Elemental Recovery’s Fall Sylvotherapy Session in Beautiful St. Mary’s was Gratitude Focused!

We at Elemental Recovery are deeply humbled and honored by the response to our St. Mary’s, Georgia Sylvotherapy retreat. It is one thing to believe in the healing power of nature. It is another to witness individuals’ step into trust, openness, and transformation right before your eyes.

The salty marshlands along the St. Mary’s River may not sound like a typical setting for a “forest bathing” retreat. After all, isn’t Sylvotherapy about dense forests and towering trees?

Not exactly.

Sylvotherapy is a full-sensory, spirit-mind-body immersion in nature. It is not confined to a forest. It is about presence. It is about connection. No matter where you live, marshland, coastline, mountains, or a neighborhood park you can fully immerse yourself in nature’s healing embrace.

Each Elemental Recovery retreat is intentionally tailored to the environment that surrounds us. By learning about the plants, trees, and ecosystems unique to each location, we empower participants to discover the healing resources available right in their own communities. Not everyone has access to a lush forest, but everyone has access to nature in some form. That is where we come in.

Our Fall retreat began with warm greetings and a delicious assortment of treats prepared by our wonderful catering partner, “The Salty Dude.” Sharing a light snack allows participants to arrive, settle, and gently transition into the experience. Nourishment supports grounding the body first, then spirit.

Our team officiating this session included Karen, Lane, and Millie.   We began our gathering by holding space for healing and offering intentions of protection, wellness, and positive outcomes for all present.

Lane and I had walked the perimeter beforehand, setting intentions and preparing the space. We expressed gratitude to the plants and trees and invited the surrounding landscape to support our time together. Along the marsh, even the persistent no-see-ums reminded us that nature requires adaptability. As we centered ourselves and called in supportive energy from our ancestors, a gentle breeze arrived cooling the air and creating comfort for all.

Due to the insects, we welcomed participants indoors for opening instructions before moving outside. Flexibility is part of working in harmony with nature. We adjust. We listen. We collaborate.

Participants were then invited to find a tree or plant they felt drawn to. With journals in hand and thoughtfully prepared reflection prompts, they began by engaging their senses in ways we often forget in everyday life.

To truly inhale the air.
To notice its scent and subtle taste.
To touch bark, leaves, grass, and feel their textures.
To witness the vastness of the marsh, the rooted strength of the oak, and the sway of the palms.
To listen to circling crows and the rhythm of the salty breeze.
To feel sunlight warming the skin.

This is where healing lives, in attention.

Each participant received a small offering of tobacco to give back to Mother Earth as they collected natural items that called to them such as stones, seashells, feathers, sticks, and small treasures discovered along the way. These sacred pieces became part of a collective gratitude art installation beneath the great oak tree, where we gathered for reflection, sharing, and a tea ceremony.

Thirteen participants joined us, ranging from six years old to eighty-four. Men and women. Children and elders. Different stories, different seasons of life, yet all united in presence.

It was emotional.
It was grounding.
It was sacred.

And perhaps most importantly it was a reminder.

Healing does not require distance.
It does not require perfection.
It does not require a forest.

It simply requires willingness.

At Elemental Recovery, we believe nature meets you exactly where you are. And in St. Mary’s, among the salt marsh and the ancient oak, she did exactly that.

Rooted in place. Restored in spirit. Reconnected to what has always been within.

In gratitude, Millie

A participant sitting under the huge live oak tree, journaling and grounding.

Large Southern Live Oak: an iconic and powerful tree. Perfect for grounding as it shares its’ symbolic strength, endurance, and connection with earth.

Upcoming Sylvotherapy Sessions – TBA keep an eye out on our events tab

We’re excited to announce our next gathering:

• Date: TBA

• Time: TBD

• Location: TBD

• Cost: TBA

• Space is Limited: Only 20 spots are available—first come, first served!

This immersive session will include guided sylvotherapy practices designed to:

• Reset the nervous system

• Reconnect with your spirit

• Reclaim your body

• Awaken all five senses

• Deepen your emotional and energetic bond with nature

• Engage in art therapy, movement, and mindful nature walks

• Learn how trees like oak, pine, birch, and cypress transmit energy and promote healing

Expect a journey of emotional restoration, spiritual insight, and grounded peace—led by experienced facilitators who honor both scientific and traditional wisdom.

Come prepared to unplug, engage deeply with the natural world, and receive the forest’s gifts.

To reserve your spot or receive future updates, join our email list. Let nature call you home.