 Nestled off a small dirt road just outside of Port Stanley, ON, is a unique space rooted in nature and connection. Down a tree-flanked gravel pathway into a beautiful cove of the Carolinian forest is a space where A Place in the Woods founder Cathy Kostendt found nature, peace, and inner healing for years – right in her own backyard. The property has been home for Cathy, her husband Tim, and their children for years. A place to retreat to after a long day of work. A quiet space to spend time alone to recenter themselves and connect with nature. A natural playground for their children to explore and grow up in with their friends and family. Over the years, Cathy saw and experienced first-hand how the forest space impacted her family, and herself – connecting them with nature, calming their minds, and welcoming them in with open arms. “I always felt better here,” Cathy said while walking down the gravel pathway. The forest has always been a safe space for her – one that clears her mind, calms her nerves, and connects her back to nature. It has always been an important place for Cathy, her family, and friends, but during COVID-19, it became more essential than ever. A Registered Dental Hygienist, Cathy worked in St. Thomas with the same clients for 20 years. She developed strong community ties and relationships there, watching kids grow up into teenagers and adults, knowing their parents and grandparents, and moving through stages of life alongside them. So, when COVID-19 hit, it was difficult for Cathy to watch the people she had come to know and care about suffering. “It was tough,” she said. “Everyone was stressed and worried, whether it was about themselves, their kids, parents, or whatever. We were all in the same boat.” Cathy also realized that a lot of people don’t have access to natural spaces like she does. “I really started becoming conscious through different ways that there are people who live in townhouses or subdivisions, and they don’t have yards or trees,” she said while the trees swayed in the wind. “They’re not near anything like this. And so, I thought okay, let’s share ours. We need this, and I’m doing it.” That push was just what Cathy needed. She always knew the forest space was special – but now people needed it more than ever. So, Cathy buckled down, obtaining her Forest Bathing Guide Certification and wilderness first aid, becoming a Yoga Teacher and Reiki Practitioner, and working to get her PaRx Prescriber certification – Canada's evidence-based nature prescription program, which bridges healthcare and nature. Slowly but surely, her vision for A Place in the Woods began to take shape. Rooted in her personal experiences, Cathy began to research how their natural forest space could boost health and wellbeing for her community members. For years, Cathy and her family have experienced the benefits of nature and forest bathing therapy. “Forest bathing has been clinically proven for decades,” Cathy said as we sat in the heart of a small clearing, surrounded by trees, plants, and sunshine. Forest bathing, rooted in the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, refers to the act of immersing yourself in the atmosphere of the forest. Based on three traditional concepts, yūgen (being so keenly aware of the beauty of the world around you that deep emotions you feel can’t be expressed with words), komorebi (the relationship, or interplay, between the sun and leaves), and wabi sabi (celebrating the beauty of imperfection and impermanence). Studies have found that forest bathing reduces cortisol levels (a stress hormone), can improve stress, anxiety, and depression, and can even boost levels of cancer-killing proteins and immune cells – just by walking in the forest for two hours a week in 20 minute minimum intervals. Spending time in the forest can also have a positive impact on brain oxygen levels, physical health benefits on our nervous systems, and the aromatherapy aspect of forests can benefit immune systems. “My whole goal, my tagline is for health and healing,” Cathy explained while we sat on cushions atop the modular platform she created in the forest. “I just want to help people heal in whatever way they need it. For forest bathing, our motto is the forest is the therapist – the guide just opens the door.” As a Certified Forest Bathing Guide, Cathy’s goal is to create an environment where everyone can feel safe and comfortable, and where she can invite them to develop a connection with nature in the present moment to help them find their healing. “Each individual person will have completely different experiences, because we use a language and open invitations for them to interpret things the way they want,” she explained. “Sometimes it’s hard to describe, because each person is not going to take away the same things. They’re not going to have the same experience.” Encouraged by her mission to create a space for healing, peace, and connection with nature, Cathy began planning her business, while also searching for local practitioners who could partner with her to offer meaningful experiences that nurture both nature and inner stillness in her own backyard. To make her business plan viable, Cathy knew she wanted to offer more than just her skills. “Other people [in my community] have fantastic skills, but not the yard to do it in, so that’s when the collaboration started,” she explained. Today, A Place in the Woods is home to more than 11 different local practitioners and collaborators – offering everything from reiki, yoga, sound therapy, and meditation, to guided forest bathing, art therapy, Eco education and more. This year, Cathy is excited to add a greenhouse to A Place in the Woods, opening up programming abilities for the winter and colder months, surrounded by the transition of seasons in the forest. To stay up to date on their offerings and their greenhouse progress, make sure you are following them on Facebook and Instagram. Having been in the forest with Cathy on a beautiful day - it is hard to explain the connection, comfort, and emotion the trees create. The wind rustles through leaves, the sun beams down on the shaded platform, and birds can be heard calling to one another in the distance. I found myself breathing slower, the tensions in my shoulders lifting, and an overall sense of peace come over me - despite being in the middle of a busy work day. There is something innate in us that connects to nature, that is calmed and at home in its presence. It slows down our busy lives. It gives us space to connect with the earth around us. It invites you to notice small details and changes. At A Place in the Woods, you can feel just how much care, thought, time, and compassion Cathy has put into the space. Each day she brings all their solar lights up to the house to recharge. She shovels mulch and grooms the pathways to make sure they are accessible for all her guests - with everything designed so it can be put up with minimal impact to the forest. She moves cushions, yoga mats, chairs, and more for each session and practitioner - putting care, thought, and attention into each day, and back into the forest that has given her and her family so much over the years. Running a small business has unique challenges - but Cathy has a space, a family, and community supports who have helped make this dream become a reality. Her husband Tim also owns and operates a small business, Tim's Tree Trimming & Removal Ltd., and both of her kids are now in post-secondary school - but everyone pitches in. "He's my number one," Cathy said with a smile. "He has put in a lot of hours helping me. He's my biggest mentor because he's been self-employed for a long time, and he learned so much on his own. He's also a huge support in physically maintaining everything." From early mornings to late nights, long hours, unpredictability, financial pressures, burnout, and deep emotional investment - running a small business is no easy feat. And Cathy spends a lot of time reflecting and navigating the unique aspects of opening her backyard and space - to both practitioners and community members. Her husband has lived on the property his whole life; it was originally purchased and owned by his parents in 1980, and has been cared for by their family as stewards of the land ever since. Their kids grew up there and still live there. It’s their home, and a sacred place for them, which Cathy never forgets. “It’s been tricky [navigating running a business out of their property],” she explained. “We have to be respectful of everyone who lives here, and this is my home. We have set hours and a calendar of events, so everyone knows when there will be people coming into our space.” In addition to the immense support from her family, Cathy has found support in the Elgin Business Resource Centre (EBRC) and the Small Business Resource Centre (SBEC). "The [EBRC] were huge, they helped me right from start to finish with my business plan, and counselled me the whole time," said Cathy, "And Emily with SBEC has been amazing. She's been helpful in a relational way in that she will offer ideas that I never would have thought of, from marketing to outreach and support. She's been kind of all encompassing." Cathy also participated in The Pitch and placed as a runner-up with the help of the EBRC, for which she is endlessly grateful for the exposure and support. As Cathy looks onwards to a new season with A Place in the Woods, the construction of a greenhouse, and more possibilities, her eyes light up with excitement. In a world where we rush from place to place, task to task, and person to person, A Place in the Woods is truly one-of-a-kind, just like Cathy. Take some time this year to explore what offerings they have. Come out for a forest bathing session, a yoga class, or a corporate workshop. Learn about the benefits forests, nature, and connection have to offer us - and make time to strengthen those bonds.🌿 If you go
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