Have you ever bathed in a forest?

I’ve always loved trees. I’ve always loved hugs. But I had never actually gone tree hugging before…until af few weeks ago…when I went forest bathing at Oasi Zegna in Piemonte Italy.

It was an unexpectedly…er…uh…grounding experience that connected me with nature in a profound way.

It starts early

My own personal journey of “green wellness” started early…I have loved hiking since I was a child but rarely had I walked up trails like the Billy Goat in slow motion, one step at a time, as slow as possible, as you do when forest bathing.

At 16, I thought a good idea for summer, instead of comfy sleepover camp, would be to head to the Rocky Mountains of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho for a 30-day hiking expedition with Wilderness Ventures (with no shower for 30 days!!!).

And growing up I had a huge tree outside the window by my bed. I thought that tree was my friend through so many tumultuous teenage years and journal writing hours. I even took it to the extreme and wrote my college entrance essay about “my tree”. No wonder I ended up back in the Rocky mountains at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Having been meditating on a cushion for more than 10 years, I had never laid down in a circle of trees to do it on the ground, in the organicness of dirt.

And most recently, as a small business owner, I wanted to walk the talk and decided to donate a tree for every hour of coaching I delivered dating back to inception 15 years ago.

But in all my years of loving trees, I had never hugged one. Until now…

Do you also feel at home when you are in the forest? Those of us in the impact sector all have a strong connection and commitment to the environment, to nature, to saving our trees. We all feel better after a few hours in the woods.

“Newton discovered gravity under a tree, Buddha received enlightenment under a tree”

Nature has been a consistent source of inspiration, clarity, and rejuvenation for many of history's greatest minds. By staying close to nature, these innovators and creators found a wellspring of ideas, a restorative escape, and a deeper connection to the world around them all of which fuelled their creative and innovative pursuits.

The forest has all the answers, it’s a very telling place, you just need to listen.

Human Sustainability

And today, companies are struggling with the costs related to employee burnout, mental health issues, and stress. Connecting employees with nature through corporate wellness programs like forest bathing enhances productivity, well-being, and human sustainability, ultimately benefiting the energy and finances of organizations as a whole.

It’s proven

Did you know that?...

- Cortisol levels (a marker of stress) were significantly lower in people who engaged in forest therapy compared to those in urban environments, with a reduction of up to 12% (Int. Journal of Environmental Research, 2024)

- Nature walks drop heart rates by 12.4% (Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine)

- Immune function surges for up to 30 days post-forest bath (National Library of Medicine)

If you don’t ask you won’t get

In our hyper-connected world, forest bathing offers a scientifically validated way to reset, recharge, and boost both mental and physical health. It's time to encourage your organization to prioritize employee wellbeing, human sustainability and green wellness. Offer to trade your corner office for a canopy of trees? Your body and mind will thank you and so will your fellow colleagues.

You have agency

What one thing can you do this weekend to advance your personal well-being and ensure your human sustainability?

Put your ideas into the comments to help us all gain momentum in this collective movement. 

Stay tuned for upcoming coaching programs on human sustainability and wellbeing that can help you and your organization make lasting changes.

Shannon Houde is an ICF-certified coach with over 20 years as a recruiter and trusted advisor to evolving change leaders from Managers to CSOs. She has mentored and trained 1500 change leaders over 4000 hours in ESG and corporate sustainability and is the author of Good Work: How to Build a Career That Makes a Difference in the World. Apply for a trial coaching session here!