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Hudson Valley Forest Therapy

Self-care and peace of mind

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  • Home
  • Information
    • What is Forest Therapy?
    • What is Coaching?
  • Meet the Guide
  • Community
  • Services
    • Forest Therapy
    • Coaching
    • Meditation Sessions
    • Retreats and Classes
    • Calendar
  • Blog
    • News and Events
    • Forest Wisdom
    • Personal Growth
  • Contact
  • Testimonials
  • Calendar
  • Support Us
  • News and Events

    Formally Starting for the 2019 Season

    March 31, 2019 /

    As I type this I am enjoying the sounds of the morning birds – they are reminding me to get things started! I offer forest therapy all year by request and now that the weather is more accommodating to the public, it’s time to formally start regular sessions again! This year I will be following a more regular schedule with a few random events as time provides. Here’s the plan: Hudson Valley: First Sunday and Third Saturday each month NYC: Second Saturday each month I’m also going to be testing out an early morning mindfulness walk and some classes/workshops, so stay tuned! As usual, I will be using different locations…

    Read More
    John Polemis

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    Winter 2018-2019 Sessions

    December 27, 2018

    There is no bad weather, only bad clothes

    January 29, 2019
  • Forest Wisdom,  Personal Growth

    There is no bad weather, only bad clothes

    January 29, 2019 /

    Norwegians have a saying, “Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlig klær!” which translates to “There is no bad weather, only bad clothes!” In Scandinavia, where weather can be notoriously changeable and can get quite cold, the locals still enjoy making the most of the outdoors, regardless of the weather. There is a general sense that the weather, like most things in life, is as bad as you make it to be. Perhaps this is one of the reasons Finland, Norway and Denmark are ranked top in the list of the happiest countries in the world. So when the weather has you stuck indoors, consider how a change in mindset…

    Read More
    John Polemis

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    Winter 2018-2019 Sessions

    December 27, 2018

    Formally Starting for the 2019 Season

    March 31, 2019
  • News and Events

    Winter 2018-2019 Sessions

    December 27, 2018 /

    We’re still holding sessions during the winter but may not post public sessions until Spring since response tends to be too low. If you want to schedule a session during the weekend feel free to contact us to check availability. Some weekdays available too. Winter sessions are a little different than what I do in warmer weather. When very cold there is more walking and less sitting, but I do aim for frequent short stops with lots of silence. The silence of the woods in winter is quite magical, and you may be surprised at what sounds you CAN hear once you pause a moment.

    Read More
    John Polemis

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    There is no bad weather, only bad clothes

    January 29, 2019

    Formally Starting for the 2019 Season

    March 31, 2019
  • News and Events

    Featured in Hudson Valley Magazine

    September 27, 2018 /

    Check out the interview with guide John Polemis in the online edition of Hudson Valley Magazine! Go on a Self-Care Retreat in a Hudson Valley Forest

    Read More
    John Polemis

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    Winter 2018-2019 Sessions

    December 27, 2018

    Formally Starting for the 2019 Season

    March 31, 2019

    There is no bad weather, only bad clothes

    January 29, 2019
  • News and Events

    Breakneck Ridge Is Staying Open Through Peak Season

    August 6, 2018 /

    While not a prime candidate for forest therapy walks (although I’d accept the challenge for a private session on it!) this may be good to know for the more strenuous hikers in our community. While construction plans for the area nestled between Beacon and Cold Spring are being finalized the trail will remain open for the remainder of the year, to officially begin in early 2019. Besides a new welcome center, planned improvements will include a new twelve-foot wide bike and pedestrian trail between the trailhead and the Metro-North pedestrian walkway, making the trek to the trails in the area much, MUCH safer. Also planned is parallel parking and designated…

    Read More
    John Polemis

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    Formally Starting for the 2019 Season

    March 31, 2019

    Winter 2018-2019 Sessions

    December 27, 2018

    There is no bad weather, only bad clothes

    January 29, 2019
  • Forest Wisdom

    Identifying Poison Ivy, Poison oak, and Poison Sumac

    July 31, 2018 /

    While catching up on my landscaping today I had a surprise encounter with some poison ivy.  I think I will be ok since I treated the contact area quickly but time will tell! During forest therapy walks I make a habit of pointing these plants out when I see them, but some locations are better than others for finding them.  To help, I wanted to share a website I stumbled across recently with a great write-up on how to identify these plants: https://gardenerdy.com/how-to-identify-poison-oak-poison-ivy-poison-sumac-plants

    Read More
    John Polemis

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    Formally Starting for the 2019 Season

    March 31, 2019

    There is no bad weather, only bad clothes

    January 29, 2019

    Winter 2018-2019 Sessions

    December 27, 2018
  • News and Events

    Time to check out Fort Tryon Park

    July 17, 2018 /

    I’ll be in the city Friday, July 20th scouting out spots for forest therapy walks so decided to open the event to our NYC meetup. The plan is to do a forest therapy run through in one of these spots. The Meetup event can be found here: Scouting and trial forest therapy run at Fort Tryon park Friday, Jul 20, 2018, 10:00 AM Entrance of Fort Tryon ParkFort Tryon Park New York, NY 3 Members Attending This is technically intended for me to scout out places to do forest therapy but I think it would be nice to open it up to the group since 1) it is a nice…

    Read More
    John Polemis

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    Formally Starting for the 2019 Season

    March 31, 2019

    There is no bad weather, only bad clothes

    January 29, 2019

    Winter 2018-2019 Sessions

    December 27, 2018
  • News and Events

    Sunday (7/15) Walk Postponed Due to Thunderstorms

    July 14, 2018 /

    Alas the weather forecast has been increasingly getting worse and now shows thunderstorm risk all morning. There will be a walk at same location next weekend.  Check the Hudson Valley meetup group for details.

    Read More
    John Polemis

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    Winter 2018-2019 Sessions

    December 27, 2018

    Formally Starting for the 2019 Season

    March 31, 2019

    There is no bad weather, only bad clothes

    January 29, 2019
  • News and Events

    Trial run of Hybrid Forest Therapy – Esopus NY

    July 13, 2018 /

    Technically I was only planning to scout out Black Creek Preserve in Esopus to plan a session here but since I am already bringing a member and doing a full run through of a hybrid hike with forest therapy I may as well open it up to a few others. Just keep in mind I am getting a feel for how to make this all flow so I will be winging this a bit more than usual. Still, it’s a nice walk that leads to the Hudson River, and lots of hemlocks – my favorite tree – so let’s enjoy it! ***There will be hiking – it is considered a relatively…

    Read More
    John Polemis

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    Winter 2018-2019 Sessions

    December 27, 2018

    Formally Starting for the 2019 Season

    March 31, 2019

    There is no bad weather, only bad clothes

    January 29, 2019
  • News and Events

    First Public Walk on the Calendar!

    July 9, 2018 /

    Time to get things started. Our first Forest Therapy walk in the Hudson Valley area is a 10 minute drive from Cold Spring NY. This is the first official public walk! I’m both nervous and excited since I normally host these events privately. As the first event I am keeping it to an optional donation of $10. What would be really appreciated is your feedback (what worked, what did not work) since I am always looking to improve. RSVP here

    Read More
    John Polemis

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    There is no bad weather, only bad clothes

    January 29, 2019

    Winter 2018-2019 Sessions

    December 27, 2018

    Formally Starting for the 2019 Season

    March 31, 2019
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Events

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  • Forest Therapy Walk on Undercliff-Nelsonville Trail loop in Cold Spring

    10:00 AM-1:00 PM
    October 6, 2019

    https://hudsonvalleyforesttherapy.com/blog/event/nelsonville-20191006/2019-10-06/

    The loop we will be using begins and ends on Secor Street in Cold Spring, a block off of Route 301. For those who are familiar with the trail system, we will be starting on the Undercliff Trail and then looping back on the Nelsonville Trail.

    This loop is considered an easy trail and would take around 35-40 minutes to walk as a non-stop hike. The trail is relatively even and well maintained with some minor inclines, but some spots have loose rocks so may not be suitable for those with mobility challenges or balance concerns.

    We will be walking the loop slowly with several stops for sharing and forest therapy work.

    Cost is $25. If you are not able to afford the fee please come and pay what you can. If you can afford it, the fee helps support this service and allows me to be flexible with those who need the help.

    I estimate the event will take 2.5 hours.

    Parking and the Trail start is just past the intersection of Pearl and Secor Streets in Cold Spring near the Masonic Lodge. This location is easily walkable or a short taxi from the train station.

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  • Short After-Work Forest Therapy in Central Park, NYC

    6:00 PM-7:00 PM
    October 9, 2019

    https://hudsonvalleyforesttherapy.com/blog/event/centralpark-20191009/2019-10-09/

    Part mindfulness walk and part forest therapy, this is an abbreviated version of my Forest Therapy program designed to recharge after a long day at the office.

    Rain or shine.

    Cost is $20. If you are not able to afford the fee please reach out to me for sliding scale options. The fee helps support this service and allows me to be flexible with those who need the help. (If you need to pay cash please contact me privately.)

    If you attended one of my events in the past month please take 50% off – contact me privately to RSVP.

    This is a short event – 1 to 1.5 hours. Time tends to pass quickly and I want to be mindful of your time.

    (If you wear high heels, bring flats.)

    We’ll meet just inside the W 103rd street entrance of Central Park. Right across the street from B/C train stop. There are bathrooms close by.

    All participants must sign a simple liability waiver at the start of the event to allow us peace of mind in offering our walks to the public.

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  • Forest Therapy Walk at Buddhist Monastery in Carmel Area

    10:00 AM-12:00 PM
    October 12, 2019

    https://hudsonvalleyforesttherapy.com/blog/event/chuang-yen-20191012/2019-10-12/

    This walk will be on monastery grounds. This is not a Buddhist event, nor do we have any affiliation with the monastery, HOWEVER, please respect their preference for modest clothing (no shorts, tank tops, or overly revealing outfits) and if you pack food, keep it vegetarian.

    Cost: $25 (sliding scale for those in need)

    After the walk, the dining hall serves a $6 vegetarian lunch noon-1pm and visitors are welcome to explore the grounds as well as the Great Buddha Hall which is certainly a sight to see! I plan to mediate there after lunch so if you are interested in a meditation primer just ask!

    All participants must sign a simple liability waiver at the start of the event to allow us peace of mind in offering our walks to the public.

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  • Forest Therapy Walk at Buddhist Monastery in Carmel Area

    10:00 AM-12:30 PM
    October 20, 2019
    https://www.meetup.com/Hudson-Valley-Forest-Therapy/events/265768566

    This walk will be on monastery grounds. This is not a Buddhist event, nor do we have any affiliation with the monastery, HOWEVER, please respect their preference for modest clothing (no shorts, tank tops, or overly revealing outfits) and if you pack food, keep it vegetarian.

    Cost: $25 (sliding scale for those in need)

    After the walk, the dining hall serves a $6 vegetarian lunch noon-1pm and visitors are welcome to explore the grounds as well as the Great Buddha Hall which is certainly a sight to see! I plan to mediate there after lunch so if you are interested in a meditation primer just ask!

    All participants must sign a simple liability waiver at the start of the event to allow us peace of mind in offering our walks to the public.

    RSVP ON THE MEETUP EVENT PAGE

    (Contact us if you have problems booking via meetup.com)

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Recent Posts

  • Formally Starting for the 2019 Season
  • There is no bad weather, only bad clothes
  • Winter 2018-2019 Sessions
  • Featured in Hudson Valley Magazine
  • Breakneck Ridge Is Staying Open Through Peak Season

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