Forest & Nature
Therapy Walks
Shinrin-yoku
Forest bathing
Forest bathing
vancouver island
british columbia, Canada
british columbia, Canada
Forest & Nature Therapy walks with Kelly Hutchison, ANFT Certified Forest Therapy Guide.
Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
(Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Courtenay-Comox)
All images are copyright protected by Dave Hutchison Photography. For image use requests please contact Dave through his website.
Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
(Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Courtenay-Comox)
All images are copyright protected by Dave Hutchison Photography. For image use requests please contact Dave through his website.
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." ~John Muir
Forest Therapy Guide | Nature-Based Wellness on Vancouver Island
Slow down. Breathe deeply. Reconnect.
Join me on beautiful Vancouver Island for a journey into the heart of nature—and into yourself. Through the practice of Forest Therapy, inspired by the Japanese tradition of Shinrin-Yoku or “forest bathing,” you will be gently guided to awaken your senses, ground your energy and experience the healing presence of the forest.
Forest Therapy isn’t a hike—it’s an invitation into yourself and your connection with nature.
A mindful, unhurried walk of about 1 km, lasting 2.5 to 3 hours, where each step opens the door to stillness, insight and restoration. Through a series of nature-based sensory invitations, you will deepen your connection to the land, its beings and the quiet wisdom within you. The practice is welcoming to all fitness levels, ages, and abilities.
Being in the forest feels like returning home—not just to a place, but to a quieter space within your own heart.
Forest Therapy is not about distance or destination. It's about slowing down, awakening your senses and gently noticing what is around and within you. Through touch, sound, scent, sight, and even taste, you begin to attune to the living world.
During a guided walk, you will be offered a series of gentle, open-ended invitations, ways to explore nature with curiosity and ease. There is no right or wrong way to participate. As your guide, I simply hold space for your connection to deepen—with the forest, and with yourself.
Salish Sea Nature Connections began on Salt Spring Island in the fall of 2018, later relocating to the Greater Victoria area in 2024, and recently finding its home in the serene oceanside community of Qualicum Beach on eastern Vancouver Island. I am now offering guided walks in Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum Beach and the Courtenay-Comox areas. However, for groups of eight or more, I am willing to travel throughout Vancouver Island the Gulf Islands.
Come walk with me and experience the healing power of the forest...
Slow down. Breathe deeply. Reconnect.
Join me on beautiful Vancouver Island for a journey into the heart of nature—and into yourself. Through the practice of Forest Therapy, inspired by the Japanese tradition of Shinrin-Yoku or “forest bathing,” you will be gently guided to awaken your senses, ground your energy and experience the healing presence of the forest.
Forest Therapy isn’t a hike—it’s an invitation into yourself and your connection with nature.
A mindful, unhurried walk of about 1 km, lasting 2.5 to 3 hours, where each step opens the door to stillness, insight and restoration. Through a series of nature-based sensory invitations, you will deepen your connection to the land, its beings and the quiet wisdom within you. The practice is welcoming to all fitness levels, ages, and abilities.
Being in the forest feels like returning home—not just to a place, but to a quieter space within your own heart.
Forest Therapy is not about distance or destination. It's about slowing down, awakening your senses and gently noticing what is around and within you. Through touch, sound, scent, sight, and even taste, you begin to attune to the living world.
During a guided walk, you will be offered a series of gentle, open-ended invitations, ways to explore nature with curiosity and ease. There is no right or wrong way to participate. As your guide, I simply hold space for your connection to deepen—with the forest, and with yourself.
Salish Sea Nature Connections began on Salt Spring Island in the fall of 2018, later relocating to the Greater Victoria area in 2024, and recently finding its home in the serene oceanside community of Qualicum Beach on eastern Vancouver Island. I am now offering guided walks in Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum Beach and the Courtenay-Comox areas. However, for groups of eight or more, I am willing to travel throughout Vancouver Island the Gulf Islands.
Come walk with me and experience the healing power of the forest...
Why Forest Therapy?
Spending intentional time in nature isn’t just calming—it is scientifically proven to nourish body, mind and spirit.
Benefits of forest therapy may include:
🌿 Reduced stress and anxiety through lowered cortisol levels
🌿 Strengthened immune system by boosting natural killer cells
🌿 Brighter mood, enhanced creativity and clearer focus
🌿 Better sleep and increased energy
🌿 A deep sense of calm, presence and inner peace
🌿 Greater connection to yourself, to others and to the Earth
Spending intentional time in nature isn’t just calming—it is scientifically proven to nourish body, mind and spirit.
Benefits of forest therapy may include:
🌿 Reduced stress and anxiety through lowered cortisol levels
🌿 Strengthened immune system by boosting natural killer cells
🌿 Brighter mood, enhanced creativity and clearer focus
🌿 Better sleep and increased energy
🌿 A deep sense of calm, presence and inner peace
🌿 Greater connection to yourself, to others and to the Earth
Together with my husband, Dave Hutchison (of Dave Hutchison Photography), we offer immersive forest therapy walks and photo tours in some of Vancouver Island’s most pristine coastal rainforests. Whether you are a nature lover, a photographer, or simply seeking a moment of peace, we would love to share this experience with you. This offering can be tailored specifically for you. Reach out to explore a personalized experience designed with your needs in mind.
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New Book!
Forest therapy reawakened my creativity. Time in nature led me back to painting… and then to writing. Together with my husband, photographer Dave Hutchison, we created our first book: Vancouver Island: The Art of the Landscape. A 224-page hardcover coffee table book filled with art, photography, and love for this land. Now available in bookstores! “Not merely a collection of photographs, this book is a love letter, a tribute, to a place that has given us so much.” |
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"We all know how good being in nature can make us feel. We have known it for millennia. The sounds of the forest, the scent of the trees, the sunlight playing through the leaves, the fresh, clean air—these things give us a sense of comfort. They ease our stress and worry, help us to relax and to think more clearly. Being in nature can restore our mood, give us back our energy and vitality, refresh and rejuvenate us." ~Dr. Qing Li, The Japanese Art and Science of Shinrin-Yoku: Forest Bathing, how trees can help you find health and happiness. |
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Early morning, Cattle Point, Victoria, BC Photo: Kelly Hutchison.
I would like to honour and acknowledge that Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands is the traditional land
and unceded territory of the Coast Salish, Nuu-chah-nulth and Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations peoples.
I am grateful to live, work and play in this beautiful place.
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All photographs are the sole property of Kelly Hutchison and/or Dave Hutchison Photography (where noted) and are held under copyright. The images and contents of this website may not be copied, collected, or used for personal or professional gain without express written permission from Salish Sea Nature Connections, www.salishseaforesttherapy.ca
Copyright ©2025
Copyright ©2025