Rather than treating nature as a backdrop or intervention, forest therapy invites a slower, more attentive way of being—one that engages the senses, honors curiosity, and allows the nervous system to settle into connection.

My approach to forest therapy is shaped by formal training through The Forest Therapy School, alongside years of clinical practice, research, and teaching at the intersections of mental health, climate, and place. This work aligns with evidence-informed practices that recognize nature as a co-regulator, teacher, and companion—supporting emotional regulation, meaning-making, and embodied presence without forcing insight or outcome.

At its heart, forest therapy is not about doing more, but about remembering how to be: noticing breath, light, texture, sound; allowing curiosity to lead; letting the land shape the pace.

Training & Preparation

I completed formal forest therapy certification in 2025 and am currently engaged in advanced coursework and training through The Forest Therapy School, deepening my practice in guided experiences, group facilitation, and ethical nature-based work. This training complements my background as a counselor educator and clinician, allowing me to hold forest therapy with both professional rigor and gentle restraint.

My work is informed by ongoing study in:

• forest therapy and sylvotherapy foundations

• nature-based facilitation and group process

• trauma-aware and accessibility-informed outdoor practice

• ethical integration of nature-based approaches within mental health contexts

Guided Forest Therapy Experiences

I offer guided forest therapy experiences designed to support reflection, restoration, and connection with the more-than-human world. These experiences are slow by design and invitational rather than directive, creating space for participants to encounter nature in ways that feel authentic and personally meaningful.

Guided experiences may include:

• gentle sensory invitations

• mindful walking and sitting practices

• quiet noticing and reflection

• optional sharing in community

There is no expectation to talk, process, or perform. The forest does much of the work.

Clinical Integration & Nature Prescriptions

My forest therapy work grows directly from years of clinical practice integrating nature-based reflection and “nature prescriptions” with counseling clients. In clinical settings, I have long encouraged intentional engagement with place—walking, noticing, returning to familiar natural spaces—as a way of supporting regulation, insight, and continuity of care between sessions.

Forest therapy offers an expanded container for this work, allowing nature connection to be experienced not as an adjunct to therapy, but as a meaningful practice in its own right. When appropriate, these experiences can complement clinical or supervisory work while remaining ethically distinct from psychotherapy.

Teaching, Place, & Curiosity

My relationship with forest therapy is also shaped by years of teaching and learning in varied landscapes. I have facilitated and participated in nature-connection teaching and reflection in Scotland, England, and Malta, experiences that continue to inform my understanding of how culture, history, and land shape our ways of knowing and belonging.

Across all of this work runs a consistent thread: delight and curiosity. I am deeply interested in how people rediscover attention, wonder, and ease when given permission to slow down and listen—to themselves and to the world around them.

Who This Work Is For

Forest therapy offerings are well suited for:

• individuals seeking restoration, reflection, or reconnection

• clinicians, educators, and helpers experiencing cumulative stress or burnout

• professional groups and organizations interested in reflective retreats

• communities seeking gentle, inclusive nature-based experiences

No prior experience with meditation, therapy, or nature practices is required—only a willingness to notice and to move at a human pace.

This work is not about escaping the world, but about learning how to be more fully present within it.

COMING IN SUMMER 2026: LET’S TALK ABOUT HOW FOREST THERAPY CAN WORK FOR YOU!