Media

Press and Media content creators are invited to contact ANFT at [email protected]

Why Being in Nature Makes You Smarter, According to Neuroscientists

Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan
Outside Magazine
June 2023

The scientific evidence is overwhelmingly clear: spending time outdoors boosts your brain function. So what are you waiting for?

Is Nature Deficit Disorder a Thing

Marcelo Gleiser
NPR Morning Edition
April 2018

A 2014 article from the United Nations states that about 54 percent of the human population lives in urban areas (more by now), a proportion that is projected to increase to 66 percent by 2050. By 2045, the report says, more than six billion people will crowd cities.

Children Find Peace in the Forest

Michelle Brenner
Mediate.com
August 2018

Nature Deficit Disorder, a phrase coined by Richard Louv in his book, Last Child in The Woods, is used to describe the impact that urbanisation along with the technological era has had, in reducing the time children are having in nature, nearby nature. It is rare for children in the 21st century to have childhood memories of playing down the end of the street making go carts, tree houses, and playing till the stars came out, getting lost in make believe games that used nature, both human nature and the more-than-human-world of nature.

Meditation: The Trees of Your Life

Amos Clifford
Catching Zs: the Millennial's Guide to Mindfulness
June 2016

Meditation: The Trees of Your Life

Nick Zolfo and Zach Damon
Spotify

Amos leads us in this guided visualization where we connect with a tree that we remember from our life’s journey.

Amos Clifford on Shinrin-Yoku

Amos Clifford
Catching Z's: the Millenial's Guide to Mindfulness
January 2018

Today we’re excited to have Amos Clifford with us, Amos is a leader and pioneer in the field of Shinrin Yoku and has not only devoted his entire career to helping at risk youth, but has also written a book called, “A Little Handbook of Shinrin-Yoku”.

Forest Therapy Documentary, United States Segment

Korean Broadcasting System
October 2015

Korean Broadcasting System Documentary, US Segment

Walk in the Woods is Good for Your Health

WGN9 Chicago
June 2015

It’s a free and powerful drug – nature can help heal, de-stress and improve our mental health. It sounds simple, but there’s science to back up the claim. For some, all it takes is a walk in the woods.

Forest Bathers Tout Health Benefits of Immersion in Nature

CBS New York
July 2017

Eros in the Outdoors: The Healing Practice of Forest Bathing

Sharon Ann Wikoff
Blog Talk Radio
2014

The Voice of Change welcomes Amos Clifford to speak on: Eros in the outdoors: the healing practice of forest bathing.

Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing)

Many Rivers

his presentation is an overview of Forest Therapy, inspired by the practice of Shinrin-yoku. Shinrin-yoku, also known as Forest Bathing, is a simple practice of mindful movement in natural settings. It emphasizes cultivating an intimate relationship with nature through direct sensory contact. Using the techniques of shinrin-yoku, we can very quickly enter into a state of intimate, deep connectedness.

The Medicine of Being in the Forest: Shinrin-Yoku

Jill Cloutier
Sustainable World Radio
March 2015

Episode 111: In this episode, I talk with wilderness guide and educator Amos Clifford about Forest Therapy or Shinrin-yoku. Also known as Forest Medicine or Forest Bathing, Shinrin-yoku is beneficial for your health and has been shown to increase white blood cell counts, decrease stress hormones, lower blood pressure, and improve people’s moods.

Forest Bathing: a Retreat to Nature Can Boost Immunity and Mood

Allison Aubrey
NPR Morning Edition
July 2017

When my editors asked me to report on forest bathing, I packed a swimsuit. I assumed it must involve a dip in the water.

I Went to a Forest Therapy Session and It Wasn't Weird at All

Clarissa Wei
the Bold Italic
Janary 2017

We’ve come to an opening in the Monrovia Canyon trail. A bed of fallen leaves pads the ground, and the air smells of subtle decay. Ben Page, my guide, invites me to let the forest be my guide. I am skeptical. As an avid hiker, I already spend considerable time with nature, and I’m not entirely sure what this therapy session will involve.

Shinrin-yoku: the Practice of Forest Bathing

Julie Hale
LA Yoga
October 2017

For as long as I can remember, the forest has been a place of healing for me. As a child I would gravitate to the woods for hours. As an adult in this modern multi-tasking world, it has been harder to keep up the habit regularly. I mean, really – if you go outside, you should be exercising and checking your watch to hit that magic number of 10,000 steps. Right?

Forest Bathing: free medicine, no swallowing required

Melati Citrawireja
New Sincerity
November 2017

In case you missed it, forest bathing is a form of stress-reducing therapy that first began in Japan (called ‘shinrin-yoku’) and is taking off all over the US. No bathing suit required here – all you need is a little bit of time to play in the woods.

Why You Need to Try Forest Bathing

Editor
Dr Oz

Forest bathing, also known as shinrin-yoku, originates from Japan and was established in 1982 as an innovative approach to addressing and even preventing modern-day ailments and stressors. In the last two decades, the practice has gained traction and is now primed to be the next big wellness trend. We spoke with M. Amos Clifford, the founder and CEO of the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs (ANFT) and Suzi Minor, an ANFT-certified Forest Therapy Guide at L’Auberge de Sedona resort to demystify the misconceptions of forest bathing and discuss its promising benefits.

Why Forest Bathing is the New Trend

Editor
Vegetarian Times
July 2016

Taking a walk in the woods and soaking up the lush scenery, clean air, and supreme quiet of a forest could do more than refresh your mind and recharge your energy. Thanks to a do-it-yourself therapy known as forest bathing or shinrin-yoku (a Japanese term that means “taking in the forest atmosphere”), spending a few serene hours in the woods may give you a long-lasting health boost.

Urban Biophilia: The Tree Diaries

Pamela Turczyn
New York Free Spirit Journal
July 2015

In short, Forest Bathing involves walking leisurely in a treed setting while mindfully tuning into one’s senses. In A Little Guidebook of Shinrin-Yoku, Amos Clifford says, “In addition to the mechanism of aromatherapy, the forest environment bathes us in many other healing influences.

The Woodland Medicine of Forest Bathing

Tiffanie Wen
NH Magazine
July 2017

Leave my devices behind? That’s definitely what Amos Clifford, founder and director of the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs, advised me to do before taking my first solo walk in the woods. But there are bears out here, I can’t help thinking to myself. And I have a terrible sense of direction.

How to Forest Bathe At Work

Beth Salmon
Bodhi Tree

As the work of humans becomes increasingly urban-bound and technology-driven, so is our need to reconnect with nature. It’s no wonder that the increasingly popular therapy of shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” was developed by the forestry service of Japan, a country where nearly 91% of the population is concentrated in urban areas, yet also contains some of the world’s most beautiful, lush forests.

What is Forest Bathing?

Kelley Rawlsky
Enterprise News
October 2017

Now that Jack Frost kicked my vegetables and herbs to the curb, how and where am I going to get my people-plant therapy? I have house plants, like most folks, but they become to resemble furniture that require dusting and other regular maintenance. They don’t bring me the same joy as growing edibles.

Forest Bathing Embraces Healing Properties of Nature

Cassandra Szklarski
CTV News
June 2016

It’s no secret that a walk in the woods can be great for boosting your mood. But a burgeoning group of nature enthusiasts say it can do much more — including strengthen immunity, lower blood pressure, increase your ability to focus, and ultimately lower health-care costs if done regularly.

Forest Bathing: a Retreat to Nature Can Boost Immunity and Mood

Allison Aubrey
WGBH News
July 2017

When my editors asked me to report on forest bathing, I packed a swimsuit. I assumed it must involve a dip in the water.

The Ultimate Stress Antidote that Costs Nothing

Mark Johanson
BBC
June 2016

Scottish literary giant Robert Louis Stevenson wrote that it’s “not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air, that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.”

Inside The Genius Japanese Practice That Boosts Your Immune System & Eliminates Stress Instantly

Leigh Wingus
Mindbodygreen

Originally from Japan, forest bathing—or shinrin-yoku in Japanese—isn’t what it sounds like. Yes, it involves a trip to the forest, but you won’t be stripping down and jumping into a serene lake surrounded by larger-than-life trees. Instead, it’s a meditative moment or walk spent immersing yourself in all the forest has to offer: clean air, peace and quiet, and immune-boosting benefits.

Forest Bathing, a Mindful Walk in the Woods

Editor
National Post
September 2016

In Japan, it’s called “shinrin-yoku,” which translates as forest bathing. It’s the practice of immersing yourself in nature to improve your well-being, and interest in the concept is growing, with spas, resorts, retreat centres, gardens and parks offering guided “forest bathing” experiences.

What are Mood Walks?

Editor
Mood Walks

Shinrin-yoku (森林浴) is the Japanese practice of “forest bathing” or immersing oneself in the atmosphere of the forest for relaxation and health care. Rooted in scientific research, forest therapy is proving to be the most effective antidote to our modern, technology-driven lifestyles.

Adirondack Forest Bathing

Editor
Adirondack Riverwalking

Picture it now: You are walking through an evergreen forest on a bright spring day surrounded by bird songs. You feel the warmth of the sun on your skin as you watch green shoots springing up from the ground. You feel the mystery of the forest. Your Adirondack Forest Bathing guide is allowing you to slow down, helping you open your senses to a new way of experiencing nature.

Forest Bathing in California

Editor
Lightfoot

California’s latest wellness trend has its roots in Japan. As a reaction to constantly buzzing smartphones, dull office cubicles and endless late nights at the office, Californians are now turning to the Japanese therapy of shinrin-yoku to destress – namely, the art of forest bathing.

Forest Bathing Harnesses Nature to Boost Health

Kathleen Doheny
WebMD
August 2017

On a recent morning in late July, Ben Page leads six hikers about a quarter-mile into the Angeles National Forest about an hour north of Los Angeles. As they walk on winding paths under maple trees and past bubbling streams, he asks them to gather in a circle, stand, and notice the sights, sounds, and smells surrounding them.

Training as a Nature and Forest Therapy Guide

Gabrielle Young
Walking by Nature
October 2016

Last week, I was very privileged to be among the first eight people in New Zealand and Australia to be trained as a Nature and Forest Therapy guide by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programmes.

The Woodland Cure: Why a Good Walk May Just Be the Answer to What Ails You

Elaine Gusac
American Way
May 2017

For a city person, the pace of life out here can take some getting used to. I’ve come several states to explore the tangle of trails at Blackberry Farm resort, which abuts Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and minutes into my first trek I nearly rear-end my guide, Hope Parks, who has paused to study a neon-striped millipede. We stand and sniff the wintergreen scent of a teaberry leaf and listen to the song of cicadas that fills the air on this cool summer morning.

Forest Bathing: Outdoor Experience on a Different Level

Jackie Rainford Corcoran
Big Sky
September 2015

Most of us who live or vacation in southwest Montana know intuitively that spending time in nature is good for the mind, body and spirit. Now there’s science to prove it, thanks to a cultural trend in Japan called Shinrin-yoku, which translates to “bathing in the medicine of the forest” or “forest bathing.”

More Than a Walk in the Woods

Alexandra Malloy
Sierra
February 2017

Naturalist and Sierra Club founder John Muir once said that in every walk with nature, one receives far more than he or she seeks. Mounting interest in the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, which translates literally to “taking in the forest atmosphere,” or “forest bathing,” would seem to indicate that people are increasingly taking Muir’s sentiment to heart.

I Tried a Three-Day Forest Bathing Trip-Here's What That Was Like

Gemma Hartley
Women's Health
November 2016

My first clash with depression and anxiety came five years ago, after the birth of my son. Since then, I’ve learned to keep my symptoms in check by meditating and getting outside every day (whether or not I feel like it).

The Health Benefits of Shinrin-Yoku

Gina Zammit
Shape
May 2015

There’s a reason women are willing to fork over a hefty amount of their paycheck for a day at the spa. The payoffs—uninterrupted zen, luxurious pampering—are worth the price. But what if we told you that you could indulge closer to home—and for way less money?

Forest Therapy Guide Explains the Healing Power of a Walk in the Woods

A. Pawloski
Today
August 2016

If we spend time in forests — just being present and using our senses to connect with the forest — there’s quite a wide array of healing benefits.

Forest Bathing at Osmosis

Michael Stusser
Osmosis Blog
April 2016

Beyond our daily routines and to-do lists the world goes on with or with out us. The world of nature is generating its serene healing energy abundantly all the time if we could simply open ourselves to receive it.

Sonoma County's Amos Clifford Guides Japanese Practice of Forest Bathing

Derek Moore
Santa Rosa Press Democrat
December 2015

Removing his sandals, Amos Clifford walked barefoot over a bed of golden brown leaves blanketing a trail at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.

Forest Bathing is Latest Fitness Trend to Hit US

Meeri Kim
Washington Post
May 2016

If we spend time in forests — just being present and using our senses to connect with the forest — there’s quite a wide array of healing benefits.

Shinrin-Yoku: The Japanese Practice that Could Transform Your Day

Nicole Frehsee
O!
June 2014

Japanese researchers have found that leaving the civilized world behind for a few hours could be the healthiest thing you do all day.