Participants/target group:The project supported the well-being of new parents and helped develop a closer connection to nature.
Short project description:
The project took its name from the beech tree (or writing tree), whose Old English name bōc gave us the word ‘book.’ The project worked with new parents to improve their well-being and develop a closer connection with nature. Participants took part in forest bathing sessions (immersive, mindful time in nature) and reflective creative writing workshops.
Creative writing and reading were used by the project to help parents reflect on their families’ relationship to nature and to maintain the experience of nature beyond the forest. A major output of the project was a collection of participants’ writing. A printed book containing the writing done during the project was presented to participants. This project was developed in partnership with the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board’s perinatal service. Read the report.
Participant feedback
The creative writing aspect of it has been surprisingly enjoyable, allowing us to access that part of ourselves which often gets overlooked or pushed to the bottom of the list. It’s been a great tool for processing what we experienced along the walk and also for tapping into past memories, the concept of awe and how we can pass these along to our child.
The experience has allowed me to reconnect with nature and let out my creative side! Highlights were walking barefoot, forest breathing and the poetry. It acted as an important reminder for us, as new parents, to take our time and actually enjoy life as it is now.
Artist biographies:
Gwyn Lewis is a PhD Creative Writing student at Cardiff University, working on a novel exploring trauma and the body, set in a fictional Eastern European Welsh colony. Before this, Gwyn worked in policy and research roles within Welsh Government, the European Commission and Senedd Cymru.
Sarah Douglass has been the Principal Clinical Psychologist for the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service in Aneurin Bevan University Health Board since its inception in 2016. Sarah has extensive experience in working therapeutically with adults and their families to improve their mental health. Sarah leads on service development for the service and has considerable experience in training and supervising others.