Extension Master Naturalists offer forest therapy experiences to help with stress relief
Autumn is the perfect time to get out and enjoy the changing leaf colors and unplug with a shinrin-yoku experience in your local forest.
What’s shinrin-yoku, you might ask?
Shinrin-yoku is the Japanese art of forest bathing – or taking in your natural surroundings using the five senses to help reduce stress levels. November is the perfect time to explore woodland trails in Virginia and enjoy the scientifically proven stress relief benefits of shinrin-yoku, as the leaves show their fall colors.
Virginia Cooperative Extension trains and supports 30 Virginia Master Naturalist chapters around the state who lead forest bathing experiences as one of their many volunteer programs, in addition to providing education, outreach, and service to benefit natural areas and natural resources in their communities.
“I discovered shinrin-yoku about four years ago, but I have been practicing it all my life,” said Daina Henry, an Extension Master Naturalist in Peninsula chapter. “I had changed jobs, and my office had no window, so I would go outside and walk in nature or work in a garden at lunch. Learning about forest therapy and forest immersion just reinforced what I already knew – I felt better when I was outside.”
Henry leads a forest bathing experience once a month for the public and members of her Master Naturalist chapter. Forest bathing can have health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, boosting the immune system, and alleviating stress. It can also help clear the mind and increase creativity.
“I offer it at no charge because nature does not charge me for walking and de-stressing,” Henry said. “Life is stressful for so many people, if I can share what I learned, all the better. Besides, when practicing and sharing forest immersion, I also benefit; I feel better.”
Emily Hampton of the Merrimac Farm Master Naturalist chapter volunteers to lead forest bathing programs at Prince William Forest Park and Leopold’s Preserve in Broad Run.
“After retiring from the Navy, I completed my forest bathing certification through the Association of Forest Therapy Guides and Programs in 2020, and then became a Master Naturalist in 2022 to increase my knowledge of the natural world,” Hampton said. “I give these experiences as I am driven by my love of trees and my concern for the environment. I believe forest bathing teaches people to love the forest, and people preserve what they love.”
Ana Ka'ahanui, a Virginia Master Naturalist with the Fairfax chapter and a certified forest therapy guide, leads forest bathing experiences in the greater Washington, D.C., metro area. “While the majority of my Master Naturalist volunteer hours are citizen-science focused, I remind people of the practice of forest bathing as a means of nature connection.”
We all lead busy lives and stopping to admire the natural beauty of Virginia can not only be a sight to behold but also have rewarding health benefits.
Learn more through Extension’s publication about shinrin-yoku and stress reduction. Give yourself a five-minute forest therapy break with this video explaining more about shinrin-yoku.
Contact your local Master Naturalist Program to find out if forest bathing experiences are offered in your area.
