Unveiling Benefits of Forest Therapy

The first time I stepped into the forest with the intention of slowing down and listening, I didn’t know what I would find. I wasn’t looking for a quick fix or a magic cure—I was looking for a way to keep going. Life had left me with stresses and struggles I couldn’t just shake off, and the woods became a place I could return to, again and again, when I needed space to breathe.

I’m not “healed.” I don’t think healing is a box we ever check off. But what I have discovered is that forest therapy is a practice—a practice that continues to support me in immeasurable ways. Each time I walk slowly under the canopy, each time I pause to notice the scent of pine or the play of sunlight on leaves, I find something shifts inside me. It’s small, but it matters.

Forest Therapy Benefits That Support My Life

Here are some of the ways this practice continues to hold me:

• Stress relief: Forest time often helps lower stress — meaning cortisol and other stress markers decline — which can reduce physical symptoms like tension headaches.

• Mood support & overall emotional well-being: Forest therapy tends to lift moods, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and increase feelings of well-being, peace, or connectedness. These are not always instant or uniform, but there’s strong evidence of forest exposure being helpful here.

• Relief from mental fog & clearer cognition: Rather than always improving “focus” right away, forest immersion can dissolve layers of mental fatigue, brain fog, and overwhelm. After processing or allowing big emotions to surface (which forests sometimes do), people often emerge with greater mental clarity. Some studies show improved attention and cognitive functioning after forest exposure.

• Emotional release and deeper processing: Forests may bring up emotions — sometimes intense ones — and that can feel heavy in the moment. But this emotional stirring is often part of the healing. The forest can offer a spacious, safe environment to feel, to reflect, to let things come up, and through that process people often feel lighter or more grounded afterwards. Research supports that nature settings help emotional regulation and reduce emotional burnout.

• Physical wellness: Physical wellness & brain‐function benefits: Spending time in forested/natural environments has been shown to boost immune function (e.g. activity of natural killer cells), lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, improve heart rate variability, etc.

• Emotional space: The forest doesn’t judge; it simply holds me, giving me room to process and feel. One of the subtle but powerful benefits: forests provide a sort of “container” or “holding space” for emotions, thoughts, and sensations. It’s an opportunity to step out of routine mental pressures, to pause, to breathe, to allow what’s underneath to emerge, without needing to force change. This space itself can lead to healing or shifts over time.

Every walk feels like a reset button—not a cure-all, but a reminder that I can keep moving forward.

A sit spot among the trees.

What Makes Forest Therapy Different From a Walk in the Woods

Forest therapy isn’t just a walk in the woods. It’s the intentional choice to slow down, to let your senses lead, and to notice the details that are so easy to overlook. When I guide or join a session, I’m reminded to touch the bark of a tree, to listen to birdsong as if it were the first time, to breathe in the scent of the soil.

The pace is unhurried, and that in itself is radical in today’s world. In the forest, I don’t need to perform, produce, or push forward. I just get to be.

The Science Behind Forest Bathing

Science backs up what I feel in my body. Research shows forest therapy can reduce stress hormones, support immune function, and improve sleep. Knowing that this practice has both measurable health benefits and deep personal meaning helps me trust it even more.

But beyond the research, what matters most to me is how the practice shows up in my everyday life. The calm I find in the forest doesn’t stay in the forest—it follows me home. It’s in the way I take a mindful breath before a busy day, or notice a flower pushing up through the cracks of a sidewalk.

A native wildflower pushing through the forest floor.

An Invitation to Experience Forest Therapy

I don’t share this because I’ve figured it all out. I share it because I’m still walking this path, still finding peace and renewal each time I step into the woods. Forest therapy is not about being fixed—it’s about being present, being held, and being reminded of the quiet resilience we all carry inside us.

If you’re curious, I invite you to step into the forest with me. Come slowly. Breathe deeply. See what the trees might have to say.

Simple Steps to Begin Forest Therapy at Home

I don’t believe this practice is meant to be kept a secret. Anyone can begin right where they are, and even a few mindful moments in nature can make a difference. If you’d like to try, here are some simple steps:

1. Find a Natural Spot – It doesn’t have to be a deep forest. A local park, a quiet trail, or even a tree-lined street can work.

2. Set an Intention – Before you begin, pause. Take a breath. Decide gently what you’d like from this time—maybe rest, clarity, or simply being present.

3. Engage Your Senses – Slow down. Notice the colors around you, the sounds of birds or wind, the texture of bark, the smell of leaves or soil.

4. Pause and Reflect – Sit or stand in one spot. Let your thoughts drift without judgment, and notice how your body feels.

5. Stay Present – If your mind races, gently bring it back to what you see, hear, and feel in this moment.

A quiet moment captured: guiding others while also being guided by the practice itself.

You don’t need anything special to benefit—just a willingness to be present.

And yet, walking with a guide offers something different. A guided session creates space for invitations you might not give yourself, and for shared reflection that deepens the experience. I love offering both—the tools to explore this practice alone, and the chance to come together in community.