- During COVID, I just saw how much of a refuge natural spaces were because we couldn't go anywhere else.

Part of what really inspired me to get into forest bathing is just seeing how much of a positive effect it has on people.

The forest probably has a treasure for all of us, and only you know what that treasure is.

(Calm Music) I was born in Kyiv, Ukraine.

It was my parents that brought me.

It was kind of the classic immigrant story.

We actually landed in New York City first.

I had this very strong ambition like I wanna move out to California.

So when I finished up my master's degree, and I just kind of made a decision to move out here.

To me, at least in Northern California, you get to San Francisco, and there is this drive and ambition, but it's very laid back.

I really felt a lot more in place with that kind of lifestyle.

People had more of a connection back to the community and nature and the bigger thing.

I think one of the things that impressed me the most was just a close proximity of pretty vast open space, where you have this dense city center in San Francisco.

You have another huge city in Oakland across the water.

Within 20 minutes, you could find yourself on a trail and see no one, just see straight nature.

One way California is different is just its size.

That geography leads to diversity.

There's just such a crazy diverse patchwork of habitats, and I think of people too.

California is complex and beautiful.

Forest immersion or forest bathing, this nature connection and how much nature can actually influence us in our bodies and our health... sort of felt like an “aha” moment.

I think I was just indirectly recognizing the benefit.

The pandemic definitely played a role in just making that final push for me to sign up and become trained as a guide because I really saw an opportunity to kind of spread the word.

I'm a certified guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy.

Part of it is just to encourage you to slow down.

When we get out in the woods, we usually just go, go, go.

We wanna get to a place.

We wanna accomplish some sort of a hiking distance and so the whole goal is just walk slowly, be observant.

Try to think back to that “kid curiosity” of just exploring things and you're not here to get to point A or point B. We're here to just see what's around us.

I think my work just allows me to see a bit more of the interconnectedness of things.

California plays a pretty big role in me being as connected and sort of passionate about nature.

I feel so inspired by the landscape.

I'm just so massively grateful that I get to live here, and be able to enjoy all of this, that people come to visit from everywhere in the world.

(Nature Soundscape) I really welcome you to just look around and really absorb where we are.

Get a feel for this space of what's around us, what's kind of above us.

Maybe as you listen, these sounds form a melody or maybe they're telling a little bit of a story of this place.

Perhaps you feel inspired to add to that sound in some way.

See if you can feel the heartbeat of this place.