In-person Retreats are only offered in summer. The Virtual Studio is open year round.
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Your Eco-Retreat Facilitator and Educator
Publications, Podcasts and Articles etc. on Herbs and Forest Bathing
Publications, Podcasts and Articles etc. on Herbs and Forest Bathing
Debbie Early, PhD.
Still nicknamed "Nature Girl" by a childhood friend, Debbie’s rural upbringing instilled her love of the natural world and biology. She is fascinated by phytoncides and how botanical fragrances influence our mood and emotions. Debbie is a certified meditation and yoga teacher with a holistic health and bio-medical science background. A life-long learner, she has taught locally and internationally on a variety of wellbeing-related topics and regularly volunteers within her local community. Debbie has previously facilitated numerous restorative experiences including Mindfulness in Nature Hikes (Governor Dick, USA, 2019) and local and International, public and private retreats (since 2016). Debbie recognizes the healing power of nature in her own life and that of others, particularly regarding grief and loss. She believes it is critical to care for our environment. Over the last 20 years Debbie has supported the planting of more than 2000 trees globally and, for over 15 years, she has supported an organization overseas which cares for orphaned and abandoned children. She currently lives off-grid on the Queen Charlotte Track. Learn more.
"You have a very calming voice. It was very easy to listen and to follow your instruction!"
"So glad I came and tried this!"
More Testimonials.
Publications, Podcasts and Articles etc. on Herbs and Forest Bathing
Publications, Podcasts and Articles etc. on Herbs and Forest Bathing
Publications, Podcasts and Articles etc. on Herbs and Forest Bathing
The Bluewater Blog (2021-present; Aotearoa/New Zealand)
Lecturer, Mindful Nature Connection (2020-present; Mental Health Program, Australia)
Listen to Nature's Tonic (Earth Day 2020; Journal on Biophilic Design, Argenta Wellness, UK)
Fragrance From the Forest (2019; In My Nature, Australia)
Program Highlights and Gifts from Nature (Fall and Winter 2018; The Natural Observer Governor Dick Environmental News, USA)
Can Tree Essential Oils be used for Stress Relief? (2018; Clinical Aromatherapy Exam Paper, Canada)
Various topics including Medicinal Herbs and Shinrin-yoku (2016; The Herbarium, USA)
Glimpses of Medicinal Botanics.
A Journey to Machu Picchu from Puerto Maldonado
(2008; Edited by Upton, M)
"Debbie Early has provided an excellent feel for the wonderment and magic of the rain forest to the Andes of Peru."
~ Jerry Cott PhD - Scientific Advisory Board American Botanical Council
"A nicely written personal account of a travelers first trip to the rainforests and mountains of Peru. Deborah captures the variety of rich cultures and natural beauties experienced by visitors. Her words embody the sights, sounds, and smells of her experience and portray both the pleasures and challenges of her travels to the reader. An enjoyable read of Deborah's transformative experience."
~ Joseph Bishop PhD - Landscape Ecologist, Penn State University and Chair, of the Science and Education Advisory Committee of the ACEER (Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research) Foundation.
EARTH DAY 2020 - Special Podcast
Nature's Tonic (April 22, 2020)
With the current "shelter-in-place" requirements, many people are spending more time walking outside or working in their gardens. Research has shown that contact with nature has a psycho-therapeutic effect. Listen as Debbie discusses wellbeing and mindful nature connection.+
(+Debbie draws from her own experiences and also discusses work by A. Andrews, G. Bratman et al., Q. Li et al., G. Mao et al., B. Park et al., G. Pierce, B. Plotkin and T. Berry, D. Strayer, and E. Wilson)
Gifts from Nature
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity” ~ John Muir
When did you last stop to feel the warmth of the sun on your face or to listen to the silence of snow? Increasing urbanization, job pressures, and “techno-stress” have isolated people from the outdoors and resulted in an overly stressed, nature deficient society which is detached from the potential calming effects of nature (Miyazaki, et al., 2014) also known as Vitamin N (Louv, 2016). Nature reconnection practices include, but are not limited to, forest therapy, wilderness therapy, and outdoor meditation (Liebeck, 2016). Many of these practices recognize that human wellbeing is a blend of mental, physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and environmental factors; humans are part of the web of life and contact with nature is psychotherapeutic (Pierce, 2010). According to Lee, et al., 2012, sedentary, stressful lifestyle-related health problems are of concern in all developed countries, but they suggest that forests may be an antidote to stress promoting healthier lifestyles and improved mental health in urbanized societies.
Our top tips for reversing nature deficit disorder:
* Spend time (2-3 hours) outside a week.
* Grow potted plants for your home office and home space.
* Exercise outdoors.
* Connect with nature around you, even if you are looking out a window.
It is likely you will then start to experience benefits such as:
* Boosted immune system
* Improved sleep
* Decreased anxiety
If you do walk outside, enjoy a mindful walk breathing in the fresh spring air, listening to the noise around you, and watching the clouds in the sky. A simple, mindful walk such as this could be extremely beneficial to our health and wellbeing, especially in today’s rapidly changing and sometimes disorientating world. Keep an eye on our events pages for details of spring and summer guided walks which will help you reconnect with nature. ~Debbie.
Lee, J., Li, Q., Tyrväinen, L., Tsunetsugu, Y., Park, B.J., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2012). Nature therapy and preventive medicine, in Public Health-Social and Behavioral Health, J. Maddock, (Ed.) 16, 325–350, Rijeka, Croatia: In Tech. Liebeck, C. (2016). Alternative Healing, A Walk in the Forest.Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Retrieved on March 10, 2018 from https://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/alternative-healing-walkforest Louv, R. (2016). Vitamin N: The essential guide to a nature rich life. Algonquin Books, New York. Miyazaki, Y., Ikei, H., Song, C. (2014). Forest medicine research in Japan. Nihon EiseigakuZasshi, 69(2), 122-35. Pierce, G. (2010). Ecotherapy, health counseling: application and theory. Nelson Education Ltd. Ontario, Canada.
(A previous version of this article was published in the Natural Observer Governor Dick Environmental News, 2018.)
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