Forest Therapy & the Nature-Based Heart of Singularly Sensitive
The relationship between sensitive people and the natural world is at the core of everything at Singularly Sensitive — and it all began with forest therapy.
If it’s not just for hikers and backpackers,
What is Forest Therapy? Is it Really for Me as a Highly Sensitive Person?
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. Forest therapy invites you to be mindfully tuned into the rest of the natural world.
There are no boundaries when it comes to practicing forest therapy—you can be deep in the woods, in a city park, in a suburban yard, on your porch, or by a window. It can even be done virtually from anywhere you have connectivity.
At its heart, forest therapy offers a research-supported path to personal and planetary well-being. Some of those benefits include:
Reduced stress and lower cortisol levels
Stronger immune function
Enhanced mood and mental focus/attention
Greater ability to practice mindfulness and experience inner calm, even when you’re in your daily life
A deeper commitment to environmental justice and advocacy based on the connection you make with the land and the nature around you
A Note on Forest Therapy’s Place in the Singularly Sensitive Ecosystem:
Forest therapy is woven into the DNA of everything that happens at Singularly Sensitive. The slow noticing, sensory attunement, and reciprocity with the rest of nature that are hallmarks of forest therapy can be found in The Root System and The Understory. These programs go beyond forest therapy alone to help you nurture four key relationships: with yourself, with mentors, with kindred spirits, and with nature. And when you grow in all these areas, you can be come an authentic, aligned version of yourself: Singularly Sensitive.
Nurtured By Nature:
Virtual Forest Therapy, for Wherever You Are and However You Choose to Participate in It
Nurtured By Nature brings 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 you are or what your circumstances.
“Forest” is a flexible term when it comes to Nurtured By Nature 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 Nurtured By Nature 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 Nurtured By Nature session—only what feels accessible for your body as the “walk” unfolds. And as someone who lives with a chronic illness that impacts my mobility and energy levels, I understand how important it is for your practice to be comfortable, flexible, and sustainable.
You don’t have to figure out alone how to set up your Nurtured By Nature 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.
Nurtured By Nature is your time to experience how the ordinary elements of nature are extraordinary—we just need to approach them with reverence, curiosity, and mindfulness.
What to Expect from Forest Therapy as a Part of the Singularly Sensitive Approach
Whether you join me in person or virtually, each forest therapy experience is a gentle, sensory-rich invitation to be present.
Walks are 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
Meet Your Singularly Sensitive Mentor:
Lori Cangilla, Certified Forest Therapy Guide
Hello! I’m Lori. I trained through The Forest Therapy School to become a Certified Forest Therapy Guide. I’m a lifelong mindfulness practitioner, journal writer, and passionate nature enthusiast.
Now, I have the privilege of guiding others to connect with nature. Forest therapy can help you deepen your relationship with the land and experience the kind of calm and focus that helps you cope with the world and do the things that are most important to you.
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.
Why Work with 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 us and know that nature and aesthetic beauty have an especially powerful ability to settle us and unlock our imagination.
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 in whatever the natural environment around you has to offer and let nature work its magic in you, like it’s done for me so many times.
Ready to Go Deeper into this Journey Together?
Experience how forest therapy is woven into all Singularly Sensitive programs:
🌿 The Root System — The deepest, most comprehensive way to work together. Six months of private mentoring using the full Singularly Sensitive approach. Learn more →
🌿 The Understory — An ongoing membership community with seasonal rhythm, nature-based living, and connection with fellow sensitive people. Learn more →
🌿 The Threshold — Not sure where to start? Begin here. Explore free and low-cost resources at your own pace before going deeper. Visit the Threshold →
In the Meantime, Let’s Stay Connected
Sign up for my newsletter for inspiration, nature reflections, mindful photography and other mindfulness practices, journal prompts, and of course, news about upcoming in-person forest therapy walks and virtual Nurtured By Nature programs.
“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