A Nature Boost: Using Forest Bathing in the Classroom
Type of Presentation
Workshop
Conference Strand
Outreach and Partnership
Target Audience
Higher Education
Second Target Audience
Other
Location
Session 4 Papers
Relevance
Over 45% of students are experiencing "above average" amounts of stress on a weekly basis, which makes it hard to focus and learn in the classroom. By incorporating stress-relieving strategies, such as breathing techniques and taking classes outside to do forest bathing, I have been able to connect wellness with course curriculum topics.
Proposal
Forest therapy, also known as shinrin yoku, improves physical and mental health through sensory mindfulness activities in nature. This makes it the perfect application to combat student burnout and chronic stress. Learn how an outreach librarian became a guide and put these skills into practice not only as a library outreach opportunity but also integrated them into the classroom. Forest therapy has been integrated into the architecture, family social science, public health, and environmental science coursework, along with the mental health services and Extension at this large research university.
Presentation Description
Learn more about forest bathing (shinrin yoku in Japanese) and how to engage in this therapeutic experience within the library classroom (outdoors) through course-integrated instruction and outreach examples. Bring a glass of tea or water, and join from a window area and get ready to go outside, if interested!
Keywords
forest bathing, stress, course-integrated instruction
Publication Type and Release Option
Event
Recommended Citation
Mastel, Kristen, "A Nature Boost: Using Forest Bathing in the Classroom" (2022). Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy. 40.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gaintlit/2022/2022/40
A Nature Boost: Using Forest Bathing in the Classroom
Session 4 Papers
Forest therapy, also known as shinrin yoku, improves physical and mental health through sensory mindfulness activities in nature. This makes it the perfect application to combat student burnout and chronic stress. Learn how an outreach librarian became a guide and put these skills into practice not only as a library outreach opportunity but also integrated them into the classroom. Forest therapy has been integrated into the architecture, family social science, public health, and environmental science coursework, along with the mental health services and Extension at this large research university.
