Your practical guide to better health, stronger relationships, and a happier life--by reconnecting with nature There is something simply soul-soothing about being in nature. In fact, research shows that spending time outside can improve the immune system, combat stress hormones, lower blood pressure, and boost self-esteem. Around the globe, rising movements are driving us to reconnect with Mother Nature--from shinrin-yoku ("forest bathing") in Japan to friluftsliv ("open-air life") in Scandinavia--yet our everyday lifestyles have distanced us from the great outdoors. For stressed-out professionals, reclusive bookworms, worn-out parents, and their cooped-up kids, Forest Therapy shares why getting back to nature is critically important for our well-being, and offers fun, easy practices to break out of hibernation. Forest bathing is a rising trend, but what to do if you're not near the woods or if the weather is dreary? Forest Therapy offers practical steps and inspiration to tap into nature's restorative power, no matter the season or the weather. Chapters address ideas for all four seasons, as well as ways to use experiences in nature as ways to deepen your relationships with your children, partner, and friends. Ivens's creative ideas and strategies range from a simple walk in the woods and countryside couples' therapy to DIY natural beauty products and simple ways to bring the great outdoors into your home. Illustrated with charming black-and-white line art, Forest Therapy is a warm, witty, and personal guide to improving your health, finding happiness, and living a fabulous al fresco life.
There are people in this world who don't live in a culture where outdoor activity and appreciation is a universal given. I am not one of those people. At times I've pondered whether I gave up my first profession, theater, once the reality hit of a life being cooped up inside a darkened theater with a bunch of stressed-out people when a truly spectacular weekend was happening outside. But in the darkest part of winter this year, when Steven and I were wandering around Annie Bloom's Bookstore wishing for a nice hike in the forest, he decided to get this book so we could both read it.
Steven abandoned it pretty quickly and after making it a few chapters in, it was pretty easy to see why. Once I learned more about the author's background—specifically that her early career was spent as a high-ranking staffer at the tabloid OK! Magazine—the writing style made a lot more sense. This book is largely written in the glossy voice of a women's magazine, relying heavily on bulleted lists and references about "studies" that delve no further into what the study was or why the author was applying the outcome to a universal scientific truth. Steven and I were expecting something more akin to discussion of shinrin yoku—forest bathing—and instead we were getting references to ideas like "removing excess positive electrons" by lying in the sand at the beach and the suggestion that eating one or two borage flowers as garnish would stimulate the adrenal glands in a meaningful way.
[I got a chuckle when the author suggested swimming in the ocean—clearly she's never had the bracing experience of wading into a 40 degree ocean in July, as we Oregonians get to experience!]
There was one chapter that seemed to reflect a more authentic authorial passion: the chapter about raising children outside. It seemed to be the only chapter where her references to a study actually cited any information about the study, how it was conducted, and didn't suggest a blanket statement out of a kernel of information. The content was much higher in quality than the other chapters. That said, as a child-free and child-disinterested person, I really wish she could have applied this higher-quality writing to the other chapters of the book.
Don't worry, gals: there is a chapter wherein the author offers up several recipes for face masks ("Mother Nature's make-up: Stain lips with raspberries. Pinch your cheeks—it works!") and a list of "natural items" to put in your bath that might be followed up by a visit by the plumber. In the chapter titled "Food Glorious Food," instead of discussing the importance of good nutrition more thoroughly, or the environmental concerns thereof and why someone who loves the natural world should be concerned about our food system, several pages are dedicated to seasonal party-planning ideas, complete with some British slang that may not be parsed by all USAian readers. So I guess that's the Martha Stewart chapter of the book.
The rest of the book is fairly Goop-y and I don't think either of us were the right audience for it. However, I know a woman who seems to have a strange aversion to sweat, and who just recently camped outside in a tent for the first time, in her mid-30s. Perhaps this book was meant for her, the biophobic, as defined in the last pages of the book. If that's you—if you've spent your life in a concrete jungle, letting your fear of bears keep you from taking a walk in a much less densely peopled space—perhaps this is just the book to encourage you to grow to appreciate the natural world.
Modern lives with the never-ending distractions, endless notifications from social media, 24 / 7 email and becoming pallid from the white glare of LEDs from screens. This adds to our stress, blood pressure and the lack of exercise is detrimental to our health too. And yet there is a cure; the evidence is growing that shows that our physical and mental health can be positively enhanced by going outdoors and re-connecting to nature. The same instincts that teach us flight or flight are possibly responsible for this fundamental connection.
Beginning with some scientific facts and stats about how the just taking a walk in the natural world can help us, she takes us through the seasons and the things to look for, activities to try such as wild swimming, taking a walk in the rain and benefits of taking a walk on a crisp winter day. There are suggestions on how to get the family away from the X-Box, ways of becoming closer as a couple, foodie suggestions and even natural beauty therapies.
Natural history books and memoirs are on the rise at the moment and there are a number of books coming out that are looking to give people suggestions on how to reconnect with the natural world. I have three of them to read this week but first is Sarah Ivens. In her book she is tapping into the connections to the wider world that other cultures have, from the Japanese shinrin-yoku ("forest bathing") to the Scandinavia friluftsliv ("open-air life") and has written Forest Therapy (a much nicer phrase that Forest Bathing…) as a way of sharing how nature helped her after a hectic life in New York and a messy divorce.
There was the odd thing in the book that didn't necessarily appeal to me, there is a good number of ideas in here for people to try and more importantly to build on, as suits them, their partners and families. The important thing in here though is the message; go outside, live, breathe, absorb. It is going to do you a lot of good.
DNF’d with 50 pages left. Was expecting a more psychologically informed book about how interacting with nature can facilitate self development and introspection. Instead there is half a chapter on how to use cucumbers to make face masks, and pages full of book recommendations and playlists for the weather. There are enough insights in here to warrant two stars but for the most part this feels like content for people without enough direction in their lives trying to find a new hobby to post Instagram stories about. If you’re already touching grass there’s not much for you here.
EDIT: oh yeah and at one point the author says that you should go see the northern lights and if you don’t live where they appear then you should just casually go travel to the northern hemisphere. The assumed reader of this text has a 9-5 with four weeks of vacation per year and too much free time cause their only hobby is bingeing new Netflix shows.
So close to getting four stars from me. The last chapter was really what I was buying this book for. There was a lot of focus on “getting the kids outside”. But I don’t have kids, I was reading this for the express purpose of getting myself outside. I wish there had been a whole chapter devoted around nature and mental health instead of being sprinkled throughout. This book could have been so much better, it had so much potential and perhaps that’s why I’m disappointed. Still worth a skim for inspiration.
This is not what I expected. But I still liked it. She gives a ton of ideas for embracing the outdoors. It just makes you want to go and take a walk in a forest. There is a whole chapter in what to do with your children outside. I enjoyed it. Easy read.
Sound, practical advice for us all. Get outside and embrace nature; you'll feel better for it. (Finished whilst sat in the sun barefoot, grass between my toes)
Who was the target audience for this? It was all over the place. I wasn't looking for advice like: -have a party in your backyard with glow sticks! -rub berries on your lips to make them pretty! - remember to drink your water!
I guess I was looking for a book to remind me why I love nature, not a self-help book filled with top ten lists that are only slightly nature-adjacent.
What I really needed to do all along was just reread Braiding Sweetgrass, obviously.
When you are completely stressed out, like I am right now, a book like this is helpful! I also began to follow the author on Instagram & it’s added to The enjoyment of this book! I love this book & I read a few pages everyday w a morning coffee. Like a reading meditation ;)
As a book for everyone/anyone I would give this 2.5 stars. If asked to review this for the outdoors hesitant, especially if they are parents of indoor kids, I’d give this a 3 or 3.5. Author’s main focus/interest seemed to be on parenting outdoors so it is of less interest to the childless. Also, a lot of her suggestions or ideas aren’t applicable to all, so as a disabled person who used to be more active outdoors and has only had it seriously impact her from her 30s onwards I was kinda hoping there might be some general application ideas I hadn’t thought of that might make it easier for me to be more outdoor focused with less mobility and restrictions due to medications and medical conditions (ie, multiple of my meds make me sun sensitive, so a suggestion of sitting outdoors without sunscreen for 15 minutes just isn’t going to work, and I cannot drink loads of water due to being on a fluid restricted diet due to issues that have arisen from a congenital heart defect). Unfortunately I had to discard a lot of ideas as they weren’t applicable to me. Additionally, a lot of her “ways to bring a feeling of the outdoors inside” are scent/flower focused and if you have severe allergies to flowers or floral essential oils like me, there isn’t much to chose from there, which is a bummer.
I would love to read a book that matches the publisher’s description more, and if I could find one with broader suggestions that didn’t rely on having zero floral allergies and a fully able body I would pay good money for it. This book, unfortunately, is not it.
It's an important subject that worth 4 stars but a lot of guidances are very general basically encouraging people to go outside that will do a lot of good for your body and soul. I would give 3.5 Stars instead. It somehow lacks of depth and engagement. The first chapter is a nice foundation but following chapters are a bit repetitive and redundant.
I like an attempt to provide four seasons ways to embrace nature - an interesting approach. It may be helpful for new generation who are really removed from nature and not sure how to begin. It provides a step by step e.g. schedule time to be outside everyday and enjoy nature, making diary about sun rise and sun set, find time to be alone, conduct your normal activity outdoor instead of indoor esp. exercise etc. The author even provides a playlist and books to read for the season! which is not a bad idea for someone who don't mind recommendations.
One idea I get from this book is to have similar guidebook for Thai people. It is people who have no clue how to get back to nature that should be reading. Thus step by step practical guide might not be a bad idea. How to start, how to prepare yourself, where to go, what to read etc. Just a thought :)
3.5 stars- I think this book has helpful, tangible ways to get out in nature, connect with the earth, and increase overall well-being. It has some good mindfulness exercises throughout and I like how the chapters are split up- by season, area of life, and general science.
I do not enjoy the author’s voice throughout the book because it feels like she’s saying “I went to do mindfulness in the waterfalls of Costa Rica, but you can just do it in your backyard!”, which I think can make nature feel less accessible when people are comparing themselves to influencers or people with money & time to travel. As a therapist, it also feels like she is trying to take on the voice of a therapist without having the training to be a therapist, which I think can very unhelpful at times. If she had presented this information in a way that was not trying to be a therapist, I think that I would like her voice throughout a little more.
Overall, I think there are manageable ideas about how to get out in nature and incorporate it in a verity of ways (physically being outside in every season, food, relationship, and parenting), however I do not love the author’s voice throughout it.
I expected this to be a book about the Japanese concept of forest bathing from the title. That is mentioned near the beginning, but the rest of the book is full of wellness advice centered mostly around spending time in nature, but also a bit on general mindfulness. This is generally backed up with somewhat questionable "studies show" claims that, much like a lot of science reporting, make a fair amount of extrapolation from the initial points of those studies. If you are just looking for some inspiration for spending time outdoors and choosing activities to match the seasons, there are some fine recommendations (though the book and music recommendations are highly personal, and there were some real non-starters for me). This wasn't the book I was hoping for, and a lot of suggestions didn't really apply to me, but it did get me to try being outside a bit more, so at least there is that, and people who haven't already heard a lot of these ideas might be more interested in this collection as an introduction.
Each chapter felt like an magazine article you might find in Oprah's magazine or Good Housekeeping. This made it a repetitive (every chapter feeling the need to "prove" that being in nature makes you happy) and a shallow, rather than deep, read. I was hoping for either more unique ways to get yourself outside (learn to make ink from berries, identify all the insects you can find in your yard, make a bucket list of famous waterfalls in your area) or more actual therapeutic knowledge (something like Lifting Heavy Things: Healing Trauma One Rep at a Time, but for nature and the outdoors.) This book was neither. I feel a little misled by the title and gorgeous cover, but it's my fault for not looking up the author's background first, to see if she had any relevant experience in the kind of book I was hoping to read.
I had high hopes for this book, but it did not live up to my expectations.
Pros/Cons: -Loved the playlists and book suggestions. I wish they would have incorporated a couple of snack ideas as well. -I do not have children, therefore I skipped about 25 pages or so. I understand that a lot of these books are geared towards all different people, however, this was a deal breaker for me. -Lots of repetitive statements! -Loved how this book was backed by science and there were actual sources where you could go back and look at where the author got their information from. -Wasn't a fan of the 'personal accounts' people would write. Some of them seemed out of place. -I wish the author spoke about nature in ALL climates. Desert, ocean, forest, etc.
Overall, this book was just OK. If you happened to receive this book as a gift or find it at your local library (or an Amazon sale), I would say pick it up. But I would not go out of my way to seek it out.
FOREST THERAPY was such a beautiful, enlightening read as to how to incorporate nature into your life, whether living in a rural town or a big city. growing up, being outside was one of my greatest joys. as i began to get busier with the trials that come along with aging, i only made time for the outdoors as a special occasion–mostly saved for vacations. picking up FOREST THERAPY has been a true blessing, teaching ways to admire and take root in nature, even while navigating a busy life.
i cannot recommend this book enough! while some of the information may already be commonly known, Ivens offers a wealth of scientific and intriguing knowledge regarding the many benefits of connecting, understanding, and listening to nature. this book has inspired me to get in touch and stay connected with my youthful heart that always made time for mother earth.
3.5 stars. Enjoyable read although I skimmed through some parts. It’s sad how removed people are continuing to progressively get away from Nature when we know obstructively how good it is for us. The book breaks down each season and way to get out enjoy nature, as well as tips for parenting and couples. Research shows getting out into nature reduces mental fatigue, increases creativity, upgrades our happiness, boosts immunity, is good for our physical bodies, diminishes stress and increases our ability to cope with pain. I’m trying to make it a goal to get out into forest walks more, get the kids out more with family activities like kayaking, and simply doing things outside more rather than inside - read, yoga or stretching, talking on the phone.....
The writing style was not very succinct, she uses the same examples over and over again (ie instead of sitting for coffee with friends, just go outside!). There are spelling errors in the book as well. The author also speaks to how the outdoors can supposedly solve all problems related to stress. While I do agree our world doesn’t focus enough on outdoor enjoyment & Ivens gives some great ideas on how to be at one with nature, we can’t act as though people would only be happy if they spent time outdoors. Unfortunately that sounds like a bit of toxic positivity, and frankly got annoying. Although some facts presented were interesting, I was happy the book was over.
Didn't read this so much as scan it - it has a great selection of chapters about nature connection.
The book looks at nature connection from both a seasonal aspect as well as an individual aspect (in terms of parenting, couples, beauty routine, food). It reminded me a bit of Anna Shepherd's "How green are my Wellies?" offering a fun, playful, personal look at nature connection - it's like a casual talk with your girlfriend about advice on skin care botanicals and fun things to do outdoors. It even offers song play lists!
The title of the book though is misleading as it doesn't focus on Forest Therapy solely.
The most beautiful book about nature I’ve ever read. So many creative, thoughtful ways to enjoy nature in every season, alone and with family☺️ It also has a mindfulness practice at the end of each chapter with fun ways to meditate in nature💛 I enjoyed every page and even all the ways to teach children to grow up outdoors and organize fun games- even though I don’t have children yet it was heartwarming to read and I will refer back to this book many times in the future I’m sure. We all need that gentle, loving reminder of how powerful the effect nature has on our lives, our physical and mental health and our overall happiness 💚
Her writing was very easy to get into. The beginning of the book was very strong. However, towards the middle of the book it just kind of got repetitive and I wasn't as interested. It got better at the end though (still kind of repetitive)... Her playlists were kindaa cheesy and I'm not sure how I feel about the book suggestions (I'm a picky reader, though), but I will DEFINITELY be referring back to this book for ideas and guidance. I love the aesthetic of this book for sure. The beautiful cover and the cute lil doodles really added in my opinion. Would definitely recommend!
A simple, easy and fairly enjoyable, feel-good book on the benefits of incorporating nature into all aspects of life, with some nice ideas for things such as seasonal gatherings, decorations and natural beauty treatments. However it was very repetitive and longer than it needed to be. Most of what was written was common sense(cucumber slices on eyes, tips on how to have a picnic) and I don't personally feel the book offered me anything new or insightful. Saying that, its a nice book with its heart in the right place.
A guide to forest therapy: finding wellness and healing through immersion in forests and other natural environments. The author includes studies to show the health benefits of forest therapy and outlines a myriad of ways to enjoy nature (seasonally, alone, with a partner, and with the whole family).
A very basic introduction to forest therapy, this book is clearly intended for those who rarely (if ever) get outside. If you are looking for some new ways to get outside, you could probably find some ideas...but seasoned outdoor enthusiasts probably won't get much out of this.
This is another one of those books where there’s nothing inherently wrong about it (other than some questionable studies quoted)- but it reads like an extended magazine article and probably would have been better in a magazine… It’s not so much about forest bathing, but about generally living more in line with nature, something important but I’m not a total stranger to, therefore the book wasn’t really what I expected…
I anticipated this book exploring the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku/forest bathing/guided forest therapy and how to embrace this practice differently in each season. I am a Certified Forest Therapy Guide and was hoping for inspiration to incorporate into my practice. Instead, the content was presented in a magazine-style layout. This was a DNF for me simply because the title did not meet my expectation.
Everyone should read this book. I run a camping site and will recommend this book on my website. I'm also going to buy this in paperback so I can easily refer to ALL the highlighted paragraphs i have made. Thank you Sarah for the happy feelings this book gave me
This book was definitely not what I expected and I am 100% not the target audience for this book. It would be great for someone who currently spends the majority of their time inside and is looking for idea to change that. I thought it would provide more insight into the science behind WHY getting outside is so good for us.
Some of the things in here I found very obvious and others were conditional on you being in good health/able-bodied/being blessed with time. I don't feel it lived up to its claims of telling you how to fit nature into your life and thus it left me feeling a bit short changed. However it is a really well presented little book with some great snippets of writing.