Month: May 2023

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Scaffolded Model of Engagement for Facilitating Guided Forest Therapy Sessions

Scaffolded Model of Engagement for Facilitating Guided Forest Therapy Sessions

  • Shinrin-Yoku Journal (ISSN: 2957-2118)
  • May 18, 2023
  • Milena A. Guziak

Abstract

This article explores scaffolding as a guiding principle in forest therapy and Shinrin-Yoku practice by examining its relationship to learner-centred pedagogy and participant-centred experience. Building on the argument that the effects of forest exposure depend not only on the environment itself but also on how the experience is structured, paced, and supported, the article considers how guidance can create conditions in which restoration, connection, and personal meaning are more likely to emerge. Rather than treating the guide as a controller of outcomes, the discussion frames guiding as a process of holding structure in service of the participant’s unfolding experience.

Drawing on educational theory, the article argues that guided forest therapy shares with learner-centred pedagogy a central challenge: how to accommodate individual differences while preserving coherence, safety, and intention. This question is examined through The Mindful Tourist’s Scaffolded Model of Engagement, which is presented as a participant-centred adaptation of learner-centred principles to guided Shinrin-Yoku and forest therapy sessions. The model is based on gradual release, whereby external structure is progressively softened and participants are given increasing freedom in how they relate to the forest, the invitations, and their own inner experience.

The article suggests that scaffolding in forest therapy is not a means of limiting freedom, but of making meaningful freedom possible. By offering a progression from more structured sensory and relational support toward greater openness and autonomy, the scaffolded approach helps participants enter the experience with confidence, settle into the environment, and engage the forest in a way that is both safe and personally significant. In this sense, scaffolding is understood as a practical and relational bridge between theory and practice, showing how guided forest therapy may support participant agency, depth of experience, and therapeutic presence without reducing the encounter to a fixed protocol.

10.65410/syjI120230518en5

You must be a member to read the article free of charge.

Shinrin-Yoku Journal

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Ethical Standards Framework for Education and Shinrin Yoku Practitioners

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Welcome to the Shinrin Yoku Association Community

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Welcome to the Shinrin Yoku Association Community

Hello and welcome to the Shinrin Yoku Association (SYA)!

As a member of our community, you’ve joined a diverse and passionate group of individuals dedicated to the practice and promotion of Shinrin Yoku, often referred to as ‘forest bathing’. Our association’s mission is to serve as a platform for education, connection, and advocacy, fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of this beautiful and deeply transformative practice.

Shinrin Yoku originated in Japan and has now gained recognition globally for its numerous health and wellness benefits. It is a mindful, immersive, and intentional way of connecting with nature, with scientifically proven benefits for both physical and mental wellbeing.

At SYA, we strive to offer a range of resources and opportunities for both aspiring guides and those who simply wish to deepen their understanding and practice of Shinrin Yoku. From our accredited guide training programs to informative reading materials, international events, and engaging community discussions, our aim is to support every member on their unique Shinrin Yoku journey.

Whether you’re here to learn more, to share your knowledge, or to find a welcoming community of like-minded individuals, we’re delighted to have you with us. We encourage you to engage with our community, participate in discussions, and make the most out of your SYA membership.

Stay tuned for regular updates on events, trainings, and other opportunities, and do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, suggestions, or ideas.

We’re thrilled to welcome you into our community and can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together. Welcome to the world of Shinrin Yoku!

Since ©2022. Shinrin Yoku Association. All Rights Reserved.

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Designing Invitations for Guided Forest Therapy Sessions: Structure, Sensory Modalities, and Intentionality

Designing Invitations for Guided Forest Therapy Sessions: Structure, Sensory Modalities, and Intentionality

  • Shinrin-Yoku Journal (ISSN: 2957-2118)
  • May 4, 2023
  • Milena A. Guziak

Abstract

This article examines the design of invitations in guided forest therapy sessions, with particular attention to their logistical form, mode of presentation, thematic orientation, and sensory basis. In guided practice, invitations are not merely verbal prompts, but carefully shaped openings through which participants may enter into a slower, more embodied, and more receptive relationship with the forest. The article therefore considers not only what is invited, but also how invitations are structured in time and space, how they are conveyed, and what intention underlies their use.

The discussion explores the logistical categories of invitations, showing how posture, movement, spatial arrangement, and group configuration influence the quality of attention and the type of experience that becomes possible. It further distinguishes between the logistical form of an invitation and its mode of presentation, including spoken, written, environmental, and material forms. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of theme and intentionality, arguing that invitations should emerge from a coherent relationship between session aims, participant needs, and the specific qualities of the forest environment.

A further focus of the article is sensory engagement. Moving beyond the conventional language of the five senses, it considers a broader range of sensory systems relevant to guided forest therapy sessions, including vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, vestibular awareness, proprioception, interoception, internal chemoreception, and chronoception. This expanded framework helps clarify how invitations may be designed more intentionally and why different sensory pathways may be more appropriate at different phases of a session.

At the same time, the article acknowledges that the literature in this area is still developing. Although forest therapy increasingly draws on environmental psychology, sensory studies, neuroscience, mindfulness-based practice, and nature-based intervention research, the conceptual language surrounding invitations, sensory modalities, and their pedagogical use is not yet fully stabilized. The article is therefore both analytical and exploratory, bringing together emerging ideas in order to support clearer theory and more intentional practice in guided forest therapy experiences.

10.65410/syjI120230503en5a

You must be a member to read the article free of charge.

Shinrin-Yoku Journal

From Shinrin-Yoku Journal

shinrin yoku associatation (1)

Ethical Standards Framework for Education and Shinrin Yoku Practitioners

info@shinrin-yoku-association.com

Useful Links

Home
Our Standards
Guide Training
Instructor Training
Code of Conduct
About Us
Blog
Contact Us

Subscribe Now

Subscribe

* indicates required

Since ©2022. Shinrin Yoku Association. All Rights Reserved.