This is my first ever blog post!
Some years ago a psychic told me I would write professionally and the name Wood was going to be significant…..little did I know they were seeing me blogging about becoming a Forest Therapy guide!
I’m Sonya, I’m a certified forest therapy guide and I run Adore Your Outdoors and since this is my first blog (yikes!), I thought I’d take the opportunity to say hi and explain what you can expect if you subscribe.
What to expect?
I’ll be talking all things forest bathing, shedding light on the practice known as Shinrin-Yoku in Japan, and sharing hints and tips with you to help you with your own nature connection journeys.
If you’ve heard about forest bathing recently in the media, perhaps you’re wondering how it compares to forest therapy, and thinking it all sounds very much like a fancy term for a walk in the woods? I’ll be explaining how it’s so much more than that, involving sensory activation, guided meditations and mindfulness exercises.
I’ll also cover some of the frequently asked questions, such as, “Do I have to go swimming?” (well I guess I can tell you now the answer is, “No, you don’t have to do anything unless you want to!”).
I’ll also be sharing the latest research proving the healing benefits to both physical health and emotional wellbeing, and also how nature connection can fundamentally change who you are, resulting in a closer, more reciprocal relationship with the natural world. And as we face the climate emergency, never has there been a more critical time to appreciate our environment.
I plan on blogging every couple of weeks.
What’s in it for you?
Well, if swapping your responsibilities for 3 hours of peace and quiet in nature sounds appealing, read on! 3 hours might sound a lot, but you only need to do this once or twice a month to feel the benefits, and isn’t it about time you prioritised your own self-care?
Now more than ever we need to look after ourselves and forest therapy helps reduce stress, tackle insomnia and anxiety, and build resilience. I suffered with anxiety and sleep issues for 20 years, so I totally get it! But perhaps you’re unsure about coming along on your own (don’t be) or worried you’ll be called a tree-hugger (so what?).
I hope what you learn in the blog reassures you that forest bathing is for everyone and encourages you to try a guided forest therapy experience, either with me or another guide, so you can relax, turn off the chatter in the mind and move towards being the person you are meant to be. I will also share some exercises that you can do on your own even if you only have 20 mins on a lunch break or waiting for the kids after school.
Subscribe to learn more
I’ll introduce myself a bit more in the next blog. If you are interested in learning more in the meantime, do not hesitate to read the FAQs, contact me via email or reach out to me on social media links above.
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