therapeutic nature connection workshops
Forest Bathing in Sussex
Forest Bathing in Stanmer Park, Brighton is a simple, fun and engaging way of connecting more deeply with nature and with ourselves.
By wandering in the woodlands with curiosity, in a state of openness and being tuned into the environment, our nervous system starts to relax and we can feel more present and settled. Nature is able to reflect back our own inner stillness, which is always there beneath the surface turbulence and noise. Read my recent article about the benefits of Forest Bathing. Come and join us for Nature Connection events and Forest Bathing in Sussex, either one-to-one or in a group session.
Opening more deeply to nature
Forest Bathing or Forest Therapy is a guided experience that usually takes place in a group. It encompasses a mixture of mindful walking and simple invitations to connect with your surroundings. There is no set structure, but it may include gentle breathing, noticing the feeling of the wind or sun on your skin and touching and exploring a tree or other natural objects.
Natural health benefits
Studies have shown that Forest Bathing helps to reduce stress, worry, anxiety & depression and has many other mental health and general health benefits.
Forest Bathing in beautiful woodlands, near Brighton
Forest Bathing in Sussex. Group walks take place periodically in Stanmer Park woodlands near Brighton. See Workshops Page for any upcoming Forest Bathing events in Stanmer Park.
I also offer Individual one-one forest bathing sessions in Stanmer Park.
Slowing down, being still and observing all that is around you whilst breathing deeply helps you let go of accumulated stress and enhance your overall health and wellbeing in an easy and enjoyable way.
Forest bathing and nature therapy draws on our innate and intuitive knowledge, which is knowing that we are part of nature and have a deep need to feel that connection.
Simple, easy and intuitive
Take slow deep breaths and smell the forest air. Touch the trees, feel the leaves and soil. Take your time, look around and take in your surroundings as you slowly walk though the woods.
A beautiful Nature Based practice of being in a state of conscious presence through immersing yourself in a forest or woodland environment
“I entered into a magical, peaceful inner space feeling connected with nature.”
Nourishment for the soul
Moving, stretching, exploring or even dancing; Forest Bathing is an embodied practice that supports you in following your inner impulse and letting nature be your guide. Rejuvenating, uplifting & nurturing; it can be active and engaging or quiet, meditative and still.
“I slowed down, I noticed, I felt, I saw, heard, smelled, touched. I actually was there not only in my body as I tend to do, but in my Being. Now I’m just a little more “there” when I am surrounded by nature because I was reminded of how to Be with it, respectfully. Thank you Mark for this beautiful experience of Forest Bathing in the Sussex countryside.” Sally
“I spend plenty of time in nature but this was a first; to be guided and held so that I experienced sounds and sensations in a new way. It feels like this kind of nature therapy is so needed in the fast-paced world we live in. I think doing this as a group is what makes it special, you can hear other people’s perspectives and share something that would never normally happen in daily life.” Anita
“I really enjoyed this morning’s nature walk with Mark. Being in the woods is a pleasure in itself but the simple suggestions really brought, a depth to the experience. A lovely process of building a deeper connection with nature. The notion of being in relationship with the woods enriched the forest bathing experience.” Stephen
Mindfulness
Forest Bathing (shinrin-yoku) is a Nature Based Therapy practice of immersing yourself in a natural forest or woodland environment for relaxation, reduction of stress, and enhanced overall well-being through mindful engagement with nature. You may feel more grounded and centred in yourself as you allow all of your senses to become more awakened and attuned.
Stress reduction
Can exposure to nature reduce stress? Yes, Forest Bathing has been prescribed by the Ministry of Health in Japan as part of their national health care system since the 1980’s after scientific studies that demonstrated the mental health benefits of spending time under the canopy of trees. This was done in response to extremely high levels of stress and anxiety in their workforce at that time.
Health & well-being
Why is Forest Bathing good for you? Some of the other recorded benefits of Forest Bathing include increased energy levels, improved immune system, deeper quality of sleep & enhanced attentiveness. Results have shown that it can lower your blood pressure and help you recover from illness and trauma more quickly.
Playful exploration
In a forest or woodlands there is much to explore via all our senses, sight, sound, smells and touch. What do we see when we allow ourselves to truly look? The variety of colours. Some bright, some subtle. Letting our eyes drink it all in. Noticing sound, far and near. Birdsong, the quiet rustling of the leaves in the trees or a bubbling brook.
Tuning into the sound of the stillness of the forest. You may want to kneel down and touch the fallen leaves on the ground or explore the texture of bark or moss. Feeling the sensations within your body and experiencing your body as a part of nature, connected and at one with all that is around you.
Forest Bathing in Sussex
Group Forest Bathing walks take place periodically in woodlands in Stanmer Park, Brighton. See Workshops Page for any upcoming Forest Bathing events.
Individual one-one sessions also take place in woodlands within Stanmer Park.
Sessions are charged on a sliding-scale payment system of £90, £75 or £60 per hour. You choose which level is appropriate to you based on your own circumstances.
Mark Reeves is an approved Forest Therapy and Forest Bathing guide who works mainly in Sussex, UK, running groups and individual sessions in Stanmer Park Woodlands near Brighton. He loves how nature offers us healing and can guide us back to our own true nature within.
Mark trained with Nature & Therapy, completing a diploma in Nature and Forest Therapy. Mark is also a psychotherapist and coach and meets with his clients in the woods for nature-based therapy sessions. He runs workshops and retreats about people’s personal growth and well-being and loves creating opportunities for people to be real and authentic, opening themselves to discover more of who they really are on all levels.
15
Febuary 2026
Forest Bathing – Tilgate, West Sussex
Forest Bathing
Tilgate, West Sussex
“A very relaxing couple of hours. I was able to let go of some of the concerns of my life and enter into a magical, peaceful inner space feeling connected with nature.”
Come and share this simple but beautiful nature immersion work. Based on the Japanese tradition of Shinrin Yoku (Forest Bathing), we will participate in several guided nature connection exercises that open us to the deep replenishment that nature can offer us when we drop into stillness and are fully receptive. This is therapeutic and restorative on many levels, it relaxes our nervous system, reconnects us to our centre & supports our overall sense of wellness and vitality.
Afterwards we will gather round a fire for tea, snacks and to chat.
Read more
This event is being run by The Holistic Wellness Community and takes place in woods at their base in Tilgate, Crawley.
You’ll be gently guided through simple sensory practices to help you open more fully to your connection and relationship with the nature around you – for example, exploring the textures of bark, grass, and leaves, attuning to the sensation of sunlight or wind on your skin, as well as some gentle movement and conscious breathing. As you settle into these experiences, you may find yourself naturally returning to a sense of inner stillness, allowing stress and tension to gradually release.
There will be time for quiet reflection and also for speaking with each other to share our experience, exploring our inner landscape as well as the outer one.
You are invited to come exactly as you are, with whatever mood or feelings that are with you at that time. Nature offers an accepting and healing environment where everything is allowed to simply be.
10:00 am - 1.00pm
Tilgate Drive, Crawley, RH10 5PH
Free. Opportunity to make a donation if you wish.
FAQ
What happens on a Forest Bathing session?
You will be encouraged to breath deeply, slow down and allow all your senses to open, as you take in the surroundings. Various sensory exercises or invitations will be introduced involving touch, breath, movement and exploration of the environment. You might crouch down and run your hands over some soft moss. You may want to lean your back against a tree or lie down and feel the earth supporting your body. In a group session we usually have some time for sharing with each other about our experience.
What are the effects of Forest Bathing?
Forest Bathing can help us forge an intimate connection with nature that is often missing from our lives. This enables a reconnection with ourselves and it helps us to remember our wholeness and to be at one with our surroundings. There is a purity in nature which reflects back an inner purity that we also have, in our true essence. A Forest Bathing session can leave us feeling soothed, energised, nourished, curious, open and generally more tuned into ourself and the environment.
Is walking in nature good for mental health?
Yes, spending time in nature can reconnect us to feelings of calm, joy, creativity and relaxation. It can reduce feelings of anxiety, isolation and stress. Spending time in nature can nourish us at a deep level and support us in feeling more at peace and settled within ourself.
How does nature help with burnout?
Nature offers a space in which you can deeply relax and let go. Regular Forest Bathing can help with recovering from burnout as being in nature is very soothing and enables people to feel calm and peaceful. Spending mindful time in nature is deeply restorative and can be a powerful antidote to the stress of modern life. However, it is also important to explore the root of the burnout and to understand what is driving you to push yourself so that you can break the pattern and live in a more healthy and sustainable way.
Does nature help loneliness?
Forest Bathing is usually done in a small group and this creates a connection with each other through the shared experience of connecting with nature.
In 2021 a team of scientists conducted a study which was the first to assess how the environment can effect loneliness and concluded that contact with nature, especially in cities where people experience nature deficit, significantly reduces feelings of loneliness. The research found that when people were able to see trees or the sky, or hear birds, feelings of loneliness fell by 28%. Feelings of social inclusion also cut loneliness by 21%, and when these feelings coincided with contact with nature the beneficial effect was boosted by a further 18%. The findings pointed to interventions to reduce loneliness, especially specific measures that increase social inclusion and contact with nature. Other research suggests that developing a deeper relationship with nature can reduce loneliness, alleviate social isolation, and increase our overall well-being.
Forest Bathing offers a break from the constant noise and distractions of modern life and brings people out into a natural setting in which we can replenish and come back into balance. Nature can take us beyond our own suffering and reminds us of our connection to the larger web of life and the universe as a whole. Read more FAQ about the relationship between nature and our well-being on the Nature Therapy page.
How do I start Forest Bathing?
You can start anytime. You don’t even need a guide but it helps. Next time you have the opportunity, decide to go out and spend some time in nature. However, Forest Therapy is different from just going for a walk. You will need to have an intention to be deliberately mindful, present and tuned into yourself.
Breath slowly and deeply, take your time. Find a place to sit and spend some time just being. Allow yourself to enjoy gazing around and drinking in all that you see. Notice the smells. Let your hearing become more attuned to the sounds around you. Feel the breeze on your skin and the warmth of the sunlight or the drizzle of the rain. Allow everything to be exactly as it is. It takes a bit of time to leave the stress and tensions behind and to drop into the Forest Bathing zone. Give yourself that time. You deserve it. And don’t wait for the perfect day. As long as you have suitable clothing Forest Bathing can be done in almost any weather.
If you would like my guidance then I would love to go with you and share the experience together. Get in touch if you would like to book a one – one Forest Bathing session or join a small group event.
Other recommended UK Forest Bathing practitioners
Do Be Do Forest Therapy Malvern, Worcestershire
To Just Be – Balm For The Soul Plymouth, Devon
Forest Bathing Sussex Cowden, Kent/Sussex area
Nature & Therapy Ashburton, Devon
Dr Malcolm Kerr The Isle of Arran, Scotland
Wild Woman Gather Treflach, Shropshire
Ali Woozley Bridport, Dorset
You can send a message to get in touch or call me on +44 7944 312741, or you can book a free 30-minute introductory session.
Forest Bathing, Nature-based therapy and ecotherapy in Sussex.