I have been navigating the world with NatureMinded Consulting since 2016, when I could no longer stay away from my first love, nature. In the beginning, NatureMinded made its impact as a research and consultancy initiative aimed at raising awareness of nature’s positive effects on well-being at home, in public spaces, and in the workplace. The theme of nature and health was entering a renaissance period, and I got to be part of the first steps.
Today, NatureMinded is run by me, Katriina Kilpi. With occasional collaboration from like-minded professionals, I coordinate applied research, training in Forest Mind method, and tailored solutions that highlight nature’s benefits. My approach is interdisciplinary, evidence-based, and trauma-informed.
As the field of nature and health has grown and diversified, my own relationship with nature has also deepened and shifted. Over time, my work has moved from simply helping people reconnect with nature outside of them toward creating experiences where people can meet themselves more honestly, supported by the presence of the natural world. After all, connecting with ourselves and with another representative of our species is also a form of nature connection. As creatures born on this Earth, none of us can escape the relationship we all have, even a weak one, with this Earth.
Forest bathing principles sit at the heart of my work. There is growing evidence for the power of mindful presence in nature, especially when shared in gentle company and guided with care. These practices invite people to slow down, sense, and listen again. The quiet strength of forest-based work lies in its capacity to restore connection: to the forest, to others, and to ourselves. From that place, something essential can return: a sense of belonging, peace of mind, and the ability to live with greater care for both human and more-than-human life.
My work is also shaped by polyvagal theory and attachment theory perspectives, and by a deep respect for how emotional trauma lives in the body and in our relationships. Much of this understanding grew not only through study, but through lived experience. I see trauma not as pathology, but as a natural response seeking safety.
This work is offered especially to those who may not be seeking psychological or clinical support, yet sense a need for a gentle, non-intrusive way to turn toward themselves. Through the inherent compassion of forest bathing practices and the regulating presence of nature, people are invited to slow down, soften, and begin asking their own questions, sometimes for the first time, in a way that feels safe enough to consider that they, too, might be worth investing in.
My Background
My background is in environmental psychology and environmental and social sciences, with qualitative research experience from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM) and VUB-SMIT. Alongside running NatureMinded, I’ve worked at BOS+, coordinating international projects on nature, health, and connection. You can check out my academic publications here.
I’m a thesis away from completing a degree in Applied Environmental Psychology: Outdoor Environments for Health and Wellbeing at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU).
Since 2018, I’ve co-organized the International Forest Therapy Days (IFTDays), bringing together scientists, practitioners, and nature lovers to explore forest-based wellbeing practices.
I’m a certified Forest Mind instructor and trainer, with over 60 instructors trained in Belgium, Finland and Portugal. I also create and deliver Forest Mind and forest bathing programs for individuals and groups.
After completing my teacher training and certification in 2025, I began offering the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programs. This training is rooted in presence, awareness, and compassion, and it is deeply aligned with my work in nature-based wellbeing.
My trauma-informed approach is grounded in training from:
The Embody Lab (Integrated Somatic Trauma Therapy, 2022)
David Treleaven’s Trauma-Informed Mindfulness program (2022)
- and my work as a peer mentor for Finnish Association for Trauma and Dissociation (peer mentor training, 2023, and mentoring peer support groups till present)
Additionally, I am trained as a Metsämörri (Skogsmulle) nature educator and certified nature guide (Natuurpunt CVN), and I’ve developed nature education materials for children through my work with BOS+. I’m also a member of Green Care Finland, supporting the integration of nature- and animal-assisted interventions in wellbeing and health services.
