Nature is Healing

What do you want people to understand about forest therapy?

Forest therapy feels like coming full circle: we're using science to validate healing practices that Indigenous communities never needed to question. While we celebrate the Japanese term Shinrin-yoku (meaning bathing in the essence of the forest) and the research that has scientifically validated nature's healing properties, it's important to recognize that Indigenous communities worldwide have been practising nature-based healing for millennia. Today's forest therapy practice represents a rediscovery and validation of these Indigenous practices through a scientific lens.

Forest therapy is also one of the most rapidly growing fields in the world. PaRx Canada is an initiative of the BC Parks Foundation and driven by healthcare professionals to improve patients by connecting them to nature. Any healthcare professionals, including psychotherapists, can become a prescriber and give their clients access to free or discounted nature partners across Canada, including Parks Canada, the Toronto Zoo, Victoria Butterfly Gardens and more.

 What benefits will people experience when engaging with forest therapy?

How should people get started?

Go outside, sit by a tree, focus on what you see, what you hear, what you smell. Touch the ground, touch the tree. Stay put for a little while. Repeat. You can also find a trail close to home and walk along the trail slowly, noticing details you might not see if your goal was to get your heart rate up. Slowing down tells your nervous system that you are safe and it will help you feel more relaxed. In that state, you will better benefit from what nature has to offer.

What do the studies tell us about this approach?

Thousands of studies have been conducted on nature-based therapies with a strong focus on forest therapy (Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing). The studies show that forest therapy will reduce stress (by reducing cortisol concentration in the body), boosts immunity (by increasing natural killer cells in the body) and improve mental health, such as decreasing symptoms of depression and anxiety, reducing feelings of anger and improving fatigue and concentration (subjective reports from thousands of participants).

What are some dos and don’ts of forest therapy?

I have had to review my answer to this recently as I headed to the forest with my dog. There are a few wrong ways to do forest therapy. My dog, Cedar, is the not the best trained Labrador in the world, and he pulls me in multiple directions. I could let him guide me, but he does not usually want to stay on the trail. If you want to head out with your dog, find a trail that allows dogs to be off leash and notice the dog having fun as part of your mindfulness practice.

You also don’t want to choose a terrain that is too challenging, but if that is what you have, I suggest keeping the distance short and stopping often to notice. If heading out with a friend, you just have to communicate with them that you are both going to have moments of silence where you will be focused on your environment and not on each other.

You can start with a sit spot, the action of simply sitting in one spot somewhere in nature (while making sure you protect yourself from ticks), and noticing what is around you. I would also recommend that you find a guide in your area to benefit from being guided and experience it as part of a group.

If you could suggest one first step for people who are experiencing burnout and anxiety—what would you say?

As a psychotherapist, my first go-to tool for my clients is to start living more in the present by taking 30-second micro-moments to focus on your breathing or focusing on one of your five senses and repeating several times a day. This practice can be done anywhere and anytime! This practice can also lead you to spending less time on your phone during the in-between moments of your day.

What are some of your favourite places to practise forest therapy?

• Hilton Falls at Conservation Halton in Milton, Ontario
• High Park in Toronto
• Etobicoke Creek trails in Toronto
• Pacific Spirit Park in Vancouver and the trails in North Vancouver
• Vallée du bras du Nord in St-Raymond, Québec, where I grew up.

What do you suggest if one does not live near a forest?

Most cities in Canada have made it a goal to increase access to green spaces for everyone, so we can usually find a park with a few trees within walking distance. This would be a good place to practise your sit spot. You can consider buying plants, including trees, and nurture them in your house. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals who are not mobile and cannot leave their house for extended periods of time. You can also benefit from looking at a nature scene, whether from your window or on your television.

 —Jenny Manzer, BA ’97

This article appears in the UVic Torch alumni magazine.

For more Torch stories, go to the UVic Torch alumni magazine page.