International Forest Therapy Days

A community of international friends of the forest

Who we are

IFTDays is an advocate for the forests and the people and the bond between the two. We want to ensure the protection of world’s forests through increasing their value in the eyes of human beings through forest therapy practices that highlight forest as a healing environment. IFTDays draws inspiration from the richness of cultural backgrounds of people engaging in Forest Therapy in their own ways in different types of forests around the world. We need everyone in this work and everyone´s input is valued. IFTDays engages people from different domains, disciplines and belief systems to be part of a supportive community that is centered around common concern for the words forests and participation for awareness raising for the importance of forests as an essential part of the life support system on Earth. IFTDays will support approaches that draw from the healing properties of the forest, for preventive (e.g. relaxation) or curative (individual or group counseling) purposes, at any age level, and that facilitate a full sensory experience that restores our mental capacities and increases our quality of life by reconnecting us with the more-than-human world and ultimately aims at strengthening the human-nature connection for quality of life of the entire planet.

IFTDAYS core goals

1. To promote and inspire multitude of ways to help people connect with forests for the health of the planet and the people

2. To serve as an advocate of (old growth) forests for their protection for their inherent value

3. To help people´s self-actualization process and promote diversity in initiatives that seek to strengthen the human-nature connection through scientifically sound, evidence based and ethical to both planet and man in it.

Our journey

IFTDays started in 2018 with our first live event that took place in Finland. After that our events have taken different forms, from live meetings to online circles. After the pandemic and many developments in the field of forest theraoy, we have settled on monthly online circles that bring together everyone who has ever experienced the magic of the forest and who has questions and concerns and wants to engage in a likeminded network of people.

Our online circles are published on our Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as on a newsletter that appears a week before the circle. Send an email to foresttherapydays@gmail.com with the subject "SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER". Please also tell us a little about who and where you are and what brings you to IFTDays.

See some glimpses of our journey.