DC Forest Bathing

Relaxing nature and forest therapy walks in DC's most beautiful wildspaces with certified guides. Immerse yourself in the healing benefits of nature. Forest bathing, or shinrin yoku, is simple: by spending leisurely time in nature, we achieve scientifically-demonstrated health benefits while simultaneously transforming our relationship to the natural environment. Guided walks facilitate sensory awareness, invite you to slow down, and open the door for nature to do its healing. We aim to reconnect Washingtonians to the beautiful lands integrated into our city while finding ease and freedom. Our walks privilege enjoying sensory experiences over physical exertion like a great hike or intellectual understanding like a naturalist tour. Through a mentoring technique that encourages sharing without judgment or analysis, participants learn from and teach each other, enriching the experience and deepening relationships to humans and non-humans. The Japanese coined the phrase "shinrin yoku" in the 1980s; it is now a cornerstone of preventative health and well-being in many countries. Robust, peer-reviewed scientific literature has well-established the benefits of spending time under the canopy of the forest, including increased immunity, lower blood pressure, lower cortisol levels, lowered heart rate, and numerous others. In the US, nature and forest therapy has taken off in recent years, led by the efforts of the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides (shinrin-yoku.org).