Forest Bathing Helps People Find Peace in Chaotic Times

When the news feels overwhelming, Claire Jefferies heads to the woods for what she calls her "protective bubble."

The human resources director joined a dozen others at the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, North Carolina, for a Sunday morning forest bathing session. For two hours, they walked among oaks and flowering magnolias, deliberately leaving behind conversations about rising gas prices and international conflicts.

Forest therapy guide Shawn Ramsey led the group through breathing exercises and nature connection activities. She rang a tiny brass bell to gather participants for meditation, then invited them to crush conifer twigs between their fingers and smell the released oils, or simply touch tree bark with intention.

"In this day and age, there's a lot of stress and anxiety and chaos," Ramsey explained. "And people are searching for ways to kind of cope with that."

The practice comes from Shinrin-yoku, a Japanese wellness tradition that translates to "forest bathing." Research shows the activity reduces stress, improves mood, lowers blood pressure, and boosts immune function.

Transportation researcher Alan Mintz attended with a friend and had to be gently reminded to stop discussing current events at the entrance. Standing in dappled sunlight filtering through branches, he reflected on why the practice matters beyond personal relaxation.

"It's important for people to exist in natural spaces so it can be easier to interact with other people," he said. "To take a moment to appreciate beautiful things, then carry that forward and have more appreciation for other people and cultures."

The Ripple Effect

Jefferies sees the forest sessions as training for how we treat each other and the planet. Watching how plants naturally support one another without taking more than they need reminds her that human actions ripple outward too.

The mother of a nine-year-old values teaching her son about interconnectedness. "That focus back into spending time in nature and the healing power of that, and just remembering that we're part of something bigger, that we're all connected," she said.

Even in a busy section of a growing city, Ramsey confirms the benefits remain the same. The key is tuning out the noise and tuning into the forest's natural rhythm, recognizing ourselves as part of it.

After two hours among the trees, participants return to their lives carrying a reminder that peace is always within reach.