Saint Louis Forest Therapy + Forest Bathing Meetup Group

🌱 Unplug & recover the peace of presence with Forest Therapy.

Forest Therapy is a practice that supports health and wellness through guided immersion in forests and other environments to promote the well-being of both people and the land.

It’s time to make peace with your body and mind.
If you’re looking for a gentle way to naturally balance your nervous system, shed the emotional heaviness of pandemic life and feel truly present, alive and at peace again, this is the group for you.

I'm Jess, ANFT Certified Forest & Nature Therapy Guide and IIN Certified Holistic Health & Wellness Counselor, I’m on a mission to help busy people living in urban (and suburban) environments recover peace in the present moments.

We think we have to drive far away from the city to really immerse ourselves in nature (and claim the numerous health benefits of doing so) but the truth is, we can reap the same health benefits by working with the local green spaces in our own backyard and local parks and neighborhoods.

Forest Therapy is a practice that supports health and wellness through guided immersion in forests and other environments to promote the well-being of both people and the land. It is inspired by Shinrin-yoku, the Japanese practice of “Forest Bathing.” In Forest Bathing, people spend time in forested areas to enhance health, wellness, and happiness.

In Forest Therapy, people are guided through a clearly defined sequence of invitations to slow down, allow the senses to open, and experience the environment to deepen the reciprocal relationship between participants and the forest. This supports the wholeness and well-being of both. These Slow Walks in the Forest are typically a mile or less long and fit for all ages and physical conditions.

Invitations are open-ended. There is no expectation for what participants should experience or receive. Rather, participants spend time in silence, listening and feeling with a quiet and accepting presence. They become reconnected with their senses and their innate creative potential is tapped, which allows the imagination to awaken.