Living in the Kelabit Highlands in the 1980s and 1990s I came to feel that contact with nature, and especially with the forest, is of great benefit psychologically and spiritually for humans. This led me to spend a lot of time in Epping Forest, when I was back in the UK.

In 2019 I trained as a forest bathing guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy in order to facilitate contact with nature and the forest for others. ‘Forest bathing’ derives from the Japanese concept shinrinyoku, literally ‘taking a bath in the forest’. Since then I have taken people ‘forest bathing’ into both Epping and Hainault Forest near my home in East London. I have in mind to begin taking people into the forest in the Kelabit Highlands and/or in Abruzzo in Italy, where my husband Kaz and I bought a house in 2020. Keep an eye on my blog or join the Whatsapp channel I’ve set up called ‘Wild Calm – Forest Bathing with Monica’ for announcements of forthcoming forest bathing events.