The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world in ways we’re still learning to understand. But alongside the challenges and uncertainty, it also revealed something powerful: our deep need for nature.

Many of us turned to the outdoors for comfort and clarity when everything else felt chaotic. And in that turning, we rediscovered something ancient and true—nature heals. As a certified Forest Therapy Guide and holistic nurse, I’ve witnessed firsthand how this practice can help people recover from stress, burnout, and disconnection.

In this post, I want to share what the pandemic taught us about mental health, how forest therapy can support our healing, and why this gentle, nature-based practice is more relevant than ever.

The Mental Health Impact of COVID-19

During the pandemic, many people felt overwhelmed by fear, isolation, and constant uncertainty. According to the World Health Organization, anxiety and depression rose by 25% globally during the first year alone.

For healthcare workers like myself, the weight was even heavier. Burnout, emotional exhaustion, and moral fatigue became daily realities. As Beginnings, the journal of the American Holistic Nurses Association, noted, one of the greatest lessons from this time was the critical importance of holistic self-care—caring for not just our bodies, but our minds and spirits too.

This wasn’t about bubble baths and spa days. It was about reconnection—with ourselves, our purpose, and the natural world.

Nature as a Healing Force

During lockdowns and social distancing, many of us instinctively turned to local parks, trails, or even our backyards. We walked, we breathed, we noticed. And unknowingly, we were participating in a healing practice now known as Forest Therapy.

I didn’t always have the words for it, but I’ve long known nature as my refuge. Long before I became a certified guide, I walked into the woods to process emotions, release stress, and find clarity. The forest held me through some of the hardest times—including the pandemic. And I know I’m not alone in that.

What Is Forest Therapy?

Also known as Shinrin-yoku or “forest bathing,” Forest Therapy is a practice rooted in slowing down, being present, and engaging with nature through the senses. It’s not about exercise or destination—it’s about connection.

As a guide, I lead participants through a sequence of gentle invitations that help open up awareness and deepen their relationship with the living world around them. We listen, we notice, we share. And through this mindful presence, something shifts—internally and externally.

Mental Health Benefits of Forest Therapy

The link between mental health and time in nature is well established. Research shows that immersion in green spaces can reduce anxiety and depression, improve mood, and even boost cognitive function.

Participants on my walks often tell me they feel lighter, more grounded, and more present afterward. Some share that they didn’t even realize how disconnected they were from their own bodies or emotions until they had the chance to slow down.

One person told me, “I didn’t know how much I needed this until I was in it.” That’s the power of forest therapy—it gently brings us back to ourselves.

The Science Behind the Practice

Forest Therapy isn’t just a feel-good activity—it’s backed by science. Forest environments have been shown to:

• Lower cortisol (the body’s stress hormone)

• Reduce heart rate and blood pressure

• Boost immune function through exposure to phytoncides (natural oils released by trees)

• Activate the parasympathetic nervous system (our “rest and digest” mode)

In short, nature helps our bodies recover from stress—something so many of us desperately needed, and still do.

A Spiritual and Emotional Connection

Beyond the physical and mental benefits, forest therapy often touches something deeper—a sense of belonging, awe, and interconnectedness. Being in nature reminds us that we’re part of a much larger story. It helps us hold life’s beauty and its difficulty with a little more grace.

During the pandemic, when grief and fear felt overwhelming, nature offered a quiet steadiness. The trees kept growing. The birds kept singing. There was comfort in that rhythm.

Forest Therapy invites us to remember that rhythm, to reconnect with it, and to let it hold us when we need it most.

Why a Guided Experience Matters

Of course, anyone can benefit from being in nature—but a guided Forest Therapy walk offers something unique. As a guide, I help create intentional space for reflection, awareness, and connection. Each session includes time to share, time to be quiet, and time to simply be.

For those navigating stress, grief, or transition, this kind of supportive container can be deeply healing.

During the height of the pandemic, a new era emerged, walks that could be led even led virtual sessions, guiding participants from their homes or local parks. It’s a flexible, accessible practice—and it meets people wherever they are.

Looking Forward: Nature as Medicine

As we continue to emerge from the pandemic and recalibrate our lives, I believe Forest Therapy will only become more important. It offers us a way to recover—not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.

Whether you’re a healthcare worker seeking balance, a parent navigating burnout, or simply a human who’s feeling overwhelmed, Forest Therapy is a gentle path back to wholeness.

An Invitation to Reconnect

If you’re feeling the pull to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect—with yourself, with others, and with the natural world—I’d love to walk alongside you.

I offer in-person Forest Therapy walks and virtual sessions for those who prefer to connect from wherever they are.

🌿 If this speaks to you, I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to send me a message—let’s explore what kind of experience might support you best.

The forest is always waiting.