People Fixing the World - The healing power of forests

Meet the people using the healing power of forests to help improve physical and mental health.

In forest therapy, people are taken into the woods and taught to use what they see, hear and smell to calm their minds.

This kind of therapy has its roots in the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku or “forest bathing”, which was developed in the 1980s.

Myra is joined by Gary Evans, founder of the Forest Bathing Institute, to experience some of the relaxation techniques of forest bathing.

We also hear how forests are helping people recover from depression and addiction in Hong Kong and Costa Rica, and look into the scientific evidence for its effectiveness.

Presenter: Myra Anubi
Reporter: Carla Rosch
Producer: William Kremer
Series producer: Tom Colls
Sound mix: Hal Haines
Editor: Penny Murphy

Email: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk
Image: A woman in a forest (Getty Images)

Published on Tuesday, 24th January 2023.

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