Forest Therapy: A Walk in the Forest Does a World of Good

Forest therapy is simple. Participants are guided on an outdoor experience designed to support health and wellness through immersion in natural environments, sometimes called ecotherapy or forest bathing. California State University at Chico offers place-based, holistic healing practices to Chico State students, staff and faculty, community members and individuals impacted by wildfire in Butte County/The program’s mission is to promote the well-being of both people and the land through guided therapeutic and restorative activities in local natural environment, including ecotherapy walks through local parks and forests. The program is built on a growing body of research that demonstrates the physical and mental health benefits from prolonged exposure to nature. We have found that this research confirms what most of us have intuited on our own since childhood – that being outside is good for us.

Forest therapy provide clarity and improves immune system response

Part of the research behind forest therapy concerns a chemical compound produced by certain trees called phytoncides. Plants produce these substances as a way of protecting themselves from infection, diseases, funguses and parasites. These phytoncides are found in higher concentration in the air of forested environments and it is hypothesized that they may explain some of the health benefits of immersing ourselves in nature. Prolonged exposure to forested environments is believed to improve clarity of mind, reduce the presence of certain stress hormones and may improve the immune system through the production of certain white blood cells.

Certified forest therapy guides facilitate immersion in nature

Each of our walks is led by a forest therapy guide that has been certified through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. This training program was funded through the North Valley Community Foundation to certify local professionals from a wide variety of fields after the Camp Fire to address the trauma brought on by that and other natural disasters.

During each walk, a certified forest therapy guide offers invitations to deepen sensory experience and facilitate interaction with nature. If you’ve ever jumped in a pile of leaves, looked under rocks for bugs, noticed a distinctive tree or done any other simple, intuitive, childlike exploration of nature, you can do forest therapy. There’s no wrong way and lots of right ways to do it. Nothing is mandatory and no particular outcome is expected. Everything is welcome. Our nature immersion sessions typically end with tea made from wild-harvested forest herbs near where we host the walks and seasonal snacks.

I find myself daydreaming during the more mundane aspects of my job about doing forest therapy. It’s something that I get excited about and from which I have had fruitful outcomes – although not necessarily the outcomes I expected to have. In a professional clinical world dominated by words – talking, trainings, books, reading, articles, interviews – it can feel like so many words fail to yield actual results when it comes to the stuff of real life. Being in nature and looking deeply into it can put all our special professional language into a humbler perspective. Peace. Patience. Wholeness. These are the things we crave and what nature quietly offers in abundance. Much is accomplished with silence by nature.

To learn more about the CSUC ecotherapy program and location, dates and times of ecotherapy walks, visit csuchico.edu/ecotherapy. Ecotherapy walks are also posted on the North State Parent community calendar. northstateparent.com/calendar.