"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."
Lao Tzu

I'm Laurence Turcios

Certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide

I’m here to guide you in finding calm, clarity, and connection through nature therapy benefiting both your well-being and the nature around us.

What is Nature and Forest Therapy?

Forest Therapy is a research-based practice for supporting healing and wellness through immersion in forests and other natural environments. The decades old practice originated in Japan and is known as shinrin-yoku, which literally translates to “taking in the forest” or “forest bathing”.

During a forest bathing session, participants are guided through a series of sensory invitations designed to deepen their connection with nature. It’s not about hiking or fitness—it’s about slowing down, breathing deeply, and experiencing the forest with all your senses. The practice encourages mindfulness, reduces stress, and fosters a sense of calm and rejuvenation. It’s a gentle, restorative way to reconnect with the natural world, others and ourself.

Why Nature and Forest Therapy?

Boosted immune function

Trees emit protective molecules into the air against harmful microorganisms called phytoncides, which boost the NK cells (natural killers) of our own immune system, reducing the risk of cancer-like diseases in the long run.

Attention restoration

According to Stephen Kaplan, that put forward the Attention Restoration Theory, involuntary attention requires no mental effort, it just comes naturally. This is the kind of attention we use when we are in nature. The soothing sights and sounds give our mental resources a break, allowing our minds to wander, to reflect and therefore restore our capacity to think more clearly

Slowing down

The world seems to be in an unidentifiable rush to nowhere. It can be hard to slow down and we no longer know how to stand still. Walking with a certified Forest therapy guide can help you feel more comfortable and find the right environment to fit your needs.

Improved cardiovascular and respiratory health

According to several medical studies, walking in, sitting in, or simply viewing a forest environment can help reduce blood pressure, thereby reducing the strain on your heart and blood vessels and reducing your risk for heart attack or stroke.

Reduction in stress and depression

Research shows that the level of cortisol in the blood (the stress-marker hormone) decreases from the first minutes spent in the forest, and that the effect lasts over time.

Reciprocity and relationship

The Association of Nature and Forest Therapy values the incredible number of pro-environmental and pro-social benefits that can arise when people become connected to and more aware of their relationship with nature. These benefits are not confined to the world of humans; they extend inservice of the health and wellbeing of the entire biosphere.