What can Nature Connection for Wellbeing & Medical Improv possibly have in common?

By Jan Cafearo

I am a curious person, and am excited by the fusion of techniques. So when I met Beth Boynton online and heard about Medical Improv, I was fascinated – how can improvisational theatre skills overlap with the skills of a clinician?

I joined one of her online ‘YES AND’ 101 workshops, and had my eyes opened! And she in turn joined my online course in Nature Connection for Wellbeing.

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I have worked in healthcare for decades, first as a physiotherapist in the UK National Health Service, and now as a practitioner and tutor of the holistic physical therapy, Bowen Therapy.

I also work in Nature Connection for Wellbeing through the practice of Forest Bathing – a form of mindfulness in nature which originated in Japan as a medical intervention, to address the high levels of stress in Japanese society.

Experiencing both of these radically different modalities got us thinking about how these two practices are achieving some of the same goals. Here are just a few that have occurred to me:

They both bring us to a state of presence.

Forest Bathing offers ‘Invitations’ – simple activities to explore nature through our physical senses. In Medical Improv, the exercises are enacted between people. Both these types of activity absorb and intrigue the mind, causing it to suspend its habitual thought patterns and bring us to the present moment. Being in this Flow State – focused, and alert – has been linked to better performance, motivation, creativity, and problem-solving.

Modern-day life tends to shorten our attention span, and puts obstacles in the way of us entering this way of being. Both Forest Bathing and Medical Improv guide us into experiences where we can rediscover how to enter, and then build stamina to lengthen, this highly beneficial state.

They both develop social-emotional skills. 

In Medical Improv, the exercises are designed to elicit spontaneity, adaptability, and skillful listening, as the participant collaborates with other people. Forest Bathing Invitations also involve skillful attention, in this case in collaboration with the natural world, and with our inner landscape. We slow down enough to become aware of ourselves responding to what we’re noticing in nature. This practice has been shown to increase interoception – awareness of the inner sensations – which is known to improve recognition of our emotions.

I have experienced all of these benefits from the invitations in Jan’s Forest Bathing course. AND they are staying with me well beyond the initial experience! – Beth Boynton

Through different paths both Medical Improv and Forest Bathing develop our ability to notice, understand, and regulate our own emotions, leading to self-awareness, empathy for others, and more positive relationships.

They both generate a spirit of play. 

Brene Brown defies playful activity as ‘time spent without direct goals, something that people don’t want to end, and something that leads to a loss of self-consciousness’ – both Medical Improv and Forest Bathing fulfill this definition. Play involves putting ourselves in novel situations where we cannot control the other elements. If the activity is held in a safe playful setting, that uncertainty requires us to dive in with awareness, in a spirit of exploration and experimentation. We suspend our judgments and expand our ability to see things in a new light, engendering openness and authentic connection. The regulating effects of connecting are associated with reduced anxiety and depression, a sense of belonging, and improved cooperation with others.

And they’re both enjoyable! 

Once the participants get over their initial self-consciousness when practicing these novel activities, they experience positive benefits which keep them coming back for more. In the short term, Forest Bathing is commonly experienced as deeply relaxing, in a way often yearned for in modern-day life. Medical Improv is commonly experienced as energizing and fun. In the long-term both are known to reduce stress, giving rise to greater creativity, greater awareness of beauty and improved mental health, mental agility and social skills. 

So I encourage you to try either, or both, and see what these two emerging fields have to offer you, your team, and your patients.

Online experiential course ‘Coming to Our Senses’! Intro offer: 10% discount on any course: apply the coupon FEELGOOD10 at checkout.

Author Collaboration Note

This work is my passion, and I am keen to bring the powerful skills of Forest Bathing to all fields of endeavour, in particular healthcare, mental health care, and education. I love collaborating – if this article has sparked any ideas, please, get in touch, I’d love to hear from you.