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What is Forest Bathing: Exploring Forest Therapy with ANFT

What is Forest Bathing: Exploring Forest Therapy with ANFT

Author: Maria Failla- Happy Plant Lady and Author of Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness March 17, 2026 Duration: 1:15:22
Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care
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I'm getting certified as a forest therapy guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT)! Every single time, though, people’s response is the same. "Oh my God, that sounds so cool. But what is that?" I get that the words "forest therapy" or "forest bathing" sound vague. Some think it’s like hiking or yoga in the woods, but many can be mistaken.

I spent years focused almost entirely on houseplants. But the deeper I got into plant care, the more I started to see the bigger picture. Plants aren't just decoration, and nature isn't just a backdrop. There's something real happening when we slow down and actually be in it. So I invited Amos Clifford, the founder of ANFT, and the top forest therapy guide and trainer, Nadine Mazzola, to talk about what this practice really is!

 

In this episode, we learn:

  • [01:54] Why forest therapy feels so accessible and meaningful to me!
  • [03:05] What is forest bathing?
  • [06:32] How did Nadine become a forest therapy guide?
  • [08:26] The story behind how ANFT was founded!
  • [12:07] How forest therapy slowly gained traction
  • [13:13] Why forest bathing is gaining cultural relevance
  • [15:16] The Productive Garden
  • [16:37] How everyone carries stories about nature
  • [17:18] What actually happens during a forest therapy walk?
  • [21:03] Why participants often experience anxiety at the beginning of forest therapy
  • [22:01] How forest bathing helps regulate the nervous system
  • [25:40] My first forest bathing experience and the challenge of slowing down
  • [26:57] Why having a forest guide matters
  • [32:00] What’s the science behind forest bathing?
  • [32:42] Amos on the global boom in forest therapy research
  • [35:19] Chronic stress and “salaryman” overwork in Japan
  • [38:59] How forest therapy differs from other wellness practices
  • [41:32] How forest bathing practices differ across the world
  • [44:55] Why ANFT guiding focuses on sensory invitations
  • [48:32] Inside the rigorous forest therapy guide training!
  • [53:05] The relational philosophy of forest therapy
  • [55:54] Why is all medicine relational?
  • [59:05] How forest therapy addresses our disconnection from the world
  • [1:03:16] Where to find Nadine’s work and her book Forest Bathing With Your Dog
  • [1:04:18] What is Amos’s next chapter for ANFT and forest therapy?
  • [01:10:02] Where to find Amos' work, the ANFT global guide map, and Forest Bathing Finder
  • [01:12:50] How my upcoming digital forest therapy sessions will work!

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

 

For a deeper dive into the science of forest bathing,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

 

Follow Nadine:

Website
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube

 

Follow Amos:

Website
Instagram
Facebook
LinkedIn
X

 

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Quarto: The Productive Garden by Stephanie Hafferty

Grab The Productive Garden at quarto.com and wherever books are sold.

 

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Growing Joy with Maria Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

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Subscribe to the Growing Joy YouTube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

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There’s a quiet, accessible kind of wellness waiting for you on a windowsill or in a patch of soil. Growing Joy with Plants explores that very idea, moving beyond basic tips to examine how our relationship with the natural world directly nurtures our mental and emotional health. Hosted by Maria Failla, a self-proclaimed Happy Plant Lady and author of "Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness," this podcast feels like a warm conversation with a knowledgeable friend. Maria guides you through the practicalities of keeping your houseplants alive and thriving, but the discussion always circles back to the deeper connection-how the simple acts of watering, repotting, or simply observing growth can become anchors of calm in a hectic day. Each episode digs into how gardening and engaging with nature, even in small urban spaces, offer tangible tools to manage feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. This isn't about achieving a perfect indoor jungle; it's about finding moments of peace and genuine happiness through the process of care. The underlying message throughout the podcast is a powerful and gentle reminder: tending to your plants is fundamentally an act of tending to yourself. You’ll come away with not just better plant care knowledge, but a refreshed perspective on cultivating joy in your daily routine, learning that the serenity you might seek on vacation can be rooted right in your own home.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care
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