6/22/2022 0 Comments 2022 Update![]() 2022 Moving at a slower pace, I'm still offering public and private bookings but less sessions this year than pre-pandemic whilst I juggle various life admin events, health and continued studying too. I'm honoured to be working once more with the National Trust to offer some special summer sessions at Hatfield Forest in north Essex. And also been really excited to lead some longer more in-depth sessions for educators and forest school practitioners with the Essex Wildlife Trust. I'm also furthering my studies, deepening my knowledge and leaning into what feels right - seeking out more integrity and science to ensure the work I offer is meaningful and accountable. And finally working on the next step to what I dreamed Forest Clouds Nature Therapy would become - counselling, eco-therapy and nature connection work.
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9/27/2021 0 Comments Autumn & Winter 20217/15/2021 0 Comments Summer 2021 UpdateSome things cannot be forced, some things cannot be rushed. Watching these wild flowers grow steadily over the past few months, practicing patience and curiosity with every visiting glance, feeling joy at each bud and awe at each bloom, I’m reminded of the power of patience and steadiness. Each flower, bee, butterfly and hoverfly takes its turn, has its entrance and exit, it’s pauses and rests. 🌸 🐝
And so I’m taking a couple of months break from guiding sessions, hoping to reassess and announce new dates later in the year. I’ll keep you posted, and if you’d like to be added to my mailing list then get in touch forestcloudsnaturetherapy@gmail.com Any gift vouchers and pending bookings (there’s only a couple of you now) will be honoured for the remainder of 2021 and for all of 2022 💚 (All is well. It’s simply a decision based on various personal circumstances within the context of our current times to make the best possible choice to keep everyone safe, healthy and happy. I’ll be reassessing at the end of August, see how things have shifted and I’ll also be double vaccinated by then too! ☺️) 7/2/2021 0 Comments Awaken to Nature Podcast![]() Thanks to Michael for inviting me to chat on his brilliant "Awaken to Nature" Podcast. Listen to our conversation here: https://www.awakentonature.com/podcast "COMMUNITY, CONNECTION and COMPASSION are important values that she brings to the work she does. They are also strong themes in our wide ranging conversation, which starts off with Ruth sharing a story about how she landed up in ICU a few years ago. She shares her story of recovery which included visits to a woodland she explored as a child. You will hear how that woodland rekindled her connection to nature and how it helped give her a new found appreciation for its healing power. Ruth's journey to becoming a Forest Therapy Guide included her own healing experience, which included learning to manage PTSD symptoms through nature connection. We talk about the various experiences of lockdown and the impact it has had, we talk about Polarisation, a term we hear a lot more these days. One of the antidotes to this state in society is Reciprocity, a core principle in Shinrin Yoku, Ruth shares her thoughts on what it means and how to go about developing a reciprocal relationship with nature. She also shares some great tips on how to go about maintaining human and nature connection and why it is important for us to do so. Ruth believes that through community and the human connection it creates, we can find more meaning and purpose which ultimately leads to a more fulfilled life." 4/19/2021 0 Comments Mental Health Awareness Week![]() In support of Mental Health Awareness Week, Nature and Therapy UK are holding free Shinrin Yoku Walks around the country. Find your local walk here. 2/1/2021 0 Comments Living Well in Lockdown E-bookThe wonderful Charlotte from Oat Kitchen has curated a beautiful new e-book, with all profits going to
FareShare UK who redistribute food, that would otherwise have gone to waste, to vulnerable groups and those in need around the UK. Living Well in Lockdown 2.0 is a collection of wellbeing practices and 40 incredible mouthwatering recipes. I'm very excited to have donated some words and photos, alongside many inspiring contributors. You can download it via the link below, and all donations will help Fareshare UK. https://www.oat-kitchen.co.uk/e-book Almost accidentally, I started a project curating voices and stories of nature connection and meaning via the medium of Instagram Live!
Titled "What Does Nature Mean to You?" and asking each person 3 key questions, I've enjoyed some wonderful conversations with conservationists, authors, writers, artists, therapists, chefs, coaches, adventurers, well-being practitioners and more, from the UK and further afield such as the USA and India. Conversations full of inspiration and common themes, each told in their own way. It's been nourishing and grounding, during our second lockdown here in the UK, to be connecting to other humans whilst reminding ourselves of the important of connecting to nature in various ways and paths. I've yet to work out what I'll do with this beautiful collection of voices, yet to see where this chorus leads me... but in the meantime you can catch up on the conversations over on Youtube or at @forestcloudsnaturetherapy on Instagram. With a huge thanks to Tommy at Mindful Walks in Wales connecting to me Jane Dunford at the Guardian, I was lucky enough to be listed in the Observer magazine article "20 outdoor adventures for autumn".
A wonderful opportunity, that has now lead to quite a few email enquiries so please do forgive me if I am a little slower to reply to you this week! 9/22/2020 0 Comments We're all just human... right?I’m definitely not always calm and “zen” like, as sometimes people ask me... not at all. In fact often quite the opposite, which is why I’m lucky I know what helps me and what tactics might give me some breathing room to find that headspace to invite calm in if only for a moment.
I’m very grateful to have learnt that time spent in nature and particularly doing forest bathing & mindful activities can help soothe my busy mind and stressed out body. I don’t always do it, I don’t always make time for it, but I’m getting better at forgiving myself and sending myself compassion and kindness... then inviting myself to do the things that help when things get tough. Day by day, it’s all we can do don’t you think? 7/17/2020 1 Comment Nature Immersion CourseI'm really excited to be bringing you my next 4 week long nature experience ... cultivating connection and compassion.
£90 per person Payment can be made via paypal or bank transfer ONLY 5 SPACES AVAILABLE Nature sessions will be 5.30pm - 7.30pm: Mon 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th Sept in Leigh On Sea Contact me for more information and to book your place Course Detail: Week 1 - we'll look at introductions to the practice and each other, before exploring grounding with and connecting to nature through the senses, with a focus on sound Week 2. - diving further into grounding in nature, exploring touch and vision using practices including forest art creation Week 3 - continuing our journey, working together with the trees, and exploring words, stories, poetry & haiku as a way to connect and express Week 4 - exploring smells, exploring energy and our relationships to nature whilst looking at compassion practices, and ending with a final tea ceremony Every day throughout the course you will receive daily emails with invites and suggestions for your daily practice, including some short recordings of meditation practices. |
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