I have always been deeply connected with nature, spending time in a beautiful, calm and tranquil forest restores my vitality after being drained by the hectic pace of city life. The constant noise of traffic, the rush of civilisation, and the endless M50 commute can really take its toll on my spirit. It is walking amongst the trees, on the soft carpet of pine needles, where I feel most at home. My soul can breathe; my body can rest.
I grew up in the midlands and spent most of my early life outdoors. Running through the fields, collecting wildflowers and making forts in the woods, being indoors felt like hell. My deep connection with nature helped me get through very tough times during my childhood. Nature was always there for me, always constant, protecting me, keeping me well. During my teenage years, particularly in times of stress, I would hop on my bike and cycle the 50km round trip to our nearest Forest Park. Spending time in the forest was my therapy. This is where the seeds were sown for my future career.
I went on to study social work and currently work part-time as a Senior Mental Health Social Worker in an adult inpatient unit. I am also completing a part time MA in Health Promotion. Throughout my career a recurrent theme that keeps arising is that people in times of great stress and trauma find solace by spending time in nature, walking by the sea, sitting on a park bench, walking in a forest.
As a result of my awareness of the importance of nature contact for physical and mental health, I trained as a nature guide in South Africa in 2008 and completed an internship with the South African National Parks in 2010. It was during this time that I witnessed the power of nature to heal and restore people. I would bring groups of children, from extremely disadvantaged areas who had experienced significant trauma, into the park. I would see them coming alive before my eyes. On arrival, the children would barely speak and be very withdrawn. At the end of their three days, they would be racing around, laughing, rolling in the grass, and climbing trees. In 2014 in order to enhance my expertise in improving health and wellbeing through contact with nature, I travelled to Sonoma County in the United States and trained as a Forest Therapy Guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides & Programs.
Forest Therapy, also known as Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) in Japan is gaining international recognition as intervention which is effective in reducing stress and buffering against the development of psychological disorders by promoting positive mental health and enhancing general wellbeing. It is well established in the United States of America. During a typical forest therapy session people are encouraged to mindfully move through the landscape, connect to their senses through sensory connection invitations and mindfulness activities in a forest setting.
In my work in adult mental health, I see a lack of connection to self, to others, to the natural environment as a major barrier to recovery. Encouraging people to gently connect to their senses by feeling the dew on the grass, smelling the lavender growing in the hospital grounds and simply noticing the colours of the leaves can be very powerful. John O’ Donohue’s poem “For the Senses” opens the Forest Therapy sessions:
“May the touch of your skin register the beauty of the otherness that surrounds you; may your listening be attuned to the deeper silence, where sound is honed to bring distance home”.
A typical walk lasts about three hours and people are introduced to the wonders, beauty, and peace of the forest environment. The pace is very gentle which encourages people to slow down and to come out of their heads and into their bodies.
People are supported to connect with nature by listening to the rustling of the leaves and the sound of the birds; smelling the scent of the trees and sap; witnessing the light dancing through the tree; and touching various woodland textures. The sense of interconnectedness that people experience can be spiritual in nature. Nature connection can be enhanced by the use of a sit spot, walking in silence, and turning off technology. There is a strong link between nature connectedness and happiness. Forests are also known as restorative environments, providing much needed respite from a hectic world. With Forest Therapy, the forest is the therapist, the guide slows people down and encourages reflection through group processing. Use of the expressive arts can also be integrated, such as nature poetry, movement in nature, environmental art and expressive writing.
After these walks, people describe having more energy, feeling more alive, having greater clarity, being more relaxed and seeing the forest with fresh eyes. Numerous studies conducted in different countries around the world have demonstrated the physical, psychological, and social health benefits of Forest Therapy. These include lowered blood pressure, heart rate, stress reduction, better mood, reduced anxiety, improved concentration, quicker recovery from surgery, enhanced immune functioning, and improved sleep.
In 2015, I set up Nature Health and Wellbeing Ireland to promote awareness of the many health and wellbeing benefits of connecting with nature. I wanted to combine my knowledge and skills from social work, health promotion, and various nature trainings to develop holistic evidence based interventions to enhance positive mental health and wellbeing. Today I offer a range of Forest Therapy and Ecotherapy interventions mainly in the Dublin/ Wicklow areas.
If you would like to know more about my work please visit: naturehealthandwellbeing.ie and sign up to my mailing list.
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