"Healing Mind and Body in the Healing Forest" Chungnam Province Operates Forest Experience and Mind Healing Programs

Chungnam Province announced on the 12th that it has been operating a psychological support program, which initially targeted COVID-19 response personnel, expanded since last year to a mental healing program for residents.

According to Chungnam Province, after participating in the healing program last year, the proportion of people in the normal group increased from 60% to 70%, while the depression risk group decreased by 10 percentage points. The high-risk stress group also decreased by 14 percentage points, from 62% to 48%.

In the participant satisfaction survey, 92% of all participants responded with "satisfied" or higher to the question about whether the program helped relieve stress and aid psychological recovery, and 95% responded with "satisfied" or higher regarding overall satisfaction with the program.

Participants are engaging in forest experience activities according to the program at the healing camp for residents' psychological support organized by Chungnam Province. Photo by Chungnam Province

Accordingly, Chungnam Province will add one more collaborative institution to this year’s mental support healing program for residents to support user expansion. Currently, the collaborative institutions operating in the region are four: National Yesan Healing Forest, Gongju Susune Forest, Seocheon Healing Forest, and Taehaksan Healing Forest.

The main programs operated by these institutions include forest path walking meditation, aromatherapy, flower tea therapy, singing bowl meditation, dance movements, and storytelling therapy.

Program applications can be made through the Chungnam Regional Mental Health Welfare Center website. Anyone in the province can participate in the program (individually or in groups), and the usage fee is free.

A Chungnam Province official said, “We will raise residents’ interest in mental health and suicide prevention through forest experience programs and help them manage their tired body and mind by relieving stress and tension in daily life.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.