A Little MS with a Little MSW

Welcome to another edition of free advice from a rookie mental health/yoga therapist!

Have y’all heard of forest bathing? It’s this idea of immersing yourself in nature to practice grounding and mindfulness. We’ve all heard ‘stop and smell the roses,’ right?

Well, in 2025, this concept is known as forest bathing. Literally, stop and smell the rose. Maybe even do so by taking two breaths in and one loooong breath out. It’s a calming breath. Try it. Preferably while standing barefoot in the grass.

Ten toes in the grass one nose in a rose is the answer. See a tree? Hug it. For decades, ‘tree hugger’ was a playful term for a hippie. In 2025, it falls under the concept of forest bathing. Even if you don’t feel comfortable physically hugging the tree, find the biggest one you can find and just lean against it. Sit for a spell and allow it to support your back.

Close your eyes. Breathe. Absorb the stable, rooted presence of the tree and allow that sensation to seep into your central nervous system. Scrunch and splay your toes and feel the blades of grass move between each one. Shift your gaze to the sky and inspect each cloud as though it were an ink blot. What do you see?

Feel the warmth, the chill, the breeze…

Notice the sweat beads, the goose bumps, the feel of your hair as it whips against your face.

Notice the squirrels!! ADHD people are distracted by them all the time. This is the layman’s invitation to stop mid-sentence and notice the SQUIRREL!

The forest bath is the new bubble bath. You can even marry the two by bringing bubbles with you into the forest. I’m going to make it a little weird by saying you don’t even have to be in a forest. Technically, you can immerse your senses in anything in your environment.

You might get some funny looks for exercising your five senses on the family room rug, but hey – you will be the most grounded person in the room!