Forest Bathing/Shinrin-Yoku/Forest Therapy

Slow down. Awaken your senses. Bear witness to yourself and all beings.

Join Linda Pierce MBA and our group for a guided forest therapy walk. A guided forest therapy walk typically lasts around two hours and covers about a half mile in any outdoor space. Linda will lead us through a series of invitations, first designed to heighten one’s five senses, then to slow down and keenly observe, followed by a few invitations of choice designed specifically for the group. After each invitation there is an opportunity to share among the group realizing that silence is a form of sharing. Each guided walk ends with a tea ceremony with tea steeped from a plant native to the area where the walk is held. In addition to the many physical benefits, a guided walk may help one become more
attuned to their relationship with nature and the more-than-human beings we co-exist with in the world, and their interdependence on our collective well-being. All that you need is comfortable clothing (layers are best) and shoes for a slow half-mile or so walk, something to sit upon (a blanket or stool - Linda will have a few extras), water or other hydration, and perhaps sunglasses and bug spray. Some people like to bring along a journal for writing. The location of the walk is Larus Park which is located off of Huguenot Rd between the fire station and Sneeds nursery and Shell station.

Linda Pierce has worked professionally in the private and public sectors for years. With a background in finance, over time she’s moved away from numbers and toward organizational and leadership development helping facilitate leadership development and positive cultures in the workplace. Facilitating awareness and growth in both people and organizations is her passion. As a lifelong lover of nature, when she read the book “The Nature Fix” by Florence Williams and learned about forest therapy, she immediately wanted to pursue becoming a certified guide to add an expansion of appreciation and stewardship of nature to her work. She became certified with ANFT in 2019 and obtained certification through INFTA in 2025. She is also certified in CPR and Wilderness First Aid.