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Where stories fall away, the forest reminds us who we truly are.
Brooke O'Neill (She/They) is a certified Nature and Forest Therapy guide with AshBrooke Forest Therapy in the northern Illinois area. She was drawn to this work through her own longing for stillness, healing, and reconnection during times of change. The forest became a place of refuge-offering grounding, clarity, and a deep sense of belonging. She came to forest therapy during one of the most difficult chapters of her life-her divorce. At the time, she was carrying so many stories about who she thought she had to be and what others expected of her. Seeking comfort, she turned to the place she has always felt most at home: nature.
In the quiet of the forest, Brooke began to notice something profound. The trees, the wind, the living world around her asked nothing of her. Nature didn't expect her to perform, to achieve, or to be anyone other than her true self. Slowly, the cracks in those old stories appeared, and she realized they no longer had to define her.
Along the way, she kept encountering the practice of forest therapy and forest bathing. With curiosity, research, and guidance, she followed those signs-and they led her to the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT). Now, she feels deeply honored to share this practice with others, holding space for them to experience similar sense of presence, authenticity, and healing that she found in the forest.
Her guided walks invite slow wandering, sensory awareness, and deep listening with the more-than-human world. She holds space for others to rest, reconnect, and remember that they are a part of the living web, held and supported by the land beneath their feet.
For upcoming walks go to instagram.com/ashbrookeforesttherapy.
To schedule a private walk or for inquiries email: abftguide@gmail.com
