Nature & Forest Bathing
Forest bathing has its roots in shinrin-yoku, a Japanese practice that translates to “forest bathing.” At its core, it’s about immersing, or gently steeping, yourself in nature, allowing your senses to slow down and reconnect with the natural world.
About Nature & Forest Bathing With Susie
Forest bathing, rooted in the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, invites us to slow down and fully immerse ourselves in the natural world. It’s not about hiking or identifying plants—it’s about allowing your senses to guide you into a deeper state of presence, calm, and connection. Think of it as steeping yourself in nature, letting the sights, sounds, and textures of the outdoors gently support your well-being.
As an ANFT-trained guide (Association of Nature & Forest Therapy), my approach follows a standard sequence of bodyfulness and mindfulness invitations designed to help you connect more intentionally with the landscape around you. Each session is an opportunity to notice more, breathe more deeply, and experience your environment in a new and restorative way.
I guide sessions in some of St. Louis’ most beautiful green spaces, Tower Grove Park, Forest Park, approved residential native plant gardens for private groups, and various natural areas throughout the region. For those who prefer or need a remote option, I also offer virtual forest bathing experiences via Zoom, allowing you to connect with nature from wherever you are.
Whether you’re seeking calm, clarity, or a deeper relationship with your own outdoor space, nature & forest bathing offers a gentle path toward feeling rooted, restored, and more connected to the natural world.
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Guided by Susie Van de Riet
Reconnect with Nature
Susie Van de Riet loves sharing the benefits of native plants with others. She obtained her bachelor’s in Women’s Studies and AAS in Horticulture. She is an ISA Certified Arborist and a NAI Certified Interpretive Guide. She has a passion for native plants and has been landscaping with them since 2009. She recreates landscapes to work with their natural environment rather than against it and loves helping her clients to do the same.
What participants are saying
Participants often share how grounding, restorative, and eye-opening their Nature & forest bathing experience has been. Here are a few reflections from people who have joined me on this journey of slowing down, noticing more, and reconnecting with the natural world.
Susie's gentle guidance in my first forest bath helped me slow down, relax and really experience, with all of my senses, how special and unique the trees, along with native flowers, grasses and flying friends around me are. The lovely tea service at the end was quite a treat also! Start to finish it was a wonderful experience! Susie is a master of her craft and I look forward to another nature excursion with her.
