Forest Therapy
Research has shown that a three hour Forest Therapy walk has significant physical and mental health benefits and has positive immune system effect that can last for several days after your experience.
What is Forest Therapy?
Stemming from an ancient Japanese belief that forests are places for rejuvenation and healing, ‘Shinrinyoku’ (translated as ‘forest bathing’) has become a key part of government funded preventative health care in Japan and South Korea. It originated in Japan in the 1980’s as the government’s response to an increasingly stressed and urbanised population.
The idea that simply being in a forest can aid relaxation and well-being is increasingly being supported by science. Given its universality and ease of application Forest Therapy is taking off as a practice that addresses some of the main health issues in modern industrialised societies.
What happens on a Forest Therapy walk?
Participants are guided along a trail in a beautiful forested area for approximately 3 hours.
We stop at selected spots along the way for different activities that are designed to bring about relaxation and connect us with our senses and the place.
Locations are chosen for their own unique natural qualities, access to facilities such as parking and bathrooms and for their safety.
What does Forest Therapy do for you?
Here’s how some of our clients have answered that question after coming with us on a walk:
“I feel calmer, more connected to myself and the space around me.”
“I‘m relaxed and re-energised.”
“I would love to do it as a weekly practice. Not just a fun thing to do, but a critical missing link in my life.”
“I feel lighter and stress-free.”
Why go on a guided Forest Therapy walk?
You can always go into a beautiful natural place on your own and you may feel better after being there. However going with a guide means that you generally experience the benefits quicker and more profoundly than going alone.
On a guided Forest Therapy walk your phone is turned off, you’re given specific things to focus on and you don’t have to think about where to go or what to do. Someone else does all of that for you, and you just have to be present, follow some simple instructions and enjoy yourself.
Your inner child is released and you’ll find yourself noticing and doing simple things that bring you joy and peace. Doing this together with other people can add another enriching dimension to the experience.
Guides trained to international standards
Our Forest Therapy Guides not only have an innate passion for nature and forests, but are trained by the International Nature and Forest Therapy Alliance (INFTA), using a curriculum based on evaluation by over 120 international experts. The training process blends a scientific understanding of what works to decrease stress and accelerate relaxation, with the magic and craft of guiding people to make their own discoveries.
Locations
We offer Forest Therapy sessions in and around Melbourne, Australia.
Gresswell Forest
A true hidden gem in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, this roughly 80 hectare track of plains grassy woodland is perfect for Forest Therapy. There’s a good chance that you’ll meet its resident mob of kangaroos as you wind your way amongst gnarly old river red gums. Hear the pobblebonk frogs croaking at the billabong and see native wildflowers blooming in spring.
The terrain is flat and the ground open, so walking off the footpaths along kangaroo tracks is safe and allows your inner adventurer to emerge. For many years the land that is now Gresswell Forest was used to help rehabilitate shell-shocked soldiers returning from war. It continues to rehabilitate today as times spent in the forest helps us to deal better with the stress and anxiety of modern life.
Coming on one of our forest therapy walks at Gresswell is a great option for those who prefer a flat terrain and short walks with more time for contemplative activities. It’s also easy access for those living in or near Melbourne’s north. Housing estates have sprung up around its edges so it’s not as wild as some other locations, but for suburban Melbourne it’s pretty impressive!
Dandenong Ranges
A true forest experience with towering Mountain Ash and clear, bubbling creeks lined with tree ferns. Feel the clean air on your lungs, the damp soil underfoot and hear King Parrots call as the wind ruffles the giant tree tops above.
A forest therapy session here is perfect for those wanting to escape the city and who have a bit more time up their sleeve. There are some steep sections and more walking involved at this site (roughly 5 kilometres on defined trails.) If blending sensory activities in nature with exercise is your cup of tea, and you’re reasonably fit then our forest therapy sessions at the Dandenongs would suit you.
You Yangs
The You Yangs is a special pocket of rocky wilderness west of Melbourne. It’s made up of 365 million year old granite rock that rises abruptly out of the surrounding Western volcanic plains. It was a special place for the Wathaurong people for tens of thousands of years and that reverence can still be felt. Be awed by the granite boulders and stunning views of Port Phillip Bay and the Bellarine Peninsula. Wander through the River Red Gums and wattles and look out for the koalas, swamp wallabies and eastern grey kangaroos that call this place home.
In this relatively open landscape we’ll be walking off defined trails. Forest Therapy here will suit you if you enjoy a drier landscape, are physically fit to walk on some steep sections and have a real appreciation for ancient rocks and distant views.
