Forest Therapy Victoria

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Forest Therapy Victoria

Health and well-being in nature

02/09/2026

For those of us that experience a deep connection with nature, Wendell has often been able to put feelings and experiences into words in a way that we couldn’t.

Thank you for your words. Rest in peace.

30/08/2026

It was a beautiful "almost spring" morning in the Dandenongs last Saturday morning.

Every so often we give one of our sessions a theme. For this walk, the theme was learning to use nature to manage high sensitivity.

Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) make up about 20% of the population. High sensitivity is a personality trait, not a flaw or a defect, but it does present some challenges in our culture. Because a HSP has a super charged central nervous system, they can be easily overstimulated or overwhelmed in every day situations.

Nature is an important part of regulation for the highly sensitive person.

Here's a snap shot of some of the things we did during our three hours under the trees.

Note: For more information about high sensitivity, visit www.highsensitivity.com.au)

25/08/2026

* Forest Therapy Event *

Using Nature to Manage Your High Sensitivity
Eagles Nest Picnic Ground, Olinda
Saturday 29th August, 20269:30am - 12:30pm

TO book: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/using-nature-to-manage-your-high-sensitivity-eagles-nest-olinda-mg-tickets-1992474362454

Join us for three hours of nature based activities designed to enhance the wellbeing of the Highly Sensitive Person.

Matt Glover is the Lead Guide at Forest Therapy Victoria and the director of MGA Counselling Services. He is a trauma informed counsellor, working with individuals and couples to achieve a full and abundant life. He is Australia's first qualified counsellor to be accredited with the International Nature and Forest Therapy Alliance.

This walk is designed for those who have recognised the high sensitvity personality trait within themselves and are wanting to learn how to use nature to fill the HSP tank.

Along with Erica Webb, Matt is the cofounder High Sensitivity Australia, an organisation to promote awareness and understanding of high sensitivity. For more information, see www.highsensitivity.com.au.

Join Matt for a time of healing under the trees.

19/08/2026

Memory 4: Forest Song

(This is part of the ‘Five memorable moments in the counselling room’ series)

I have been taking my clients outside for sessions for over a decade now. The results my clients achieved were unexpectedly good, and eventually this led to the formation of Forest Therapy Victoria.

Once FTV was formed, people started to request outdoor sessions more often, with some never setting foot inside the therapy room at all.
A few years back a woman came to counselling to do some work on childhood trauma. Her story was complex and difficult, but she was determined to get on top of it and stop the paralysis she was experiencing in everyday life.

We had a few sessions in the rooms to begin with and charted out a course of trauma treatment that would take the better part of 18 months. This included doing some nature-based regulation work.

We had weekly sessions for a while and then decided to do our first outdoor session.

I was seeing this client at my counselling rooms in Warrandyte. Despite its proximity to the city, Warrandyte is often seen as a country town, surrounded by a State Forest on one side, and the Yarra River on the other. The eucalyptus trees tower above you, kangaroos are frequent companions, the sound of the water cascading over the rocks is calming, and if you are lucky, there is the thrill of seeing a platypus out looking for lunch.

I walked with my client to the State Forest, only about five minutes from the counselling room. It was a Spring afternoon. The sun danced between the leaves. As we sat on some logs, our patch of forest was quiet and still.

We started to do some of the regulation work, but then my client when quiet.

She looked down for a moment.

She looked up and asked, “Is it ok if I sing?”

It sounds cliched to say she had the voice of an angel. But she did.

She sang a song that I didn’t know. But that didn’t matter. It felt that I faded into the background and was given permission by nature to simply observe. She was bathed in sunlight. I could see little insects buzzing around her. The trees seemed to lean into her. Birds started to land on the branches above her. Two kangaroos came out of the bush and stood by her and listened. It all felt very surreal. The forest gathered to listen to her sing.

She finished her song and the forest went on its way.

My client smiled and said she hadn’t felt peace like this for years.

But to this day I think that experience still had a more profound impact on me than it did her.

18/08/2026

* Forest Family (NP4K) Event *

Urban Forest, East Malvern
Sunday 23rd August, 2026
9:30am - 12:30pm

To book: https://events.humanitix.com/forest-family-event-urban-forest-malvern

Connect, Play & Explore—Together

Our Family Nature Play Sessions are a chance to step away from the busyness of everyday life and reconnect; with nature and with each other.

Designed as a semi-structured 2.5-hour experience, these sessions invite children and their caregivers to explore, create, and play side by side in a relaxed, supportive outdoor environment. Whether you join in the play, observe, or simply enjoy being present, there is space for every family to engage in their own way.
At the heart of our program is connection between children and caregivers, within families, and with the natural world. Shared play, exploration and outdoor experiences help strengthen relationships, build trust, and create lasting memories.

Nature supports not only physical development, but also emotional wellbeing as being in nature with curiosity, enthusiasm and observing with our senses can calm our nervous system and support emotional regulation. Nature invites us to slow down and tune in. Through sensory experiences, feeling textures, listening to birds, and observing details, families can become more present and connected to the moment.

There is no pressure to participate in any particular activity—this is a space to simply be, together.

12/08/2026

A Forest Therapy story.

When clients complete my intake form, they tick a box stating whether they consent to having some of their counselling sessions outside.

Some people tick ‘no’. They generally have a very good reason for that.

Others tick ‘yes’ because they don’t want to do any work in the room – they want it all in the outdoors.

Some tick ‘yes’ because they are curious and want to see what impact nature might have on their grief, or anxiety, or whatever they are coming to counselling for.

The client in this story fell into the last category. She was coming for trauma counselling and was curious about forest therapy.

We had a few sessions inside to begin with and after a few weeks, decided to take the therapy outside.

With this client, her body carried her trauma in several ways – including losing her sense of smell.

We walked down to the wetlands and I took her through a couple of forest therapy interventions. They were quiet, meditative techniques, designed to reduce cortisol levels and calm the central nervous system.

After about twenty minutes, her eyes sprang open.

Her face was shocked.

She stared at me.

“What did you just do?”

“Um, I took you through a forest therapy technique that….”

“No. I know that. But what did you just do?”

“I’m not really sure what you are asking me”
“You did something. What was it? I can smell!”

Before I could answer, she ran over to the nearest shrub and smelled the flowers.

She crushed some gum leaves to smell the eucalyptus.

She ran over to the fence of one of the neighbouring houses. “They have a pool – I can smell the chlorine!”

And for the rest of that session she ran ahead and took in all the aromas of nature.

I didn’t see her for many sessions after that. I didn’t need too.

The trauma was being processed. It was finding its place in her story.

Nature had become her therapist.

11/08/2026

FOREST THERAPY EVENTS

Grants Picnic Ground, The Dandenongs
Saturday 15th August, 9:30am - 12:30pm

Urban Forest, East Malvern
Saturday 15th August, 1pm - 4pm

To book either event, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/forest-therapy-victoria-26777657619

We've got TWO events happening this Saturday!

Whether you want to leave the suburbs for the mountains, or seek solace in the suburbs, there is something for you!

Forest Therapy Victoria is at the leading edge of incorporating nature-based interventions into it’s offering of private individual counselling, wellbeing days for community groups, corporate organisations and the general public.

Come on your own or bring a friend.

The popular 'Forest Therapy Journal' is available at a discounted rate with the purchase of any ticket.

See you under the trees!

07/08/2026

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN FOREST THERAPY
Wednesday 12th August, 10am-2pm
Croydon Hills

Link to book: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/cc/forest-therapy-professional-development-115019

Join us for a transformative professional development experience at Manna Gum Studio in Croydon Hills.

Tailored for counsellors, psychologists, and social workers seeking to maintain professional accreditation, this four-hour session combines theory and practice in a relaxing, immersive setting.

Beginning with an hour of theory where you’ll explore the latest research in Forest Therapy, followed by a three-hour practical experience that introduces you to some Forest Therapy interventions, this workshop offers a unique and enriching way to enhance your counselling skills.

Address

148-150 Yarra Street
Warrandyte, VIC
3113

Website

http://www.foresttherapyvictoria.com.au/

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