The Role and Value of the Forest Therapy Practitioner
By Yvette Potter
The role of the forest practitioner is many and varied but absolutely central to the session running smoothly and safely which I will cite below.
The forest therapy practitioner is the person who can lead us into this path of immersion into the forest and can guide us in a quiet, calm and slow pace to be able to absorb all that nature can afford us, the gifts if you like, that we might not know that can be experienced via prompts, invitations, meditations and relaxation which we are guided in our own time and space to allow the forest to nourish us in all those ways that are possible. It is also important for the forest practitioner to communicate to the participants to be mindful of others in the group and their needs too.
It is paramount for the forest therapy practitioner to have the safety, inclusion, needs and welfare of the sessions participants at the heart of everything they engage in so by surveying the area before an event the forest practitioner will also be aware of any housekeeping like availability or non availability of toilets, health and safety issues that there might be, if there is any parking near, phone signal in case of an emergency, the terrain how easy or not it is to navigate, any obstacles that might be in the way and if there is a stream or river nearby that might create a muddy and slippery environment for the participants. The practitioner would also be checking the weather report for any storms or high winds that would make the day not feasible for a forest therapy session and be able to contact all the participants in case of this happening. The forest practitioner would also carry a first aid kit in the case of any minor ailments like bites from insects or stings from plants or any grazes that might occur in the session and they would be First Aid trained and insured.
The forest therapy practitioner must be able to have good communication skills and be able to impart with the participants on arrival how the session would be divided and how far they would walk into the forest, (the participants would have received an email already with the itinerary of the day). They would be mindful of their language to attendees and have no expectations or judgement and invite the participants to explore the forest via invitations and prompts in a mindful way of the needs of other participants. By asking questions beforehand about those that might be attending the sessions via forms filled in by them the forest practitioner has already made headway to find out about any ailments or needs that the persons might have and make the correct decision about where the forest therapy session will be taking place and to be able to advise them accordingly. For example in the case of a disabled person attending via wheelchair with or without a helper, or a visually impaired person using a walking aid with or without a helper it would be important to survey the area beforehand even if it had previously been used for a session to see if it is still a suitable venue for any disabilities that any participant might have which might make it difficult for them to work through. Any mental health issues like for example depression or anxiety could be other illnesses that might be highlighted by a participant and it would be important to know if the person suffers from agoraphobia, depression or triggered by certain situations or larger groups of participants so that adequate care and attention can be taken to provide a proper scenario for the session or a different group number composition.
A forest therapy practitioner should have knowledge about the area in which the session is being held and could include the geology, plant life, animal life, the trees that populate it and what types they are and what the trees and the plants can contribute to us humans and our wellbeing, it would also be important to let the participants know of any plants or wildlife that might not be friendly so it would be wise to be aware, identify and communicate this to the attendees in the session. They should also be able to point out and name any streams of rivers in the vicinity and where they are located, if they flow into other rivers and or merge into other larger ones or into the sea. It is also important to advise participants of what clothes or footwear would be more advisable at different times of the year and obviously according to the weather and if they should maybe carry a waterproof jacket or a hat or sunglasses. It would always be a good idea to carry water or soft drink of choice and some appropriate snacks in case of getting hungry in the session.
The forest therapy practitioner will also be well versed in the folklore of the area and or any stories and anecdotes that might enhance the forest experience, if any events occurred around the area or maybe nearby and any happenings or ancient practices that might be interesting to highlight and any articles or books that might impart more information. Britain as we know is full of incredible tales of rituals and traditions and it always makes for great conversations to be able to share this knowledge with participants.
The understanding between the body and mind is of great importance for the forest therapy practitioner to have as they would be able to impart this to the participants of the sessions and to explain all the attributes and the connection of the forest experiences. In having knowledge of the physiological and psychological effects on humans the forest practitioner can explain in the session how the humans wellbeing can be positively affected.
The forest therapy practitioner is of great value to the participants because of the peace, serenity, knowledge and mindful attributes they can impart to sessions. Sensory Invitations, meditation sessions, mindful prompts and motion invites can be very beneficial to the attendees and can enhance their connection to nature. When those attending the forest therapy sessions practise these and then experience the wellness and therapeutic effects and the changes these bring about then the chances are that they will endeavour to make it a part of their daily, weekly or monthly rituals and hence slowly bring about a lowering of stress or anxiety which could prompt them to promote to friends and family.
Many people do not have much knowledge of the areas in which they live in, a forest therapy session with a trained forest therapy practitioner can help enhance their connection to that area and sow seeds for them to find out more about the history and folklore and any interesting facts that they might uncover.
By holding space for others at the end of sessions being inclusive and inviting the attendees to talk about their experiences in the session if they so wish the forest therapy practitioner is encouraging them to communicate and share how they are feeling both physically and mentally which not only promotes the imparting of knowledge but also of banter and airing of anything that they would like to share, there can then be a conversation of empathy and understanding to others which is very beneficial to humans mental health wellbeing.
The forest therapy practitioner takes a lot of time and energy in collating information from the participants and nature to create a safe environment and a holistic, valuable and immersive space for all those who attend so they take out of the experience as much as they would like to, this has great value and satisfaction not only to the forest practitioner but also to the attendees as they see that they are been cared for, nourished and guided and that the experience is not only positive but worth revisiting in the future.
As you can see above a well versed forest therapy practitioner would be very knowledgeable in the area they would hold a session and be able to offer advise of what items participants should take with them for the day as they would have invested time and energy to gain all the information required so that the participants feel safe, empowered and their needs well catered for. The participants are also encouraged to provide feedback via a form to fill in if they wish to do so.