Forest Therapy is a healing practice that weaves together the japanese art of shinrin yoku, or “forest bathing,” and elements of Jungian psychology, to help individuals slow down and cultivate a deeper sense of connection both with nature, and with themselves.
Join ANFT Certified Forest Therapy Guide, Jess Gregan, for an introductory workshop exploring the benefits of this increasingly popular practice.
Nature and Forest Therapy is a powerful antidote to the stresses of an industrialized, rapidly urbanizing society, where busyness is often used as a measure of worth. You’re invited to join us, and learn how this practice can help us heal our imbalanced relationships with time, with each other, and with ourselves.
Session 1: Info Session - March 5th 7:30-8:30
In this evening info session, we’ll learn about the history & health benefits of forest therapy, as well as the global movement to restore the human relationship with nature. We’ll include time for Q&A, and a wildcrafted tea will be served.
Cost $10** Pay at the Door
(***All those who attend will get $5 off the Guided Walk on April 5)
About Jess Gregan
Certified Forest Therapy Guide
Owner & Founder, Wild Philadelphia LLC
“This is not our world with trees in it. It's a world of trees, where humans have just arrived.” -Richard Powers
In her prior work as a chamber of commerce director, Jess worked extensively with entrepreneurs, Fortune 50 corporations and a variety of nonprofits. She noticed the accomplished professionals she worked with all had something in common – they couldn’t slow down. When asked how things were going, “busy” was the correct answer. The more you put on your plate, the more “worthy” and successful you could seem. She felt herself falling into this trap too, and decided to make a radical shift in her career trajectory.
Jess’s mission for her forest therapy practice is to help busy folks from all backgrounds to heal their relationships with time, with the environment, and with themselves. Her approach to Forest Therapy helps individuals cultivate greater self-awareness, deeper listening skills, empathy, and an understanding that we are all part of the same ecosystem.
Jess views Forest Therapy as a mechanism for broad social change that will help repair the connection between human beings and the natural world they are a part of. Forest therapy helps people to fall in love with nature – and when you love something, you want to protect it. Forest Therapy has also helped Jess find her truest self -- who she is at the core, beyond all of the roles she plays in society. She believes that this unique experience, when practiced over time, can help individuals find lasting peace and a grounded sense of self that can often elude us in a stressed-out world.
Her core values for her practice are: Reciprocity, Empathy, Creativity, Flexibility, and Trust. She would love to work with you on deepening your connection to the natural world, and to your truest self!