As 2024 comes to an end we talk about the reciprocal nature of our practise and showing people how they can connect with nature on their doorstep in accessible places – so they can go back easily and form lasting connections. We talk about guiding shorter sessions and still helping people find that connection in the best way for them. Note: We are joined by Newt the aged Greyhound and our foster pup Quinn during this one, so we do get a bit distracted for a moment by dogs! “The beauty about f...

When are guiding we aim to have 'one foot in and one foot out', meaning that we are able to benefit from the session along with our guests, but that we also need to keep our awareness' to ensure we look after the group and remain the guide. It can be a tricky line to keep sometimes and we talk more here about how we deal with being vulnerable in front of guests and remaining professional. We've both been busy guiding recently and for different types of people; work colleagues, research group...

This is the start of a series of episodes focusing on specific areas that are important to us as guides. Our first one the importance of safe spaces and vulnerability. Why? Quite simply because we've spent too many years being judged by others and not feeling comfortable in certain settings. Species survive by having ‘tending’ relationships with other species; we look after, or out for each other. If we don’t receive this from the people around us, we start to feel sad, defensive, left out o...

We start with a rather profound realisation – I caught up with Moose late on a Sunday night after a drive home and during the drive I started to believe “I am enough”. Conversations earlier in the evening had got me thinking about ‘how do we know things are just good enough as they are’ and ‘how do we know when to just leave things alone and not try to change or improve’? This then led me down the rabbit-hole of realising in the last 18 months I’ve managed to shed that feeling that “I’m just ...

We are back! It was fantastic to sit down with Moose again and blether about forest bathing. In this episode we catch up on what we've both been up too but also talk about forest bathing with children (including digging for dinosaurs); ecoanxiety in the younger generation and how forest bathing can help; health equity and removing barriers and also the importance of letting go of any egos as a guide. We also talk a lot about our new community forest bathing group in the Cairngorms. We meet ...

Join me as I chat with fellow guide, Jeannie during this episode; we recorded this back in December, when she was kind enough to sit down for a blether one winters evening. Jeannie guides under her company, Woodlands Breathing and is based in West Lothian, Scotland. During our chat we meander through the 'whys' and 'hows' of training to be a Nature and Forest Therapy Guide and current inspirations, making it a great episode if you are considering training or newly qualified. Jeannie has also...

The Cold – love it or hate it, for some, there is a fear of the cold or a hatred, for others a beauty of the peace that snow can bring (I'm in that camp). I love guiding sessions in winter and this episode starts with Ana’s first experience of guiding a session in the cold, (podcasting 101 – press record at the very start! So, what started as an anecdotal chat before we really started was actually interesting so it’s part recorded!) You still get the gist though. I met Ana in January 2020 (be...

The Podcast is back!….well kind of……but I need your help – and I’m not very good at asking for help. Give episode #21 a listen, it’s a hard one, not because there is anything especially upsetting but because I am incredibly self-conscious about how my voice sounds at the moment. I’ve tried to keep it short but have tried to explain where the podcast has gone over the past months. For all my 42 years of life, I have always relied on my voice and being able to blether to people, laugh and talk ...

For this episode we had the chance to chat with Ben Page. Ben was one of our trainers in LA in 2020 as myself and Moose began our journey to become Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and among many things he is now, also a published author. 2021 saw the release of his book, ‘Healing Trees; a pocket guide to forest bathing.’ Ben’s book is beautiful and comforting. Delivered in short, easy to read chunks, it is an easy read not because it is simple, but because it just flows and tricks you into r...

Welcome to our third podcast series. I’ve taken a while to get myself in gear for this one and that is mainly to my own pressurising and sometimes paralysing standards and expectations – I’m sure we can all relate to that at times! I’m really pleased that the first full episode of this series (episode 2) can be Ben Page. Ben was one of our trainers in 2020 and in 2021 he released his book; Healing Trees, a pocket guide to Forest Bathing, so hope on over to episode 2 and have a listen! More Ab...