CHAMINADE RESORT & SPA
Forest Therapy Blog
Forest Therapy at Chaminade: A Reset for Overloaded Minds
By Wendy Figone
Why This Matters Now
If your mind feels constantly “on,” your nervous system rarely gets a chance to stand down. Many people—especially those working in tech and high-demand roles—are living in a near-continuous stress response: moving fast, processing endless information, and making decisions from urgency rather than clarity.
Over time, this state takes a real toll. Blood pressure rises, immune function becomes compromised, sleep quality declines, and it becomes harder to think clearly, feel present, or truly rest. This is not where we make our best decisions, and it’s not where long-term health is supported.
What most people need isn’t another productivity tool - it’s a way to reset the system that’s been carrying the load.
Forest therapy offers that reset.
Forest therapy - also known as Shinrin-Yoku (mindfulness in nature) - is a slow, sensory-based practice of resting, wandering, and being present in designated places in the forest. Guided or self-guided, this experience invites you to gently slow down, awaken your senses, and rest your attention in a way that many of us are no longer familiar with.
Rather than “doing” nature, forest therapy is about receiving it - listening to birdsong, noticing light through the trees, feeling the ground beneath your feet, and allowing your nervous system to settle. Phones are left behind whenever possible, creating a rare digital detox that helps recalibrate overstimulated dopamine pathways and restore natural rhythms of attention.
Why Chaminade’s Forest Therapy Trail Is Special
Chaminade Resort & Spa is home to a newly ANFT-certified Forest Therapy Trail, designed with the same care and intention found on Shinrin-Yoku trails in Japan. The trail supports both guided and self-guided experiences, inviting guests to slow down, linger, and reconnect with the forest at their own pace.
This land holds a long history of reflection and relationship. Marianist priests once retreated here for contemplation, drawn by the quiet and grounding presence of the forest. Going back even further, Indigenous Awaswas Ohlone peoples lived in deep harmony with this land, honoring its rhythms and sustaining relationship. Many guests describe a palpable sense of calm and grounding—something felt as much as it is explained.
Who This Experience Is For
Forest therapy is especially supportive for those experiencing: Cognitive overload and decision fatigue, tech stress and digital overwhelm, nurnout or chronic stress, or a desire for calm, clarity, and reconnection.
