1st Forest Therapy Guide Training in Japan
Finally, Forest Therapy has come to Japan – courtesy of INFTA and the Kyoto Botanical Gardens. As a special incentive for the Public celebrating its 100th anniversary, INFTA offered the world’s first Forest Therapy Guide training at the Kyoto Botanical Gardens. This exclusive international workshop was held 12-16 June 2024 with participants from Australia, China, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Spain and Vietnam. While it was possible for Japanese to obtain a Shinrin-yoku guide certificate through some short courses offered online, a full-fledged, six-months mentored and supervised training to become qualified as INFTA-Certified and Accredited Forest Therapy Guides based on the International Core Curriculum of Forest Therapy was not available … until now! The exclusive training workshop attracted a lot of attention and, most definitely, will set new standards in Forest Therapy Guide training and recognition of this innovative profession in Japan. The next such training workshops in Japan are already in the pipeline due to the high demand. INFTA appreciates the recognition of its training standards in Japan, endorsed by the management of the Kyoto Botanical Gardens. INFTA expresses its gratitude for the outstanding support during the training workshop by Director Dr. Hiroshi Tobe and Deputy Director, Mr. Masanori Kobayashi.
Forest Therapy Meets Shinrin-yoku
The concept of Shinrin-yoku (“immersion in the forest”) was revived in modern times in the 1980s in Japan. Holiday and tourist locations in the mountains embraced Shinrin-yoku and dozens of “Forest Therapy Bases” sprung up across all prefectures in Japan. Despite several research efforts, especially led by Prof. Dr. Yoshifumi Miyazaki and his team at Chiba University, Shinrin-yoku, unfortunately, did not become an integral part of Japan’s national health system. But it was Professor Miyazaki who realized the potential and coined the English phrase “Forest Therapy”. This allowed for Shinrin-yoku to become more aware outside Japan. Now, Forest Therapy has returned to Japan – courtesy of INFTA and the Kyoto Botanical Gardens. As a special incentive for the Public celebrating its 100th anniversary, the Kyoto Botanical Garden invited interested participants to join several Forest Therapy sessions, conducted by INFTA during 12-16 June 2024, free-of-charge. All sessions were very well attended and participants from all across Japan enjoyed and learned about the health benefits of these professionally conducted Forest Therapy sessions. As a result, INFTA – together with Professor Miyazaki and his team – will spearhead renewed efforts to professionalize and standardize Forest Therapy for it to become an integral part of Japan’s advanced health system in the near future.
Forest Therapy for students
INFTA’s President, Susan Joachim, introduces Forest Therapy and the world’s first, campus-based Forest Therapy trail at Deakin University. The new Forest Therapy trail at the eco-friendly and nicely landscaped Waurn Ponds campus near Geelong, Victoria, offers the possibility for Forest Therapy sessions right on campus for students and staff. Enjoy the video below which is copyrighted and courtesy of Deakin University. https://infta.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/FT_Waurn_Ponds_Deakin_University_640x480.mp4
World’s first campus-based Forest Therapy trail open
The successful collaboration between INFTA’s experts and staff from Deakin University – the No. 1 university when it comes to educational experience in Victoria – bore fruit: the world’s first campus-based Forest Therapy trail, certified and accredited by INFTA, opened with a set of standardized Forest Therapy sessions led by INFTA’s President, Susan Joachim, on Monday, 15 April 2024. The new Forest Therapy trail at the eco-friendly and beautifully landscaped Waurn Ponds campus near Geelong, Victoria, offers the possibility for Forest Therapy sessions right on campus for students and staff. The first pilot study, led by Associate Professor Melissa O’Shea from the School of Psychology within the Faculty of Health, has measured to which degree students’ stress and anxiety levels were reduced by participating in a Forest Therapy session. The data collection during 10 Forest Therapy sessions, conducted successfully by INFTA-Certified and Accredited Forest Therapy Guides, was completed in May with results expected to be published later this year.
Forest Therapy for international students in Victoria
It is with great pleasure to learn that INFTA has been awarded a Study Melbourne Inclusion Program grant by the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions in Victoria to conduct Forest Therapy sessions for hundreds of international students. INFTA appreciates the support of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne where these sessions will be conducted in August 2024. The aim of the proposed project is to alleviate stress prevalent among international students and offer them an opportunity to connect with each other, develop an appreciation for the environment and become more nature-connected.
Another Forest Therapy Guide Training
Another introductory Forest Therapy Guide training workshop has been conducted successfully at the pristine location of the Pallotti College in the Yarra Valley outside Melbourne. Participants from Queensland, South Australia and Victoria enjoyed their first learning steps as part of the six-months supervised and mentored practicum utilizing our state-of-art INFTA Learning Management System. The brilliant weather helped greatly to prepare the new batch of trainees – this time round predominantly male participants – for their first guided Forest Therapy session, held free for the Public on Saturday, 9 March 2024. Wishing all Forest Therapy Guide trainees a successful completion of their practicum choosing their own, suitable Forest Therapy trail close to where they live.
Forest Therapy at the American College of Lifestyle Medicine
Prof. Dr. Dieter Kotte, INFTA’s Secretary & International Strategic Advisor, conducted a guest lecture for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM). His presentation “Implementing Forest Therapy at the ACLM” was addressed to members of the Nature as Medicine Subcommittee and outlined the importance and steps to integrate Forest Therapy as an evidence-based Public Health practice as the 7th pillar of Lifestyle Medicine. The presentation was well received and further steps of collaboration between ACLM and INFTA are under consideration.
Top 5 forest bathing spots in Australia
Leave the daily routine and stress behind and consider taking time out with “forest bathing”. The current top 5 destinations for recreational “forest bathing” and wellbeing surrounded by forest air and immersing in the solitude of nature have been summarized in a recent “Well Traveller” article. Most sought after are destinations where individual Forest Therapy sessions are offered by INFTA-Certified Forest Therapy Guides. Enjoy the article by clicking this link.
Podcast – The real healing happens outside
Invited by Coaching Outdoors, INFTA’s President, Susan Joachim, and INFTA’s Accredited Forest Therapy Guide, disucssed the opportunities of coaching and counselling in outdoor spaces during a recent podcast. Titled “The real healing happens outside” Susan explained and stressed the many health benefits when extending coaching clients from indoor settings to outdoors. Enjoy this podcast by clicking this link.
Geelong Nature Festival 2023
INFTA participated actively in the Geelong Nature Festival 2023, held at the Geelong Botanic Gardens on 8 October 2023. Hundreds of interested people from Geelong and surroundings strolled by to experience the many flowers and blossoming trees. INFTA’s President, Susan Joachim, and INFTA’s Accredited Forest Therapy Guide, Karyn Folwell, offered a free Forest Therapy taster session. Opening the session which led to the lush fern tree section in midst the Geelong Botanic Gardens, INFTA’s Secretary, Dr. Dieter Kotte, Honorary Associate Professor at the Faculty of Health, Deakin University, summarized the many health benefits of Forest Therapy and, especially, phytoncides to interested participants and passers-by.