Healing in the Schwarzwald: Nature, Wellbeing & Waldbaden
- Justine Ferland
- Nov 14, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 20
The Schwarzwald, Germany’s Black Forest, is more than a destination! It’s a living ecosystem shaped by altitude, water, ancient woodlands, and a culture that has long understood the relationship between people and place. For those who live, wander, and heal here, the forest offers something rare: a landscape that invites the body to soften and the mind to recalibrate.
The Living Landscape of the Schwarzwald
What makes this beautiful region so compelling is its atmosphere- literally! The Black Forest’s humid, oxygen-rich air; its streams, rivers, and thermal springs; and its dense evergreen canopy create a microclimate long associated with recovery and resilience. For centuries, people have come here to breathe easier, think more clearly, and reconnect with a slower, more natural rhythm.
As a psychologist, educator, and integrative health coach living in the Schwarzwald, I’ve come to see how this environment supports wellbeing in ways both poetic and deeply physiological. From traditional Luftkurort culture to the science of forest bathing, the Black Forest continues to offer modern visitors the same healing qualities that drew people here generations ago.
The Black Forest consists of three parts. Its vastness creates striking contrasts.
Southern Schwarzwald
Gentle hills, dark forests, and broad meadows define the southern region. Traditional single-roof farmhouses nestle between valleys, and brown-and-white cows graze amid wildflowers and clear mountain streams.
Central & Northern Schwarzwald
Further north, the landscape tightens. Valleys narrow, the sun appears less frequently, and villages cluster between steep, densely wooded slopes. It is a region that feels timeless, shaped by shadow, silence, and old-world architecture.
Western Slopes
To the west, the Schwarzwald opens into the Rhine plain, where vineyards and sunlit fields create an entirely different experience. Warmer, brighter, and framed by long, rolling hills. This diversity is part of the forest’s magic: within a short distance, the atmosphere shifts entirely.
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“Nature, the beautiful Black Forest, should heal old wounds.”
“Die Natur, der schöne Schwarzwald sollte alte Wunden heilen.“
-Völker, 1905
Water, Wood, & Culture
Water is the Schwarzwald’s quiet heartbeat. Mountain lakes, springs, and rivers shape both its ecology and cultural identity. In places like Schiltach, you can still imagine the historical Flößer- raftsmen guiding felled logs downstream meeting the Kinzig.
Schwarzwald: the Black Forest a history of healing
Healing waters have been part of local life for thousands of years. Since the Roman era, the Schwarzwald’s thermal springs bubble up from 2,000 meters below ground. The water is rich in trace elements and minerals such as lithium, and magnesium, have been celebrated for easing cardiovascular concerns, rheumatic pain, joint issues, metabolic disorders, and respiratory illnesses. These springs remain an essential part of the region’s therapeutic heritage.
A Climate Built for Healing
In Seelbach, the home of SEELEDU in the heart of the Black Forest, the air itself is recognized as a healing resource. As a designated Luftkurort (air spa), the town’s climate meets strict standards for purity, altitude, and air quality.
This “healthy climate” is more than a poetic idea, it is something you feel immediately. The resin-rich forest air, cool temperatures, and natural humidity create ideal conditions for nervous system restoration, deeper breathing, and a gentle downshifting of the body’s stress response.
This is where Waldeinsamkeit, the unique solitude and spiritual quiet found only in the woods, comes alive.
The Science Behind the Experience:
The healing effects of forests are now widely documented. What people sensed intuitively for centuries, research has confirmed:
hiking alone in forests helps reduce stress by lowering blood pressure and cortisol levels (Park, 2010)
Improved mental function (Won, 2011)
lower levels of rumination (meaning less worrying!) & decreased activity (Bratman, 2015)
Increase parasympathetic nervous system activity (meaning your rest and digest functions run better allowing you to calm down) (Lee, 2011)
Increased immune system functioning (Li, 2009, 2011)
Enhances expression of anti- cancer proteins (Li, 2006, 2007)
Decrease blood glucose levels (Ohtsuka, 1998)
Higher incidence of positive emotions (Park, 2011)
Reduction in blood pressure (Mao, 2012)
relaxing effects even with just short-term viewing of forests (Tsunetsugu, 2013)
Reduced symptoms of ADHD (Kuo, 2004)
Improved self esteem (Barton, 2010)
And more!
This is why forest bathing,Shinrin-yoku in Japan, Waldbaden in Germany, continues to grow. It is not a trend; it is a return to something the human nervous system has always understood! A quiet, natural stillness and integration.
Why the Schwarzwald Heals
Healing happens here not because the forest is magical (though it often feels that way), but because the elements that support wellbeing naturally converge:
Clean, humid, oxygen-rich air
Altitude and spaciousness
Phytoncides from evergreen trees
Continuous water sources
Centuries of cultural practices tied to land and health
A pace that invites reconnection rather than consumption
For many, arriving in the Schwarzwald feels like exhaling for the first time in months.
Experience the Black Forest More Deeply
The Schwarzwald invites you to walk slowly, breathe deeply, lean against old trees, and let your senses recalibrate. These practices are not indulgences—they are tools for nervous system regulation, clarity, and long-term resilience.
Through SEELEDU’s retreats and Waldbaden programs, you can experience:
guided forest immersion
ancestral perspective-taking
nervous system downshifting
nature-based clarity practices
slow, mindful walking
seasonal rhythm reconnection
deep nourishment with seasonal, local, products
and the deep restorative presence with integrated somatic experiences
These experiences weave ecopsychology, integrative wellbeing, and local culture into deeply grounded, accessible practices that support mental, emotional, and physical health.
Join Us in the Schwarzwald
Whether you’re traveling from afar or live nearby, the forest offers a chance to reset what modern life asks of you. Walk quietly. Sit by a stream. Let the rhythm of the land work on you.
You’re invited to explore the healing properties of the Schwarzwald!
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Author & Photographer: Justine Ferland
Justine Ferland is a passionate psychologist, educator, and coach who brings over 20 years of experience to her work. As the founder of SEELEDU, she specializes in integrating nature for enhanced well-being.
References
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Bratman, G.N., Hamilton, J.P., Hahn, K.S. & Gross, J.J. (2015). Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenus prefrontal cortex activation. Pyschological and cognitive sciences. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1510459112
Kuo, F. E., Taylor, A. F. (2004) A Potential Natural Treatment for Attention-Deficit /Hyperactivity Disorder: Evidence From a National Study. American Journal of Public Health. 94(9): 1580-1586.
J. Lee, B.-J. Park, Y. Tsunetsugu, T. Ohira, T. Kagawa, Y. Miyazaki,Effect of forest bathing on physiological and psychological responses in young Japanese male subjects, Public Health,Volume 125, Issue 2, 2011, Pages 93-100,ISSN 0033-3506, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2010.09.005.
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Li Q, Kobayashi M, Wakayama Y,Inagaki H, Katsumata M, Hirata Y, Hirata K, Shimizu T, Kawada T, Park BJ, Ohira T, Kagawa T, Miyazaki Y. (2009).Effect of Phytoncide from Trees on Human Natural Killer Cell Function. International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology. 22(4):951-959.
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Mao G.X., Cao, Y.B., Lan, X.G., He, Z.H., Chen, Z.M., Wang, Y.Z., Hu, X.L., Lv, Y.D., Wang, G.F., Yan, J. (2012). Therapeutic Effect of Forest Bathing on Human Hypertension in the Elderly. Journal of Cardiology. 60:495-502.
Ohtsuka Y, Yabunaka N, Takayama S. Shinrin-yoku (forest-air bathing and walking) effectively decreases blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. Int J Biometeorol. 1998 Feb;41(3):125-7. doi: 10.1007/s004840050064. PMID: 9531856.
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Bum-Jin Park, Katsunori Furuya, Tamami Kasetani, Norimasa Takayama, Takahide Kagawa, Yoshifumi Miyazaki,Relationship between psychological responses and physical environments in forest settings, Landscape and Urban Planning,Volume 102, Issue 1, 2011, Pages 24-32, ISSN 0169-2046,
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Won Sop Shin wonsop.shin@gmail.com , Chang Seob Shin , Poung Sik Yeoun & Jae Joon Kim (2011) The influence of interaction with forest on cognitive function, Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 26:6, 595-598, DOI: 10.1080/02827581.2011.585996
I loved this piece. I especially loved the references at the end. Spectacular images. Awesome.