Forest Therapy at Riverbend

Family Forest Bathing at Riverbend with Wild Philadelphia

Let go of your to-do list and reconnect with nature and your family, with a relaxing forest bathing walk!

Forest bathing (also known as forest therapy) is a mindful experience that takes us out of our thinking brains, and into our senses in the present moment. In this family-friendly walk, your certified guide from Wild Philadelphia will take you through a playful sequence of invitations to help you engage with the land through all of your senses. As we move through each invitation, there will also be time to share with the group, to help us re-engage our listening skills. The walk will conclude with a special tea ceremony and twilight campfire, featuring a locally foraged tea.

We will cover less than a mile, and the walk will not include strenuous activity. Participants will be standing and sitting for periods up to 20 minutes, and we will cover some uphill terrain. Walks take place with light rain or shine, but will be postponed in the event of severe inclement weather. 

This walk is recommended for adults and children ages 7+. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

ABOUT FOREST THERAPY

The roots of Forest Therapy as practiced by Wild Philadelphia begin with the Japanese practice of shinrin yoku, or “forest bathing.” This standard preventative health practice in Japan, refers to “bathing” in the beneficial chemicals emitted by trees, which research has shown to provide a myriad of health and wellness benefits. In 2012, M. Amos Clifford founded the Association of Nature & Forest Therapy (ANFT) here in the US. Amos combined elements of Japanese forest bathing with his four decades of experience in wilderness guiding, Zen meditation, psychotherapy, and educational consulting, to create a framework for “Forest Therapy” – the version of nature connection increasingly practiced here in the US. 

Research has shown that Forest Therapy can:

• reduce stress
• lower cortisol levels
• reduce blood pressure
•  increase the production of disease-fighting Natural Killer (NK) cells
•  increase energy
• improve sleep and mood

The ANFT style of Forest Therapy builds on those benefits and looks beyond – to what happens when people remember that we are a part of nature, not separate from it, and are related to all other beings in fundamental ways. 

This walk is recommended for adults and children ages 7+. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

**PLEASE NOTE**

This walk will be limited to no more than 10 people. Masks are required, and we ask each guest to bring their own cup/mug for tea ceremony.