Stress Management Techniques – Forest Therapy

Category
SHSM

Duration
Half-Day

Grade
Grade 11, Grade 12

On-a-Roll In Your Schoolyard
Yes

Season
Year-Round

Program Outline
Forest therapy is an emerging practice in preventative health care that utilizes intentional experiences in a living forest to generate health benefits. Along with physiological changes in blood pressure, immune functioning and improved sleep, the health benefits of forest therapy include reduced stress levels, improved mood, increased energy, as well as an increased ability to focus. On a short guided hike through the Ganaraska Forest, students will take part in a number of place-based reflective exercises. These first-hand experiences will enable the students to appreciate the benefits of forest therapy practice and provide them with stress reduction techniques that they can utilize in their own lives.