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. Forest bathing enhances well-being by reducing stress, strengthening state mindfulness, and deepening self-awareness, supporting a fulfilling life even during hardships. There is growing evidence that intentional sensory engagement with the forest benefits well-being in multiple ways, 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. I have explored forest bathing across Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan, and have been guided by numerous Western forest bathing instructors, and studied forest bathing under the 3030 campaign for CM under BOS+. My consulting draws inspiration from this combination of knowledge and personal experience.

My work is also shaped by polyvagal theory and attachment theory perspectives, and by an understanding of how emotional trauma is held in the body and expressed in relationships. This perspective has developed through both study and lived experience. I do not view trauma as pathology, but as a natural response shaped by a need for 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

Beyond my academic and professional background, I also want to acknowledge the lived experiences that have deeply shaped my interests and approach to work.

During my bachelor’s studies, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in Indigenous cultures of the North, across the Nordic countries, Russia, and Canada, through a project called Snowchange. My years in Hawaiʻi brought me into close contact with Native Hawaiian relationships to land, as well as the very real challenges of living close to nature in a place shaped by many, often competing, interests.

Living there also brought me face to face with my own Finnish cultural roots, which are likewise strongly connected to nature through sauna culture, subsistence practices, and the respect for land and seasonal rhythms. Later, after moving to Belgium, these same themes of access, nature, and culture continued to follow me, though expressed in new and different ways.

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).

My (academic) publications can be viewed here.

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 introduction, 2022

• David Treleaven – Trauma-Informed Mindfulness workshop, 2022

• Anna Backholm/Kohtaamisen Väre – Focusing, i.e. body-oriented experiential process, 2 levels attained, 2022
• Finnish Association for Trauma and Dissociation (Disso ry) -Peer mentor training & leading monthly peer mentoring groups since 2023
• Tanja Sipilä – Training trajectory with neurotransformation coach, 2026

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.