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Adult Opportunities

Forest Therapy Walks

Find peace in nature with the practice of forest bathing.

Content Detail

Experience the healing and wellness-promoting effects of shinrin-yoku, the practice of bathing the senses in the atmosphere of the forest.

Awaken your senses and reconnect with nature during these mindful walks with a certified forest therapy guide. No two walks are the same; visit different locations at The Morton Arboretum and enjoy a variety of awareness-raising exercises.

On the walk, experience a series of guided, gentle invitations to open the senses, cultivate presence, and invite healing interactions between people and the natural world. To finish, enjoy a closing ceremony with tea made from plants foraged from the forest.

This program meets in person at the Arboretum.

Instructors: Kristy Belton, certified forest therapy guide, Prairie Pathways; Beth Bengtson, certified forest therapy guide; Jeni Gabrenya, certified forest therapy guide and CEO, Anew: Building Beyond Violence and Abuse; Retta Hennessy, certified forest therapy guide; Jeanne Iovinelli, certified forest therapy guide; Laura Kamedulski, certified forest therapy guide, The Morton Arboretum; Jessica Rodriguez, certified forest therapy guide and owner, Reciprocal Forest Bathing; Jane Wandless, certified forest therapy guide and owner, JEM Nature and Forest Therapy

Age: 16 and older

Course number: WELL008

Instructors

Kristy Belton, certified forest therapy guide, Prairie Pathways

Kristy A. Belton is a certified forest therapy guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, a native plants enthusiast, and an Illinois master naturalist. She loves engaging in earth-centered practices, whether through gardening, volunteering for the DuPage County Forest Preserve, or guiding people in forest therapy and outdoor yoga practices. She is the founder of Prairie Pathways, an organization that offers rewilding practices to reconnect people to the land they live upon. Belton holds a PhD in political science and has more than twenty years’ experience in higher education, serving in diverse roles.

Beth Bengtson, certified forest therapy guide

Beth Bengtson is a certified forest therapy guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. She was also an education program guide at the Arboretum for more than 15 years, teaching nature education programs for youth and adults in both lab and outdoor settings. She has certifications in natural history and Natural Areas Conservation Training (N-ACT) Program through The Morton Arboretum. She works with a volunteer steward group restoring the Arboretum’s East Prairie, and she leads students and youth volunteers on natural areas restoration projects. She has a BA in English from the University of Iowa and, prior to entering the field of nature education, worked professionally as a writer and editor. She still enjoys writing freelance and personal projects. Her work has been published in literary journals and various print and online publications.

Jeni Gabrenya, certified forest therapy guide and CEO, Anew: Building Beyond Violence and Abuse

Jeni Gabrenya is a lifelong nature lover and a certified forest therapy guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. She volunteers as a steward leader for natural areas at The Morton Arboretum and serves as board chair for The Nature Foundation of Will County. As CEO of Anew: Building Beyond Violence and Abuse, she works to serve people impacted by abuse and trauma through advocacy and community engagement. She enjoys gardening with native plants, hiking, wildlife photography, and listening to her son drum.

Retta Hennessy, certified forest therapy guide

Retta Hennessy is a certified forest therapy guide, completing her training at The Morton Arboretum in 2017. She has been on staff at The Morton Arboretum as a program assistant in the Children’s Garden since 2008. She is a long-time early childhood educator with a master’s in education; she is also a master naturalist. The Arboretum has enabled her to share a love of teaching and nature with people of all ages. She believes the Arboretum provides a path for everyone to experience the beauty and healing opportunities that nature offers.

Laura Kamedulski, certified forest therapy guide

Laura Kamedulski is the coordinator for youth and family programs at The Morton Arboretum, where she leads programs for early childhood ages and supervises youth volunteers. She was certified as a forest therapy guide in 2017 by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, and she leads Forest Therapy Walks at The Morton Arboretum. She enjoys helping people connect with trees, nature, and the land. She is passionate about urban places too, having formerly worked at the Chicago History Museum. She is a long-time board member of the Maxwell Street Foundation, dedicated to the history of the old Maxwell Street Market area in Chicago. She has a BA in psychology with a business minor from the University of Iowa and an MA in United States history with a minor in Mexican history from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Jessica Rodriguez, certified forest therapy guide and owner, Reciprocal Forest Bathing

Jessica Rodriguez is a certified forest bathing guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy and has been guiding since March 2022. They are focused on creating a sense of wholeness by cultivating meaningful experiences with people through nature. Rodriguez holds a BA in sociology and environmental studies and currently works as the coalition building manager at the Brushwood Center, a health, nature and arts center in Lake County. Learn more about their nature wellness practice at Reciprocal Forest Bathing.

Jane Wandless, certified forest therapy guide and owner, JEM Nature and Forest Therapy

Jane Wandless is a certified nature and forest therapy guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy and the owner of JEM Nature and Forest Therapy. She is also the program manager for The Morton Arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI) and has a BS in business management from Towson University in Maryland. She enjoys camping and traveling to state and national parks and is passionate about the opportunity to build a place in communities for individuals to cultivate their relationships with the natural world through slow, sensory walks. Learn more @jemnaturewalks on Instagram.

What to Know

This program is held entirely outdoors.

Check the forecast and dress for the weather. Dress warmly for extended time in cold conditions.

Walks are at a slow, gentle pace with frequent stops.

Wear comfortable shoes or boots for walking a short distance on and off trail in winter conditions.

Bring water.

A small blanket, a mat to sit on, or a small portable chair that is easy to carry may be useful.

Access Cost

An access cost is available for students, participants in the Museums for All program, and others who would benefit from a reduced price to participate. Please select “Access” ticket pricing when registering.

If the access cost is a barrier to participating, if you are interested in registering a group, or if you have other questions about the program, please email education@mortonarb.org.

Program Schedule

This program meets during these times; choose your sessions. Pricing is per session.

November

Saturday, November 23, 2024, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Beth Bengtson
Thornhill Picnic Shelter (Parking Lot 21), West Side

December

Saturday, December 7, 2024, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Jane Wandless
Thornhill Picnic Shelter (Parking Lot 21), West Side

Thursday, December 12, 2024, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Kristy Belton
Thornhill Picnic Shelter (Parking Lot 21), West Side

Wednesday, December 18, 2024, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Retta Hennessy
Thornhill Picnic Shelter (Parking Lot 21), West Side

January

Saturday, January 18, 2025, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Jeni Gabrenya
Thornhill Picnic Shelter (Parking Lot 21), West Side

February

Saturday, February 1, 2025, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Jane Wandless
Thornhill Picnic Shelter (Parking Lot 21), West Side

Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Beth Bengston
Thornhill Picnic Shelter, Parking Lot 21, West Side

Saturday, February 22, 2025, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Jessica Rodriguez
Thornhill Picnic Shelter (Parking Lot 21), West Side

March

Thursday, March 6, 2025, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Retta Hennessy
Thornhill Picnic Shelter (Parking Lot 21), West Side

Friday, March 14, 2025, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (Special Full Moon Walk)
Jane Wandless
Thornhill Picnic Shelter, Parking Lot 21, West Side

Saturday, March 22, 2025, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Jeni Gabrenya
Thornhill Picnic Shelter (Parking Lot 21), West Side

Wednesday, March 26, 2025, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Kristy Belton
Thornhill Picnic Shelter (Parking Lot 21), West Side

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