Professional paper
https://doi.org/10.24141/1/12/2/11
Integrating Expressive Arts Techniques Into Guided Forest Therapy Through A Model Of Facilitation In Nature
Aleksandar Racz
orcid.org/0000-0002-3118-2623
; Zdravstveno veleučilište, Zagreb, Hrvatska
*
Gorana Isailović
; Forest Therapy South East Europe (FTSEE), Srbija
Danijela Čiš
orcid.org/0009-0006-3146-4408
; Fakultet zdravstvenih studija Sveučilišta u Sarajevu, Sarajevo, Bosna i Hercegovina
Martina Trnčević
orcid.org/0000-0002-7407-5473
; FoRRestMind Institute, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Ljerka Armano
orcid.org/0000-0002-0267-3167
; FoRRestMind Institute, Zagreb, Hrvatska
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
In contemporary societies increasingly characterized
by disconnection from natural environments, there is
growing interest in interventions that restore the human–
nature relationship and support psychophysiological
well-being. Forest therapy represents a structured
form of guided nature immersion that promotes
sensory awareness, slowing down, and relational engagement
with the environment; however, in its prevailing practice, it often remains at the level of experience
without systematic psychological processing.
The aim of this paper was to analyze the role of expressive
arts techniques within guided forest therapy processes
and to propose a conceptual model for their integration
as a facilitation tool. The study is based on a
narrative review with elements of conceptual synthesis,
drawing on literature related to expressive arts therapy,
its application in natural environments, and sources defining
the structure and principles of forest therapy.
The findings suggest that expressive arts techniques
play a crucial role in bridging immediate experience
and reflective integration. The proposed integrative
model consists of three interconnected phases: sensory,
expressive, and reflective, allowing for a gradual
deepening of experience from perception to symbolization
and meaning making. Attention is given to the differential
use of expressive media depending on participants’
psychological needs and process dynamics.
In conclusion, the integration of expressive arts into forest
therapy represents a conceptually and practically
relevant advancement in „nature-based „interventions.
This approach preserves the experiential and relational
core of forest therapy while introducing a structured
dimension that supports deeper psychological processing
and integration. Further research is needed to empirically
validate the proposed model and to develop
standardized facilitation protocols.
Keywords
forest therapy; expressive arts technique ; „nature- based“ interventions; psychological integration; biophilia; mental health; experiential processes; facilitation
Hrčak ID:
346611
URI
Publication date:
28.4.2026.
Visits: 65 *