FAQ

I already go for walks in nature, what is the difference of a guided experience?

Although being in a natural setting is already beneficial, a guide can enable an experience of deeper connection with nature (and sometimes with ourselves). There is an array of techniques designed to make the participants transition more effortlessly from our everyday lives into a restorative experience in nature. It is also an opportunity to learn new ways of engaging with natural elements, many of which can be applied in our everyday lives.
Similarly, it can be quite liberating to let another person provide (and often surprise) us with a new experience, even in a familiar setting. A useful analogy is being in the passenger seat while another person does the driving and guides us through the route. It is much easier to notice and appreciate the scenery if we don’t have to drive ourselves… Even I enjoy being guided by someone else.

Don’t you need a pristine forest to do forest bathing?

Idyllic locations certainly are more conducive to a restorative experience. They are already immersive in their own right, especially if a sense of novelty is present. We also are more exposed to beneficial phytochemicals due to the high canopy density.
Nevertheless, it is possible to have an equally restorative experience in an urban public park. This is when the guide’s work and experience come to light. Making the most out of each location and enticing a sense of novelty even in what is familiar or mundane. I believe the value of forest bathing is precisely in providing wellbeing at our doorstep.

Is there a difference between forest bathing and forest therapy?

It depends on how each practitioner or training organization labels their practice. The terms are often used interchangeably.
I trained with the Forest Therapy Institute, which distinguishes between them. Forest bathing is a wellness practice to promote wellbeing in the general population. Forest therapy is a nature-based intervention for therapeutic outcomes done in association with mental health professionals.

I see other forest bathing walks or mindfulness/meditation in nature experiences. Are there differences between them?

Mindfulness highlights the attention to the here and now in a non-judgemental way. Meditation is about focusing in something particular to achieve a sense of calmness. Both of which are attentional skills which can be developed and practiced in almost any setting.
Forest bathing is a guided restorative experience always enabled by the presence of nature. Mindfulness can be either the only, or one of the components of the walk, depending on the practitioner and their training background.
I prefer to use an integrative approach, blending attentional with non-attentional techniques. Mindfulness is a part of every walk, but always in conjunction with other aspects of wellbeing, such as meaning, interpersonal interaction, expression, play, beauty, awe, or connection (both inwards and outwards). I believe this enhances the range of benefits for the participants.

Are all your walks the same?