Forest Therapy Walk for PCOS Community

Experience forest bathing to connect more deeply with nature, release stress, and enjoy Meadowlark Botanical Gardens at this special event held in honor of National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Awareness Month! Inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, forest bathing is a way to immerse your senses in the natural world. Slow down, relax, and join certified forest bathing guides Ilana Rubin of Kindred Nature and Daphne Yin for a guided slow wander with simple sensory and mindful activities.

Forest bathing, also known as forest therapy or nature therapy, is a practice of immersing ourselves in the natural world through our senses. Through a series of invitations - gentle mindful and sensory activity prompts - participants can slow down, tune into their senses and the present moment, and reconnect with nature. Through this practice, we can enjoy some of the many benefits of forest bathing, such as reducing stress, restoring focus, boosting creativity and mood, and supporting immune health. Learn more about forest bathing in this video introduction to forest bathing from the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs, or this video on forest bathing experiences and benefits from CBS Mornings.

This forest bathing program at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens will weave together several activities, including guided meditation, slow guided walking, local sustainably sourced tea, and individual and group activities that connect us with nature through sights, sounds, textures, smells, imagination, and feeling. The guides will provide invitations or prompts for nature connection practices such as new ways to learn about a tree or creating temporary nature art. All of the invitations are adaptable for each person to participate in the way that is best for them. The forest bathing walk will cover less than a mile at a slow pace on paved and unpaved trails. There is no background, experience, or skill level needed to participate.

This session is being held in September in honor of National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Awareness Month. PCOS is a genetic, hormone, metabolic and reproductive disorder that affects women, girls, and nonbinary people. People living with PCOS and PCOS allies are all welcome.

Our forest bathing guides for this program are:

• Ilana Rubin, the founder of Kindred Nature, and a forest bathing and nature therapy guide trained and certified by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs. Ilana has been guiding forest bathing since 2021 when she started Kindred Nature to help restore holistic health for people and the natural world through nature connection experiences, ecological design, and mindful nature and wellness programs. She has guided events for diverse groups and for organizations including NOVA Parks, the US Forest Service, the GW Office of Integrative Medicine and Health, and the Potomac Riverkeeper Network.

• Daphne Yin, a forest bathing and nature therapy guide trained and certified by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs. She has been guiding since 2023, interested in the power of forest therapy to heal human relationships with nature in the midst of ecological crisis, and to restore women’s health. She has guided events for the Women’s Forest Congress, the World Forum on Urban Forests, and professionals in the forest conservation and environmental sectors. She is a PCOS patient and advocate for PCOS research and education. In 2023 she attended her first PCOS Advocacy Day, and ran the LA Charity Half Marathon as part of the first official team to ever run for PCOS at a major marathon, backed through PCOS Challenge.

Program details:

• Registration for this event also includes admission to Meadowlark Botanical Gardens for the day.
• Meet and check in with the guides inside the Visitor Center building by the fireplace.
• A refund is provided only if your space is filled by an individual on the waitlist. Refunds cannot be provided for cancellations with less than 72 hours notice before the program.
• Please meet at the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens Visitor Center.
• Please dress to be outdoors in the weather throughout the program. We’ll hold the program rain or shine unless there’s a forecast for extreme/hazardous weather.
• Please bring your own water bottle and any optional snacks you may want to have during the program. Tea and light snacks provided toward the end of the forest bathing program.
• Participants are strongly encouraged to arrive early so that everyone will be present and ready to begin the program on time.
• While forest bathing can be adapted for all ages, this specific program is intended for adults only, supporting a relaxed and mindful experience.
• Participants must be 18 years of age or older.
• If you have any allergies or accommodation requests, please let us know in advance by emailing [email protected].
• Advanced online registration is required. Registration will close two days before the program.

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens is located off of Beulah Road, at 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, in Vienna, Virginia.

Host or Publisher Kindred Nature