List of guides
On this page we list a number of guides who guide forest baths in different parts of Belgium in their own unique way. Some have an international or foreign certificate, some draw on their professional background as nature guides or life coach, their cultural traditions and own life experiences.
At the end we have a contact form if you would like to reach a guide through this website. The volunteer of this website will then forward the contact form. Please note: the volunteer only works weekly. We recommend that you contact the guide directly.
What all these guides have in common:
they draw on the healing properties of the forest;
they facilitate a full sensory experience to restore our mental capacities
they practice this in a sustainable way, showing their respect for the environment in which they guide
they try to bring their participants closer to the more-than-human world.
About the division by province: It is not always the case that the guide only guides in this province. Some guides are also rooted in border areas between provinces, such as Ingeborg Verplancke, for example.
Antwerp
Ann Tilman (ANFT certificate) is the driving force behind Foresterra, which arose from the need to slow down. She guides in various places in Flanders and is trainer and mentor at the Forest Therapy Institute (FTI). Ann finds it valuable to make people aware and reconnect with their own nature. After the ANFT training, she further deepened her knowledge and skills at the Institute for Forest Therapy ( https://foresttherapyinstitute.com ). You can follow her via her website https://www.foresterra.be/.
Donatienne Dierckx-de Borman followed the training with Ilse Simoens , and guides forest baths in Dutch and in French, around Brussels, in the Kempen (such as domain Bautersemhof in Zandhoven), and in places on request. Her website is https://www.calendulaplus.be/nl/home/
Heidi Lenaerts (certified ANFT guide and Natural Mindfulness guide) is a nature and forest therapy guide and a natural mindfulness guide. Her website is https://www.academyfornaturalinspiration.com .
Wendy Wuyts (ANFT certificate) World Forest mainly organizes bosbaden near Antwerp. The story / history of the place itself is also important to her. She has guided in Japan and Belgium. She also lived in Japan for 2.5 years, so she also talks about shinrin-yoku. You can follow her via instagram @wereldwoud or reach her via this website.
Brussels (capital)
Priscille Cazin is a bostherapie and guide forest pool. She is also involved in the Brussels wood wide web project that invites you to see Brussels like a forest. The forest has been her children's playground (France, Mexico) and later a source of well-being and creativity (Italy / Belgium). In 2013 she left the media (20 years career) for the forest. With her background in storytelling, feature making and science popularization, she has developed projects that forge links between trees, earth and people. This path led her to shinrin-yoku in 2017. Today she is a Shinrin Yoku guide in the certification process (2019-2020), trained by Bernadette Rey. Her website is http://www.zerolutions.be . You can follow her on facebook and instagram .
Limburg
Ils Van Dun grew up with the regional forest in Ravels as her backyard. Now she lives in beautiful Haspengouw, surrounded by fruit trees, forests and lots of nature. She has needed nature all her life to unwind. When she had to make important decisions, she always withdrew into the forest, there she found the strength and the answers I was looking for. She wants to share this power with everyone. She trained as a shinrin Yoku guide at the academy of healing nature . She guides shinrin Yoku sessions at various locations in Flanders, but especially in Limburg. It is a luxury to have so many beautiful forest areas nearby.
In Haspengouw ao Domein Nieuwenhoven - St Truiden, Herkenrodebossen - Hasselt
The Antwerp Kempen, namely Gewestbos - Ravels (because she grew up here, she likes to stay there) and Flemish Brabant, namely Averbode forest and heide - Averbode. You can follow her on instagram or send her an email: ilsvandun (at) gmail.com
Laura Bock worked for many years as a social worker with children, young people and parents. Until she ended up in a burnout. During that time she gained a lot of insights that made change inevitable. For example, she started a training in evening classes and was immersed in coaching techniques. Hiking in nature has contributed immensely to her recovery. That is why she immersed herself in nature and hiking coaching. In October 2020 she started guiding forest baths. She focuses mainly on sensitive women with burn-out and / or stress complaints and uses the healing power of the forest for this. She mainly guides in Limburg.
In 2021 she will follow the training to become a Shinrin-yoku guide at the Academy for Healing Nature. More info on her website ( https://leiddraad.be/ ). You can contact her via instagram or laura@leiddraad.be
Marijke Bastiaens followed the course to become a Shinrin Yoku guide at the Academy for Healing Nature . She felt that in addition to living close to a forest, she also wanted to do something more for herself and for others. Coincidence does not exist and she came into contact with this course in an unexpected way. After completing the training and having already had quite a few sessions, she would like to bring people (back) into contact with nature in an authentic, 'no nonsense' way. Her slogan is: Shinrin Yoku is about connecting, reconnecting or strengthening our connection with nature. It is not about thinking, facts or analysis. It's about being there. She speaks Dutch and French and mainly guides in the Hoge Kempen National Park. She is currently still working on her website. More information follows.
East Flanders
Katriina Kilpi is a Finnish guide (ForestMind) and centipede who has done a lot of pioneering work in Belgium. Her website is https://www.natureminded.be/. ( More info will follow)
Marian Ceuppens of Caminando Coaching is a certified nature coach and organizes silent walks and forest baths in addition to coaching sessions. Her field of work is Ghent and the broad surroundings of Ghent. For Bosbaden, she will take you to the Makegem forests near Merelbeke and to the Drongengoedbos in Aalter. For her, connection with your own nature, with the unpolished wild self, is the essence of a fulfilled life. Connection and connection with nature is the key to this. She takes you on the way to slowing down, stilling, feeling, experiencing. Senses on edge; open to the answers and mirrors that wild nature offers us. You can find more information on her website caminando coaching. You can also follow her on FB and Instagram . Her website is www.caminando-coaching.com .
Emmy Schockaert is a creative forest bathing guide / nature coach. She mainly guides in forests in the Flemish Ardennes. She is also the driving force behind Barrevoets . Nature is her passion and green thread in life. With Barrevoets she wants to be a link in the connection between man and nature. She combines her training as a nature guide, herbalist, nature coach and forest bathing guide (Shinrin Yoku / Metzamieli) in guided hikes. It is not walking but the slowing down, stillness and stimulation of the senses central. Emmy likes to use our Celtic background as a guide. The seasons and the rhythm in nature are her source of inspiration. She also often works with CM . You can follow her on facebook and instagram .
Usha Henning from Inside Nature likes to take you into nature during forest baths, nature coaching sessions, career counseling and / or dance workshops (authentic movement). It is mainly active in Ghent, Merelbeke, Brakel, Geraardsbergen, Wetteren and Aalst.
During these activities you are invited to connect with the nature around you and your own inner nature and rhythm. After all, we are part of nature. The rest of nature mirrors us a lot about ourselves and how we live life. In a forest pool, Usha invites you to enter nature consciously and in silence and so you experience life in the forest in an intense way. You open all your senses and really immerse yourself in the scents and colors of the forest: a true forest bath. This brings you into the here and now and gives you energy, space, health and inspiration.
During the forest baths , the coaching and workshops she bundles her knowledge and experience as a forest bathing guide and nature coach (training at Shizendo and Innersteps) naturopathic therapist, body-oriented therapist, and psychic / social coach and counselor (Hippocrates University NL) shamanism, family and system constellations and dansexpression / Authentic movement.
Usha works together with CM, Support Center for Mental Health Care, ANB and Natuurpunt, among others.
You can follow her on facebook or via her blog and newsletter . Feel free to contact us: https://insidenature.be/contact.html or by telephone on 0474936867.
Flemish Brabant
Ana Vazquez organizes forest walks in Brussels. Her passion for connecting with nature allows you to walk calmly and quietly through the beautiful parks of Woluwe and La Fôret de Soignes.
She has a Diploma, Guide in the Forest Pool by the Institute for Forest Therapy. She was also trained, 8-week mindfulness course MBCT by the Brussels Mindfulness Institute. She has a bachelor's degree in law from Universidad Complutense in Madrid. She also has a MOOC degree in: The Science of Happiness (Berkeley University), Buddhism and Modern Psychology (Princeton University), Understanding Plants (Tel Aviv University), Oriental Beliefs (UCLouvain), Shinrin Yoku - Forest Bathing (Center of Excellence) ). You can find her on the Forest Therapy Institute website .
Boempatatman, that's the alter ego of Dirk Janssen on facebook and instagram , experienced instructor in the Wim Hof Method, nature coach, forest bath guide and ready to go out with you. He has already taken a lot of people on the road. People who are tired and are looking for their energy, but also people who are curious about their strength and focus. Do not expect escapism, fuzzy approach or escape from society. It shows you the power of nature to complement everyday life and gives you handles that will guide you through the rat race and make you feel resilient. More information about his offer at www.boempatat.me or via dirk@boempatat.me
Ilse Simoens is a forest bathing guide and driving force behind the Academy for Healing Art . It also organizes training. She has been working for the Institute for Nature and Forest research for more than 20 years. You can find her academy on facebook .
As a hiking coach (with a background in HR), Katleen Van den dries combines both her passions, people and nature. She believes in the power of movement and being outside. In addition to using nature for career guidance and well-being at work, Katleen is also a forest bath guide. She gained experience at the Yoshino Forest Therapy Center in Japan, and meanwhile went into the forest with many different groups all over Flanders to let the participants experience a real forest bath. More information and contact Katleen can be done via www.careerboots.com . You can also follow her on facebook and instagram .
Lena Van der Bruggen is a forest bathing guide and nature guide. In October 2019 she started training to become a "forest bathing guide" in the Netherlands at the Shinrin Yoku Academy. In the meantime she has wandered around in the Sonian Forest for many hours. She also followed the training "nature guide Zoniënwoud" through Natuurpunt CVN. The forest remains a source of peace, inspiration and sometimes comfort. It's like a good friend you can always turn to. She guides in the Sonian Forest. She has her own website: https://www.boslucht.be and a facebook page and an instagram account .
Marleen Crombez 's motto is Unplug, slow down, connect with nature, your nature.
Her love for nature has been there since childhood ... and has grown over the past 25 years while walking through the Sonian Forest. During her weekly running training, she became more and more familiar with the virtues of nature and the forest. The last 7 years she exchanged walking for walking or “wandering”.
In the summer of 2019 she was inducted into Shinrin Yoku by Ann Tilman and has been a big fan and practitioner ever since. Recently also active with Forest Mind.
She likes to take people on the road to connect with nature, to invite them to experience a moment to unwind and to relax body and mind.
You can contact her via marleen.crombez@gmail.com
West Flanders
Danny Dewulf is a Natural Mindfulness and Nature Connection guide. He guides forest and forest walks in the woods of the Bruges Ommeland (mainly (Ryckevelde, but also Tudor-Beisbroek and Tillegembos) and on the coast (Duinbossen, Zeebos). He also regularly organizes forest walks during New and Full Moon. followed various courses (Natural Mindfulness, Shinrin Yoku-Forest Bathing, Mindfulness Based Nature & Forest Therapy, Meditation & Reiki practical training) These experiences flow together with a background in Druidism, where we work with the elements and the seasons; also the relationship and connection / connection with the trees and the forest is a deeply rooted consciousness. His dream is to make the connection of people with nature felt again, to recognize and recognize the value of nature and to promote a society with respect and take care of all living things You can reach him via: NorthStar.centrum@gmail.com or his facebook page: NorthStar Centrum
Website under construction.
Ingeborg Verplancke is a hiking coach and forest pool / Shinrin-Yoku guide. She mainly guides in the Muziekbos, Bulskampveld, Bellegem Bos, Mortagnebos, Orveytbos, Brakelbos. Her website is https://levenswandel.be/ . She also has a facebook page . She also provides training and has trained various guides (mainly in West Flanders).
Katty Hubrecht is a certified “Shinrin-Yoku guide” and did her training at the “Academy-for-healing-nature”. As a guide she wants to inspire, inspire and let people feel the healing power of the forest in order to get closer to herself, nature and the source of l .
More info on her website : or fb page: “Shinrin-Yoku, pure forest baths”.
Nele van Bosdroom vzw (information will follow)
Steffie Vandierendonck (information will follow)
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Are you a guide, but not on the list? Send us a message via the contact form.
Inclusion in the list is free. This is all volunteer work.
I do invite you to fill in the google form (which you can also find via this link ).
