Meet your guide…

Aloha! I'm Hawaiʻi's first certified forest therapy guide and the owner and founder of Forest Bathing Hawaiʻi. I was born and raised in Honolulu, and live there now in a valley that has been home to my family for more than 60 years.  Forest Bathing Hawaiʻi has been recommended by The New York Times, National Geographic, Lonely Planet, and United Airlines. Treehugger named our walks one of 2021ʻs best green travel experiences; Forbes "one of the top five travel experiences in the world."

The early part of my career was spent in the professional theatre on the US mainland; later, back on O‘ahu, in marketing and communications. But I've always loved the outdoors. An avid hiker, I belong to the Hawaiian Trail & Mountain Club and have trekked in the Grand Canyon, the Pacific Northwest, Provence (France), and the Kumano Kodo and Nakasendo trails of Japan. While in Japan, I toured the birthplace of Shinrin-yoku, the Akasawa Natural Recreational Forest, and the Okutama Forest Therapy Base.

I received my forest therapy guide training and certification from the Association of Nature & Forest Therapy Guides & Programs in 2018 and have now guided a record more than 500 walks. I am also certified in Wilderness First Aid, as an ANFT Forest Therapy Trail Consultant, and a consultant for the global network Wellbeing Inspired by Nature to bring a holistic approach to workplace wellness through nature connection.

Recently, I was part of a team that introduced relational forest therapy to the neighboring island of Maui as a response to the traumatic fires of 2023. Through the Healing Trees project, I not only facilitated forest bathing experiences for fire survivors and the general population, but raised funds to provide for partial scholarships for a number of Maui residents to train as forest therapy guides in order to provide ongoing service to their community as it recovers and rebuilds. (See video.)

I now guide private groups by appointment only. If you are looking for a customized forest bathing experience on Oʻahu, please contact me. You'll find more details about the various venues at which I guide on my website. I look forward to opening the door to this potent practice, to your unique connection to the natural beauty of our islands, and to your own nature.