Jennifer Hamblin/Forest Bathing 4 Life Claimed

Biography

I graduated from the ANFT "Blue Heron" Co-hort in September 2024. Currently, I offer guided FB walks to small groups or individuals in St. Catharines & the Niagara region. When I am not guiding, I enjoy discovering new spaces and trails with my dogs. I have the most peace and feel grounded in both familiar and unfamiliar places in nature.

FYI, I am ParX approved and certified in both outdoor First Aid (WILDMed) and St. John Ambulance First Aid, CPR and AED. Other relevant education includes: Recreation and Leisure Diploma, Canadore College, PSW Certification from Sault College, TESL Certification, and Honor BA History from University of Toronto.

During my placement, I volunteered as a Trail Guide and for the Outdoor Education Dept. for Niagara Peninsula Conservation Area (NPCA). I loved working as part of a team who created the curriculum for the students ranging from Kindergarden to Grade 4 in outdoor education by the camp fire.

While on my placement as a PSW, I worked at a long-term care home as a PSW and Recreation Assistant. I enjoyed working with the older adult community and hearing all their stories made life more interesting during COVID-19. I appreciated their openness to hearing me play my sacred harp for both entertainment and healing. I received comments, "That the air felt lighter" and one client claimed, "To be healed of her cancer" when she listened to the recording every day. 

Personal accomplishments included: Qigong workshops with Monk, Hae Kwang Sunim. What a blessing to be able to move "stuck energy!" Also, I completed Master Reiki Level 1 and 2 with Carla Rose Kelly, Further, I completed Music as Medicine Sacred Scale Level 1 and 2 where I learned how to play a sacred harp. As a student I encouraged Carla Rose Kelly to create a few YouTube videos. She complied and her "Peace song" won a Global Award! I felt honored, that as a student, she credited us in her "Peace song" that is posted in YouTube.  I miss her teachings, since she moved out west.

Currently, I am priorizing my own well-being while renovating my basement after two floods, balancing walks and trying out some new tea recipes from the land. During the off-season I will be taking a course: Cycles of Indigenous Learning. I do plan to attend and offer a few winter FB walks with interested clients. 

I only ask Participants two things: "To stay open to viewing and understanding nature in a new way. For example, viewing “things” in nature as “beings.” The other thing I ask, is for Participants to withhold judgment because much of what we say can have a negative, or positive impact on others or ourselves. (Dr. Masaru Emoto, Water Crystals). I want to encourage the positive flow of energy.

In sum, I have a passion for "being in nature." What began in my early years progressed to researching how spending time in nature has a multitude of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits. There becomes a "oneness" that helps us to connect to ourself, others, nature and community.