Here are a few guidelines for being most comfortable and safe during our time together doing forest therapy.

Before your Forest Therapy:

• Dress for variable weather. We spend a lot of time in stillness, or very slow movement, so our body heat doesn’t keep us as warm as it would on a typical walk. In cold weather, DRESS MUCH WARMER than you think. Layers are your friend.

• Bring a blanket/mat/chair to sit/lay on during the overview, introductions, and guided meditation. This part can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the group size, length of session, etc., so don’t hesitate to bring what will make you most comfy. (I usually bring extras in case you forget.)

• Dress for various trail conditions — e.g. in the spring, the trail is often very muddy, and in the summer there can be lots of plant growth and accompanying insects. I do my best to keep us out of the wettest or muddiest spots, but if you’re prepared with shoes and pants you don’t mind getting muddy, or clothes to protect you from the plant growth and insects, it’s easier to relax into the experience!

• In buggy seasons, wear or bring insect repellent, and/or wear long pants and shoes if you are sensitive to bug bites.

• Learn about how to protect yourself from tick-born illness. See my Tick Awareness page.

• Bring water and anything else to keep yourself comfortable outside for a while, e.g. sunhat, sunglasses, snack, etc.

• Arrive a few minutes early, if you can, to give yourself time to find me and get settled in.

• Bathrooms: I try to utilize sites with access to a bathroom or port-o-potty, but this is not always the case, especially in the winter. Ask me ahead of time if this is a concern or curiosity for you.

During and After your Forest Therapy

• Stay on the paths to protect yourself from poison ivy, ticks, and scrapes, as well as to protect the ecosystem and the work of the people maintaining the habitat.

• Listen to your body. Do what feels good to you. It’s not a performance, and there are no expectations for you to participate in any ways that you aren’t comfortable with.

• Check for ticks before you head home, and do another full body tick check before you go to bed. (See my Tick Awareness page for more details.)