{"id":101155,"date":"2024-09-20T14:17:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-20T07:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ekuatorial.com\/?p=101155"},"modified":"2024-12-22T18:50:12","modified_gmt":"2024-12-22T11:50:12","slug":"get-to-know-forest-healing-to-relieve-stress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ekuatorial.com\/en\/2024\/09\/get-to-know-forest-healing-to-relieve-stress\/","title":{"rendered":"Get to know forest healing to relieve stress"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Forest healing is a therapy that is currently widely used in the field of psychology. This is also an opportunity for the Faculty of Psychology, Padjadjaran University (Unpad) to start introducing the forest healing therapy method, not only for internal students, but also students from outside the Unpad Fapsi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forest healing activities began to be introduced to participants in the 2024 International Internship Program which was held in the forest area on the slopes of Mount Mandalawangi, on the border of Bandung and Garut Regencies, Wednesday, September 11, 2024. In this activity, nine students from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia, and five Unpad Fapsi students participated in the activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Forest Healing program coordinator for the Unpad Fapsi Hammad Zahid Muharram explained that the activity aims to introduce program participants to the fact that there is a type of psychological therapy that can be used to relieve various types of psychological symptoms, including stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Forest healing cannot cure, because stress healing requires CBT therapy. However, it is easing, less severe than before,” said Zahid, quoted from the Unpad website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zahid further explained that humans should have a strong bond with nature. When humans are in the forest, they will feel a different microclimate than in the city or outside nature. This microclimate is mostly produced by phytoncide substances that are naturally released by plants. This substance is considered capable of increasing human health levels while in the wild.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During forest healing, IIP Fapsi Unpad participants were invited to stay longer in the wild. The activity began by walking into a plantation area on a slope that directly borders a protected forest area. Uniquely, all participants wore flip-flops while walking and being in the forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guided by Fapsi Unpad Lecturer Noer Fauzi Rachman, participants followed the garden track towards the border area with the forest. Upon arriving at the tobacco field area, participants were encouraged to chat with nature for a moment. Each participant was asked to be silent for a moment listening to the wind and the sounds heard in nature. After that, participants were invited to touch trees, talk to trees, hug trees, pick wild flowers, and enter the coffee plantation while tasting coffee beans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It doesn’t end there, participants are invited to go deeper into the bushes and return to hug and talk to the Kembali tree. At the end of the activity, participants are invited to go down to the river, play with water, and try to catch fish using nets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Zahid, this activity is not without reason. In terms of dignity, humans are part of nature, so when connected to nature, humans have automatically returned to a natural human ecological scope. Like the four elements in the film Avatar, forest healing also makes participants more connected to the four elements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zahid explained that when participants walk barefoot, this activity represents a connection with the earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Then when they are still, sitting relaxed while looking at the clouds, the scenery, and breathing, that is the air element. The fire element is when they talk and hug the tree, because fire is a symbol of warmth,” he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The water element is represented when participants jump into the river after walking in the forest. Zahid explained that water is a complement to all the elements that have been connected. No matter how tired the participants are after walking far in the forest, water can refresh their bodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“When we return to the water, we are connected to the source of life,” he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pilot Project<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zahid said that forest healing is a new approach and is starting to be widely used. Most of it is still used by non-psychologists for commercial purposes. It is different if this approach is used by psychologists. All activities while in nature have an evaluation process that is carried out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The difference is, there is processing that is carried out, whether the therapy is effective (to relieve stress) or not,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Fapsi Unpad itself, this activity is the first project to be introduced. The plan is that this activity will be one of the services that will be developed by the faculty. “Hopefully, this can be a faculty product,” he concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n