T he Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries coined the term shinrin-yoku or forest-bathing in 1982 . Bathing in the forest, however, has nothing to do with water. The idea is to immerse yourself in a natural environment and soak up the many health benefits of being in the green woods. Forest bathing has been widely researched. One Japanese study that appeared in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health examined 585 participants and found that urban
When Forest Bathing Becomes Part of Your Identity
Living with forest bathing over time can lead to a fusion of identity and diagnosis. You may find yourself thinking "I am forest bathing" rather than "I have forest bathing." This identity fusion has significant consequences:
- Reduces motivation (why try if this is just who I am?)
- Increases shame and stigma internalization
- Makes recovery feel like losing part of yourself
- Limits how others see you (and how you see yourself)
Reclaiming a Multidimensional Identity
Your identity is vastly larger than forest bathing. A powerful exercise: complete this sentence 20 times with anything other than your struggles:
"I am someone who ___________"
Values, roles, relationships, interests, history, capabilities — all form your identity.
Forest Bathing as One Chapter, Not the Whole Story
Narrative therapy offers a powerful reframe: forest bathing is one story in a much larger life narrative. You are the author, not the character defined by struggle.
Externalizing the problem: Practice talking about "Forest Bathing that visits me" rather than "my Forest Bathing." This linguistic shift creates psychological distance and agency.
Building Identity Beyond Forest Bathing
- Invest in relationships that see your full self, not just your struggles
- Pursue interests unrelated to mental health — art, sport, learning, creativity
- Find meaning — purpose larger than symptom management provides identity anchor
- Contribute to others — giving to others builds positive identity components
- Celebrate growth — document how you've changed, overcome, adapted
The Strengths That Forest Bathing Builds
Many people find that navigating forest bathing develops genuine strengths: deep empathy, resilience, self-awareness, creativity, and a hard-won wisdom about what matters in life.