Forest Therapy & Nature Nearby

Reconnect with Yourself and the Rest of Nature Through Forest Therapy and Nature Nearby

Experience the Transformative Potential of Your Relationship with Nature with Certified Forest Therapy Guide Lori Cangilla - Even if You Don’t Think of Yourself as an Outdoorsperson

If it’s not just for hikers and backpackers,

What is Forest Therapy? Is it Really for Me?

Forest Therapy is a global ecotherapy and wellness movement rooted in the healing power of nature. Unlike hiking or outdoor exercise, Forest Therapy is a slow, mindful practice in a setting that helps you immerse in the natural world and connect to it and yourself in a powerful, authentic way.

Originally developed from the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, forest therapy has evolved into a holistic approach practiced worldwide. Whether in lush forests, city parks, or suburban greenspaces, forest therapy invites you to be present with the rest of the natural world, promoting both personal and planetary well-being.

At its heart, forest therapy offers a research-supported path to:

  • Lower stress and cortisol levels

  • Boost immune function

  • Enhance mood and mental focus

  • Foster deeper emotional connection to the land

  • Promote mindfulness and inner calm

Meet Your Guide:

Hello! I’m Lori, a Certified Forest Therapy Guide trained through The Forest Therapy School. As a lifelong mindfulness practitioner, journaler, and passionate nature enthusiast, guiding others into a more reciprocal relationship with nature feels like coming home to my true self.

Lori Cangilla, Certified Forest Therapy Guide

My journey into forest therapy guiding officially began just before my 50th birthday. Call it a "midlife crisis"—I prefer to call it my midlife reawakening. I was craving something connected, grounded, and real, something to allow me and other sensitive people to get out of our heads and live mindfully and in harmony with the earth. I longed for the regular interaction with nature that had been so important to my well-being as a highly sensitive person (HSP) when I was growing up, but which had been replaced with academics and long days in my head instead of in the world around me.

Thus began my time in Forest Therapy School. I began documenting my journey with words and a mindful photography practice from my home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One subject—a broken tree on a nearby cliffside—became my teacher, my companion, and a mirror for my own transformation.

As I returned week after week to sit with this bit of nature, I witnessed how both the landscape and I changed with the seasons. I wasn’t just observing nature or using it as a place to escape from the daily grind. I was in relationship with the rest of nature, in a way I’d never experienced before.

This relational process transformed me from an outsider into someone who guides with a deep, embodied awareness of my interconnection with nature. I invite the people I guide to foster their own rich relationships with the rest of the natural world. And I, like the land, welcome you to show up exactly as you are and simply be present to all that we are part of.

“The land had long been waiting for me to slow down, be present, and open up to a deeper relationship. Training to become a Certified Forest Therapy Guide was the nudge I needed to embrace that relationship and become more fully myself, grounded in reciprocity with the rest of nature.”

— Lori Cangilla, Certified Forest Therapy Guide

What to Expect on a Forest Therapy Walk

Each forest therapy walk is a gentle, sensory-rich experience designed to foster an embodied, mindful, reciprocal relationship with the rest of nature. You’ll be offered a series of invitations that help you:

  • Shift from “doing” to simply “being”

  • Notice details in the environment you’d normally miss

  • Cultivate awareness and presence

  • Engage your senses—sight, sound, smell, touch, and even taste

  • Reflect on your experience through optional sharing with Lori and any fellow walkers

Virtual Forest Therapy, For Wherever You Are and However You Choose to Participate in It

Nature Nearby:

Nature Nearby sessions bring the potential of in-person forest therapy walks into a virtual format. This online experience is the ultimate customizable approach to experiencing the benefits of forest therapy walks, no matter where we are or what our circumstances.

“Forest” is a flexible term when it comes to Nature Nearby sessions. You don’t need a deep woods trail. Your nature setting could be:

  • A city park or greenbelt

  • Your backyard, balcony, or front porch

  • A favorite indoor spot with a view of the sky or trees

  • A windowsill garden, bowl of fruit, or collection of seashells, rocks, and other natural objects.

Walking and other forms of movement are entirely optional throughout the Nature Nearby experience. You can sit in one place, alternate slow walking with breaks, or engage with a caregiver who brings nature to you.

There’s no right or wrong way to take part in a Nature Nearby session—only what feels accessible for your body as the “walk” unfolds.

You don’t have to figure out alone how to set up your Nature Nearby session. When you register, I’ll give you guidance to help you make the most of your virtual forest therapy experience.

My training with The Forest Therapy School was done virtually, so I have personally experienced the way that virtual walks can be just as powerful as in-person ones.

Nature Nearby is your time to experience how the ordinary elements of nature are extraordinary—we just need to approach them with reverence, curiosity, and mindfulness.

As someone living with a chronic illness that can impact my mobility and energy levels, I strive to make walks accessible to everyone. Please reach out to me so we can try to tailor a Forest Therapy Walk/Nature Nearby session to your unique circumstances.

Why Choose a Certified Forest Therapy Guide? And Why Choose Lori?

There’s more to a forest therapy walk than just hanging out under the trees! Certified Forest Therapy Guides are trained to hold safe, supportive space that helps people make a more meaningful connection with nature and deepen their self-awareness.

I bring a unique blend of artistic creativity, heartfelt presence, and mindfulness practice to guiding walks. In addition, while I’m not functioning as anyone’s therapist when I lead a walk, my years of experience as a psychologist have given me a deep comfort with companioning people through new experiences, strong emotions, and transformative experiences.

During my walks, you’ll be gently invited into a setting where your nervous system can settle, your curiosity can run wild, and your relationship with the natural world can blossom. I’m attuned to the needs of highly sensitive people (HSPs) like me and know that nature and beauty have especially powerful benefits for us.

It’s my dream as a Certified Forest Therapy Guide to see more people discover—or deepen—a loving, reciprocal relationship with the land, the trees, and all of nature. You don’t need to backpack for a week or hike the Appalachian Trail to make that possible. Just show up and let nature work its magic in you, like it’s done for me so many times.

Please Allow Me to Guide Your Forest Therapy Journey

Whether you’re looking for ways to shift your mind and emotions, deepen your connection to nature, or discover your authentic self in relationship to the earth, I’m happy to guide you on a Forest Therapy or Nature Nearby Walk. Please contact me to:

🟢 Join a Guided Forest Therapy Walk (in-person)

🟢 Participate in a Nature Nearby session (virtual)

🟢 Book a Private Walk for Yourself or a Small Group (virtual or in-person)

In the Meantime, Let’s Stay Connected

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