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gathering
Restoring & nourishing our inner
& outer human-nature relationships.
Sue Stranger | Health, Nutrition, Wellbeing & Ikigai Certified Coach
Forest Therapy Certified Coach & Guide | Nourishing Kitchen Certified Educator
Creating a Safe & Brave Space on Forest Bathing Walks & Experiences
At Renew & Nourish we work hard to make sure everyone who joins a session feels safe and supported. We cultivate the following Basic Group Expectations of every experience;​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
​Connectedness: we support compassionate social interaction. There is no pressure to share anything with the group when invited, but the group does support you to do so.
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Hope & Optimism: during our session, the forest and nature around you is the therapist and your guide merely opens the door. We encourage you to let nature support you in your needs.
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Identity: everyone has a voice and when sharing, please be mindful of time and use of appropriate language. We avoid stigmatising or terms that may cause offence.
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Empowerment: we understand that life can affect us all differently and if a challenge arises, we take personal responsibility to let the guide know. Some people can find the peace that a forest bathing session brings, can bring on an emotional reaction. If there is a need in the group for support, we share this, being mindful of confidentiality.​​​​​​​​
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Why creating a safe & brave space is important
Human communities are like healthy forests, we thrive on diversity, the health of all beings is connected and supports each other. When people share a forest bathing experience with Renew & Nourish, we want everyone to feel that they are in a safe space where they can be their authentic selves.
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Forest bathing can be an emotional process. People can underestimate how powerful it is to give themselves permission to 'just be' in nature. During a session, you may find yourself in a what's known as a 'liminal space' - the space between your known human world and that of the more than human world, a place where the line between dissolves and you feel connected, a natural part of the ecosystem around you. Many people experience a sense of 'spaced out' or 'floating' but supported and happy.
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This is where the support and tending from others around you comes in. We all hold space for each other to experience the session as we need to, in our own unique ways.
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It is important to remember that forest bathing is not counselling and the guide is not a trained therapist - nature is the therapist and the guide just opens the door.
