IM-WALD-SEIN® Institute | Our Origins
From a Forest Bathing Experiment to Professional Forest Therapy
Our story began in 2017 with a specially designed forest bathing experiment in Croatia and a central question: How can the health benefits of forests be explained scientifically and applied in professional practice? Since then, our journey has been shaped by international research, professional exchange and practical implementation. These early experiences led to the creation of the IM-WALD-SEIN® Institute, its Academy, our quality-assured programs and the IM-WALD-SEIN® Method. Today, we are one of the leading institutions working at the intersection of forests and health.
The Beginning | Authentic Experiences and International Inspiration
Milestones on Our Journey
2017: The Forest Bathing Experiment in Croatia
The spark that set IM-WALD-SEIN® in motion was a forest bathing experiment involving twelve Shinrin Yoku pioneers in the forests of north-western Croatia in September 2017. We wanted to find out whether forest bathing was merely a new trend or had the potential to become part of a comprehensive health strategy. We focused on how a relaxing stay in the forest affects the immune system, mood, physical well-being and blood markers, as well as the role played by phytoncides and terpenes in the forest air. A fascinating experiment—with remarkable results.
2018: Forest medicine in Japan
At a major congress on international trends and findings in forest medicine in Tokyo in 2018, Forest Health Expert Dr. Melanie H. Adamek met leading Shinrin Yoku researcher and bestselling author Prof. Dr. Qing Li. She also completed forest medicine training under his guidance and with the International Society of Nature and Forest Medicine, INFOM, at an established forest health center in Okutama. This marked the beginning of a close collaboration and led to the founding of the IM-WALD-SEIN® Academy in November 2019. Prof. Dr. Qing Li is an immunologist, one of the founders of this field of research and a clinical professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Nippon Medical School.
2019: Forest Therapy in South Korea
In March 2019, Dr. Melanie H. Adamek, Head of the IM-WALD-SEIN® Institute for Forest Medicine and Forest Therapy, took part in the international symposium Forest and Human Well-being: Challenging for Urban Society in Jeonju at the invitation of the South Korean Ministry of Forestry. There, she deepened her knowledge of the international application of forest therapy. The symposium was held in connection with the planning of the new forest therapy center in Jin-An, which Dr. Adamek visited as part of an international delegation of experts. At the National Center for Forest Activities in Jangseong, participants learned about key elements of preventive and rehabilitative forest therapy.
2020: Professional Exchange with China
In spring 2020, Dr. Melanie H. Adamek was appointed Deputy Chair of the WFCMS Committee for Forest Health Research, part of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies. She was also appointed to the specialist committee working to advance treatment standards in forest medicine. The IM-WALD-SEIN® Institute welcomed the opportunity for professional exchange with Chinese researchers and practitioners working in forest medicine and Shinrin therapy.
Authentic from the Start: From Experience to Professional Practice
Forest bathing and forest therapy can be taught and applied across a range of professional settings. Founded at the end of 2020, the IM-WALD-SEIN® Institute for Forest Medicine and Forest Therapy promotes the interdisciplinary application and further development of evidence-based forest medicine and forest therapy. Through the IM-WALD-SEIN® Academy, it offers training in authentic Shinrin Yoku based on the approach of Prof. Dr. Qing Li, with a particular focus on health-related professions and areas of practice, as well as everyday prevention. In therapeutic settings, the IM-WALD-SEIN® Method, developed for specific settings, is used as a complementary therapeutic approach. Drawing on the forest’s wide-ranging salutogenic effects, it supports people in adopting a health-promoting lifestyle.