NEWS

Forest Bathing: What Is It? Should You Try It?

Photos by Skip Cook

Immersed in the forest, one can find much more than meets the eye. By “bathing” in nature, you can begin to look deeper.

What is Forest Bathing?

“What is forest bathing?” is Stacey Vinci’s favorite and most frequently asked question. Vinci, a Licensed Therapist and Certified Forest Therapy Guide, hears it from first-time forest bathers all the time.

“Forest bathing to me is an embodied experience that supports physical health, emotional wellness, and holistic healing while helping participants strengthen their relationship with the natural land,” says Vinci.

Photo by Skip Cook

On the outside, forest bathing might look like a hike or a walk in the woods, but this therapeutic practice with ancient Japanese roots involves engaging all the senses for stillness, awareness, and relaxation. It is not about reaching a scenic destination; it’s about discovering your inner sense of nature. And in the age of falsely associating success and reward with being busy, forest bathing is offering a release.

Vinci has been practicing for nearly 14 years and has guided people from various walks, backgrounds, abilities, and lived experiences through forest bathing.

Her mission is to offer a safe space for each forest bather to invite the healthy, restorative benefits of nature. That’s one of her key takeaways from training with the Association for Nature and Forest Therapy:

“The forest is the therapist; it’s the guide that opens the doors.”

Putting the “REST” in forest

Wildlands Conservancy seemed like a natural partner for Vinci. Our nature preserves piqued her interest when she caught the bug to explore, get outside, and discover “the beautiful, preserved lands of PA,” as she describes.

Her favorite outdoor activities include stepping into a new realm of the forest, especially during the changing of the seasons. She describes it as “awe and wonder.”

What if the cure for burnout was in the quiet hush of the lush woodlands of South Mountain Preserve and Black River Sanctuary?

Photo by Skip Cook

“Nature also offers an abundance of health and healing benefits, supported by scientific research, cross-culturally and globally, including improved mental health, increased sleep, immune system support, and regulation of our nervous system, heart rate, and blood pressure,” she says.

Nature offers the strength to recover

Physical and emotional well-being come with forest bathing, and for Vinci’s clients, it’s an essential component to recovery, too. The programs have created communities, which have created social connections, which have created a critical sense of belonging.

Vinci has a heart for helping people and watching them transform, much like nature throughout the seasons. Her line of work is constantly inspiring her.

Photos by Skip Cook

“To witness authenticity, strength, vulnerability, recovery, and growth in all forms is a profound experience that I cherish greatly,” Vinci says.

It’s what keeps her showing up nearly 15 years into the job, which is less of a job to her and more of a privilege.

Wildlands Conservancy is offering a series of Forest Bathing experiences with Stacey Vinci’s guidance, as well as a number of private programs in partnership with Sync Recovery to support the recovery community.

September 14, 2025 – REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT IS FULL Forest Bathing: Bike & Boat Adventure, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM at Sand Island Park, in Bethlehem, PA

December 6, 2025 – Winter Solstice Forest Bathing for Wellness and Recovery, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM at Black River Sanctuary in Bethlehem, PA

March 27, 2026 – Spring Equinox Forest Bathing for Wellness and Recovery, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM at Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary in Emmaus, PA

June 21, 2026 – Summer Solstice Forest Bathing for Wellness and Recovery, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM at Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary in Emmaus, PA

These programs are free, thanks to generous support from Lehigh Valley Greenways Conservation Landscape.

RELATED POSTS