“In Community with a Tree”: A Collaborative Narrative Inquiry on Forest Therapy’s Embodied Pedagogies

Abstract

As a possibility for critical forest-based pedagogies, our study explores the pedagogical implications of forest therapy to address environmental justice as social justice in teacher preparation (Beltrán, Hacker and Begun, 2016). Our research question is: How might forest therapy offer reorientations and reimaginings of environmental and social justice for teacher educators? We draw from human-land relationship restoration (Kimmerer, 2013), ecojustice education, embodied and contemplative learning theories and forest therapy. We utilise Barkhuizen and Hacker’s (2009) narrative inquiry design as a framework for the design and data collection of our study. Their data collection and analysis design includes the following dimensions: 1) living the stories, 2) telling the stories in written narratives and 3) analysing and interpreting the stories. We, the researchers, are the participants in this study. Using thematic deductive analysis and constant comparison methods, our study generates three interrelated themes: forest therapy offers new modes of perceiving the world, expands definitions of learning in community and embraces embodied learning with an emphasis on humility and vulnerability. Through exploring these interconnected findings, we explore implications for educators, environmental education and ongoing pedagogical possibilities for meaningful climate action for the flourishing for all living beings.