We are great at getting stressed, but not so diligent about de-stressing or calming our nervous system. The good news is that we can get better at handling stress by getting better at calming ourselves. We can get better by learning how our system works and practicing techniques to return to our balanced state. Forest bathing is a technique for those who haven’t done either because you don’t need to be good at it, your body already knows what to do.
Research has found that when trees are injured or bothered by a pest, they release pheromones to communicate to other trees to amp up their immune systems, danger is near. Because we have evolved under the forests’ protective canopies, when we detect the forests’ immune systems engaging, our own immune system becomes engaged. We unconsciously protect ourselves by becoming more relaxed.
I think of this effect as our bodies recognizing when they are at home.
The coolest thing about spending time in Nature is that your body and mind does this automatically. You don’t have to actively do anything.
To Forest Bathe, go into Nature, recognize that your body is relaxing, and remember that you are not visiting Nature, you are Nature.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves."
Ursula de Vries
Registered Psychologist
Ursula is a Registered Provisional Psychologist at Reclaim Your Nature Psychotherapy in Calgary. She works with teens (16+), adults, couples, Indigenous, LGBTQ2SIA+, Veterans, and more. Daytime and evening appointments.
