The first published edition is currently out of stock.
We are now preparing a revised second edition, with publication expected by the end of November 2026.
The story of this book began in Japan. From 2023 onwards, what would eventually become Your Guide to Becoming a Forest Therapy Guide was originally prepared as a practical training manual, handed directly to participants attending our immersive Shinrin-Yoku Guide Training programmes in Japan.
As students returned to Japan for successive training programmes, the manual continued to evolve. Each training offered new opportunities to revisit the material, reflect upon the methodology and expand its content. The experiences of teaching, guiding, observing and learning alongside participants contributed to its continuing development.
Over time, the training manual reached its eighth edition. What had started as a resource for students gradually developed into a more comprehensive body of writing, bringing together scientific research, practical knowledge, ethical considerations and reflections on the relationship between people and nature.
Eventually, the decision was made to bring this work beyond the training environment and make it available to the wider public. The published book grew from those years of practice and refinement, while continuing to invite questions, learning and further development.
The forthcoming second published edition is another step in that continuing journey.
Thank you to all the students, readers and practitioners who have been part of this journey. We look forward to sharing the next edition with aspiring and practising Shinrin-Yoku, Forest Bathing and Forest Therapy Guides.
From a training manual in Japan to an internationally available book — a continuing journey of learning, reflection, and professional practice.
We are delighted to share that the first published edition of Your Guide to Becoming a Forest Therapy Guide, written by Dr. Milena A. Guziak, founder of The Mindful Tourist®, is now out of stock.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who purchased the book, shared it with others, and took the time to offer thoughtful comments, reflections, and valuable feedback. Your interest and engagement have meant a great deal to us, particularly because this publication has a long history that began well before it became available to the wider public. We are now preparing a revised second edition, expected to be published by the end of November 2026.
The story of Your Guide to Becoming a Forest Therapy Guide began in 2021 with the establishment of TMT. Originally, the material was developed as a practical training manual for participants attending our immersive Shinrin-Yoku/Forest Therapy/Forest Bathing Guide Training programmes.
The manual was intended to accompany learning, encourage reflection, and provide a foundation for understanding the science, methodology, philosophy, and professional responsibilities associated with Shinrin-Yoku, forest bathing, and forest therapy.
Over the years, it continued to grow. Each training programme brought new questions, experiences, observations, and opportunities to reconsider how the material was presented. The manual gradually evolved through eight editions, reflecting an ongoing process of learning, teaching, practical experience, and critical reflection.
Eventually, the decision was made to bring this work beyond our training programmes and make it available to anyone interested in exploring the relationship between nature, mindfulness, human well-being, and professional guiding. What began as educational material shared with students in Japan became a book intended for a much wider readership.
I have always considered writing, much like scientific research and professional guiding, an ongoing process rather than a finished achievement. As our understanding develops, new questions emerge. Some ideas require further explanation, while others invite us to reconsider assumptions that may once have seemed obvious. The same applies to this book. The forthcoming second edition represents another opportunity to review and refine the material, informed by continuing research, practical experience, and the perspectives of those who have engaged with the first edition.
I am especially grateful to the readers who have taken the time to share their experiences and constructive feedback.
A book may be written by one person, but its development can be enriched by the many people who read it, question it, apply its ideas, and contribute their own understanding.
Your Guide to Becoming a Forest Therapy Guide was never intended to be merely a collection of activities or a set of instructions for conducting forest bathing sessions. It invites readers to explore the broader foundations of professional practice, including scientific understanding, mindfulness, nature connectedness, ethical responsibility, and the relationship between the guide, participants, and the natural environment. Central to this approach is the belief that before we begin guiding others, we must first develop our own relationship with nature. Professional guiding is not simply about learning techniques. It is also about cultivating awareness, exercising judgement, recognising our limitations, and understanding the responsibilities that accompany working with other people in living environments. These questions continue to shape both the book and the educational philosophy of The Mindful Tourist®.
To everyone who has purchased the first edition: thank you. Thank you for your curiosity, your trust, your willingness to learn, and for making space for this book in your personal or professional journey. To those who shared feedback, asked questions, suggested improvements, or reflected on the ideas presented: your contributions are deeply appreciated. And to the students who have accompanied the development of this material since its earliest editions in Japan, thank you for being part of its history. It is especially meaningful to see something that began as a training resource develop into a publication reaching readers beyond our immediate educational community.
I hope the book continues to inspire questions, personal exploration, and responsible professional practice.
Because, ultimately, learning about nature is never something we truly finish. There is always another relationship to discover, another assumption to question, and another opportunity to observe more carefully.
The revised second edition of Your Guide to Becoming a Forest Therapy Guide is currently in preparation, with publication anticipated by the end of November 2026. We look forward to sharing the next chapter of this publication journey with students, readers, researchers, and aspiring or practising Shinrin-Yoku, Forest Bathing and Forest Therapy Guides around the world.
Thank you for being part of this continuing journey.
The Mindful Tourist® · Professional Education
Inspired by our international community? Explore the different ways to learn with us, from independent online study to mentored education and immersive experiences in Japan.
Pathway 01 · Online
Enrolment: Open · Start anytime
Self-paced Shinrin-Yoku Guide Training. Follow the 15-week curriculum at your own rhythm, with optional consultations and up to 12 months to complete certification.
Explore Pathway 1 ↗Pathway 02 · Mentored Online
Next start: 12 or 14 November 2026
Fifteen live learning meetings with mentoring, discussion and practical feedback. Choose Thursday mornings or Saturday afternoons (Argentina time).
Explore Pathway 2 ↗Pathway 03 · Japan
Online: 1 May – 3 July 2027
Japan: 26–30 July 2027
Ten weeks of online learning followed by a five-day practical immersion at Toyouke no Mori, Nara. Experience the forest, develop your guiding skills and learn together.
Explore Pathway 3 ↗Meditation · Professional Training
Orientation: 15 December 2026
Personal practice begins: 16 December 2026
A long-term journey beginning with 400 days of personal meditation, reflection and self-inquiry, followed by theory, ethical preparation and professional guiding practice. Proposed dates are subject to confirmation.
Explore Meditation Training ↗Our Community · Memories
People, forests, friendships and the moments that shape our journey together. Discover photographs from our Shinrin-Yoku training experiences in Japan and our international community.
Visit the Photo Album ↗Behind The Mindful Tourist®
Dr. Milena A. Guziak
MChem · PhDEng · MScPsy
Founder, The Mindful Tourist®
Founder, Shinrin-Yoku Association
A researcher, educator, author and Shinrin-Yoku instructor, Dr. Milena A. Guziak brings together scientific inquiry, mindfulness, nature connectedness and lived experience.
Having spent approximately a decade living in Japan, including completing her doctorate at Tohoku University, she developed an educational approach that places personal experience, professional ethics, critical inquiry and relationships with the natural world at the centre of learning.
Her work with The Mindful Tourist extends beyond professional guide training into research, writing, meditation and the exploration of human well-being.
"Learning to guide begins with learning to observe, to listen, and to develop our own relationship with nature."
The first published edition is currently out of stock.
We are now preparing a revised second edition, with publication expected by the end of November 2026.
The story of this book began in Japan. From 2023 onwards, what would eventually become Your Guide to Becoming a Forest Therapy Guide was originally prepared as a practical training manual, handed directly to participants attending our immersive Shinrin-Yoku Guide Training programmes in Japan.
As students returned to Japan for successive training programmes, the manual continued to evolve. Each training offered new opportunities to revisit the material, reflect upon the methodology and expand its content. The experiences of teaching, guiding, observing and learning alongside participants contributed to its continuing development.
Over time, the training manual reached its eighth edition. What had started as a resource for students gradually developed into a more comprehensive body of writing, bringing together scientific research, practical knowledge, ethical considerations and reflections on the relationship between people and nature.
Eventually, the decision was made to bring this work beyond the training environment and make it available to the wider public. The published book grew from those years of practice and refinement, while continuing to invite questions, learning and further development.
The forthcoming second published edition is another step in that continuing journey.
Thank you to all the students, readers and practitioners who have been part of this journey. We look forward to sharing the next edition with aspiring and practising Shinrin-Yoku, Forest Bathing and Forest Therapy Guides.
From a training manual in Japan to an internationally available book — a continuing journey of learning, reflection, and professional practice.
We are delighted to share that the first published edition of Your Guide to Becoming a Forest Therapy Guide, written by Dr. Milena A. Guziak, founder of The Mindful Tourist®, is now out of stock.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who purchased the book, shared it with others, and took the time to offer thoughtful comments, reflections, and valuable feedback. Your interest and engagement have meant a great deal to us, particularly because this publication has a long history that began well before it became available to the wider public. We are now preparing a revised second edition, expected to be published by the end of November 2026.
The story of Your Guide to Becoming a Forest Therapy Guide began in 2021 with the establishment of TMT. Originally, the material was developed as a practical training manual for participants attending our immersive Shinrin-Yoku/Forest Therapy/Forest Bathing Guide Training programmes.
The manual was intended to accompany learning, encourage reflection, and provide a foundation for understanding the science, methodology, philosophy, and professional responsibilities associated with Shinrin-Yoku, forest bathing, and forest therapy.
Over the years, it continued to grow. Each training programme brought new questions, experiences, observations, and opportunities to reconsider how the material was presented. The manual gradually evolved through eight editions, reflecting an ongoing process of learning, teaching, practical experience, and critical reflection.
Eventually, the decision was made to bring this work beyond our training programmes and make it available to anyone interested in exploring the relationship between nature, mindfulness, human well-being, and professional guiding. What began as educational material shared with students in Japan became a book intended for a much wider readership.
I have always considered writing, much like scientific research and professional guiding, an ongoing process rather than a finished achievement. As our understanding develops, new questions emerge. Some ideas require further explanation, while others invite us to reconsider assumptions that may once have seemed obvious. The same applies to this book. The forthcoming second edition represents another opportunity to review and refine the material, informed by continuing research, practical experience, and the perspectives of those who have engaged with the first edition.
I am especially grateful to the readers who have taken the time to share their experiences and constructive feedback.
A book may be written by one person, but its development can be enriched by the many people who read it, question it, apply its ideas, and contribute their own understanding.
Your Guide to Becoming a Forest Therapy Guide was never intended to be merely a collection of activities or a set of instructions for conducting forest bathing sessions. It invites readers to explore the broader foundations of professional practice, including scientific understanding, mindfulness, nature connectedness, ethical responsibility, and the relationship between the guide, participants, and the natural environment. Central to this approach is the belief that before we begin guiding others, we must first develop our own relationship with nature. Professional guiding is not simply about learning techniques. It is also about cultivating awareness, exercising judgement, recognising our limitations, and understanding the responsibilities that accompany working with other people in living environments. These questions continue to shape both the book and the educational philosophy of The Mindful Tourist®.
To everyone who has purchased the first edition: thank you. Thank you for your curiosity, your trust, your willingness to learn, and for making space for this book in your personal or professional journey. To those who shared feedback, asked questions, suggested improvements, or reflected on the ideas presented: your contributions are deeply appreciated. And to the students who have accompanied the development of this material since its earliest editions in Japan, thank you for being part of its history. It is especially meaningful to see something that began as a training resource develop into a publication reaching readers beyond our immediate educational community.
I hope the book continues to inspire questions, personal exploration, and responsible professional practice.
Because, ultimately, learning about nature is never something we truly finish. There is always another relationship to discover, another assumption to question, and another opportunity to observe more carefully.
The revised second edition of Your Guide to Becoming a Forest Therapy Guide is currently in preparation, with publication anticipated by the end of November 2026. We look forward to sharing the next chapter of this publication journey with students, readers, researchers, and aspiring or practising Shinrin-Yoku, Forest Bathing and Forest Therapy Guides around the world.
Thank you for being part of this continuing journey.
The Mindful Tourist® · Professional Education
Inspired by our international community? Explore the different ways to learn with us, from independent online study to mentored education and immersive experiences in Japan.
Pathway 01 · Online
Enrolment: Open · Start anytime
Self-paced Shinrin-Yoku Guide Training. Follow the 15-week curriculum at your own rhythm, with optional consultations and up to 12 months to complete certification.
Explore Pathway 1 ↗Pathway 02 · Mentored Online
Next start: 12 or 14 November 2026
Fifteen live learning meetings with mentoring, discussion and practical feedback. Choose Thursday mornings or Saturday afternoons (Argentina time).
Explore Pathway 2 ↗Pathway 03 · Japan
Online: 1 May – 3 July 2027
Japan: 26–30 July 2027
Ten weeks of online learning followed by a five-day practical immersion at Toyouke no Mori, Nara. Experience the forest, develop your guiding skills and learn together.
Explore Pathway 3 ↗Meditation · Professional Training
Orientation: 15 December 2026
Personal practice begins: 16 December 2026
A long-term journey beginning with 400 days of personal meditation, reflection and self-inquiry, followed by theory, ethical preparation and professional guiding practice. Proposed dates are subject to confirmation.
Explore Meditation Training ↗Our Community · Memories
People, forests, friendships and the moments that shape our journey together. Discover photographs from our Shinrin-Yoku training experiences in Japan and our international community.
Visit the Photo Album ↗Behind The Mindful Tourist®
Dr. Milena A. Guziak
MChem · PhDEng · MScPsy
Founder, The Mindful Tourist®
Founder, Shinrin-Yoku Association
A researcher, educator, author and Shinrin-Yoku instructor, Dr. Milena A. Guziak brings together scientific inquiry, mindfulness, nature connectedness and lived experience.
Having spent approximately a decade living in Japan, including completing her doctorate at Tohoku University, she developed an educational approach that places personal experience, professional ethics, critical inquiry and relationships with the natural world at the centre of learning.
Her work with The Mindful Tourist extends beyond professional guide training into research, writing, meditation and the exploration of human well-being.
"Learning to guide begins with learning to observe, to listen, and to develop our own relationship with nature."
International connections, shared experiences, and eight years of friendship with Toyouke no Mori, Nara, Japan
As our 2026 Shinrin-Yoku Guide Training immersions in Japan come to a close, we would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the participants who completed this important stage of their professional learning journey.
This year has been especially meaningful for The Mindful Tourist®. We welcomed participants from across the world, including India, Malaysia, Germany, the Czech Republic, Canada, the United States, China, Latvia, Sweden, Singapore, Spain, and Thailand.
Although we arrived from different countries, cultures, professional backgrounds, and personal circumstances, we came together through a shared curiosity about nature, human well-being, and the practice of Shinrin-Yoku.
For many participants, the journey began long before arriving in Japan, through online learning, personal forest practice, scientific inquiry, and reflection. The immersive training offered an opportunity to bring these different dimensions together in a living environment, surrounded by the people and places that have helped shape our work over the years.
Eight Years of Friendship with Toyouke no Mori
One of the most meaningful aspects of this year’s training was celebrating eight years of friendship and collaboration with Toyouke no Mori (とようけのもり), our cherished training home in Nara, Japan.
What began as a professional connection has grown into a long-standing friendship built on mutual respect, shared values, hospitality, and a love of the natural world.
Throughout these years, Toyouke no Mori has become a place of relationships, learning, conversations, laughter, shared meals, and countless small moments that remain with us long after we leave Japan.
We are deeply grateful to Chie and Hiro for their friendship, generosity, and continued support, and for welcoming our international participants into this special place.
The people who care for Toyouke no Mori, its surrounding natural environments, and its traditions are an essential part of what makes our immersive training meaningful.
Welcoming The Datai Langkawi for the Third Time
Another special highlight of 2026 was welcoming, for the third time, our long-term collaborators from The Datai Langkawi, Malaysia.
Over the years, our collaboration has created opportunities for exchanging knowledge and exploring the relationship between professional nature-based experiences, hospitality, environmental awareness, and human well-being.
We are delighted that this connection continues to grow and that we can share our educational journey with people committed to developing meaningful and responsible experiences in nature.
Professional collaborations are important to us, but it is often the friendships and human relationships that develop through them that become the most enduring part of the journey.
Pathway 3: Learning Online, Experiencing the Forest in Japan
Our Shinrin-Yoku Guide Training — Pathway 3 combines ten weeks of online learning with a five-day practical immersion in Japan.
The online component introduces participants to many aspects theoretically and practically. It also explores nature connectedness, mindfulness, professional ethics, participant well-being, physical and emotional safety, and the responsibilities of a professional guide.
During the five-day immersion at Toyouke no Mori, participants move beyond theoretical discussions into direct experience. They practise guiding, explore sensory invitations, undertake practical assessments, observe one another’s facilitation, and develop their understanding through shared reflection and constructive feedback.
Importantly, the immersion is not simply about learning how to conduct a guided session. It encourages participants to question assumptions, understand their responsibilities, recognize the individuality of each participant, and cultivate their own relationship with the forest.
The journey toward professional certification continues through the required practical sessions, documentation, reflection, and final assessment.
A Community Across Borders
As we look at the photographs of our 2026 cohorts, we see more than people holding certificates or celebrating the completion of their immersion. We see individuals who arrived with their own questions, experiences, and motivations. We see new friendships, moments of uncertainty and discovery, shared learning, and the willingness to explore different perspectives. Each person brings something unique to the learning environment. Their backgrounds, values, and relationships with nature enrich the experience for everyone involved. And perhaps this is one of the most important aspects of international education: discovering that although we may come from different places, we can learn to listen, observe, and grow together.
To everyone who joined us in Japan this year: congratulations, and thank you.
Thank you for your trust, dedication, questions, reflections, and willingness to engage with the learning process.
We hope you carry not only new professional knowledge and practical skills into your future work, but also memories of the people you met, the places you experienced, and the relationships you developed along the way.
Wherever your journey takes you next, may your relationship with the natural world continue to deepen, and may you guide others with curiosity, compassion, humility, and care.
To our friends and collaborators at Toyouke no Mori and The Datai Langkawi, thank you for continuing this journey with us.
We look forward to the friendships, learning, and forest encounters still to come.
Milena A. Guziak
Founder, The Mindful Tourist®
Founder, Shinrin-Yoku Association
The Mindful Tourist® · Professional Education
Inspired by our international community? Explore the different ways to learn with us, from independent online study to mentored education and immersive experiences in Japan.
Pathway 01 · Online
Enrolment: Open · Start anytime
Self-paced Shinrin-Yoku Guide Training. Follow the 15-week curriculum at your own rhythm, with optional consultations and up to 12 months to complete certification.
Explore Pathway 1 ↗Pathway 02 · Mentored Online
Next start: 12 or 14 November 2026
Fifteen live learning meetings with mentoring, discussion and practical feedback. Choose Thursday mornings or Saturday afternoons (Argentina time).
Explore Pathway 2 ↗Pathway 03 · Japan
Online: 1 May – 3 July 2027
Japan: 26–30 July 2027
Ten weeks of online learning followed by a five-day practical immersion at Toyouke no Mori, Nara. Experience the forest, develop your guiding skills and learn together.
Explore Pathway 3 ↗Meditation · Professional Training
Orientation: 15 December 2026
Personal practice begins: 16 December 2026
A long-term journey beginning with 400 days of personal meditation, reflection and self-inquiry, followed by theory, ethical preparation and professional guiding practice. Proposed dates are subject to confirmation.
Explore Meditation Training ↗Our Community · Memories
People, forests, friendships and the moments that shape our journey together. Discover photographs from our Shinrin-Yoku training experiences in Japan and our international community.
Visit the Photo Album ↗Behind The Mindful Tourist®
Dr. Milena A. Guziak
MChem · PhDEng · MScPsy
Founder, The Mindful Tourist®
Founder, Shinrin-Yoku Association
A researcher, educator, author and Shinrin-Yoku instructor, Dr. Milena A. Guziak brings together scientific inquiry, mindfulness, nature connectedness and lived experience.
Having spent approximately a decade living in Japan, including completing her doctorate at Tohoku University, she developed an educational approach that places personal experience, professional ethics, critical inquiry and relationships with the natural world at the centre of learning.
Her work with The Mindful Tourist extends beyond professional guide training into research, writing, meditation and the exploration of human well-being.
"Learning to guide begins with learning to observe, to listen, and to develop our own relationship with nature."
Author: Milena A. Guziak, PhD Founder, The Mindful Tourist & Shinrin-Yoku Association