Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
An Interview with Carrie Asby, Wellness Coach, Author and Retreat Leader, reveals the power of nature to heal ourselves from the inside out
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Carrie Asby helps people return to themselves by reconnecting with the natural world. Through her ecotherapy-based retreats, coaching, and online teachings, she invites others to find peace, clarity, and purpose through mindful connection. In this conversation with Best Self Magazine, Carrie shares how nature became her greatest teacher — and how healing the Earth begins with healing ourselves.
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Q: Carrie, your engagement with nature as a healing modality is music to our Best Self ears and a theme we are frequently promoting. Can you start by telling us how you came to be so connected to the natural world?
My connection to nature began when my family moved from Iowa to Oregon in 1973. My parents fell in love with the Pacific Northwest and all the outdoor adventures that came with it. Their enthusiasm for the mountains quickly became a family lifestyle. I went on my first backpacking trip at age nine, and we lived by the phrase, “Take only photos, leave only footprints.” Those early experiences taught me to respect nature and feel at home in it.
My mother was also a devoted environmentalist. In the late ’70s, she taught alternative energy at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, helping students explore solar and wind power long before it was common. In our home, caring for the planet was simply part of daily life — if you were cold, you put on a sweater before turning up the heat, and plastic was rarely used. That combination of adventure, respect, and responsibility shaped who I am today.
Years later, after a season of burnout in my fashion career, I found myself returning to nature to heal. What had once been my playground became my medicine. That experience reaffirmed that nature isn’t just where I feel most alive — it’s where I come home to myself.
Q: What does “ecotherapy” mean, and how do you integrate nature into your practices and retreats?
Ecotherapy means healing with nature. It’s rooted in the understanding that we are not separate from the Earth — we are part of it. The more disconnected we become from the natural world, the more out of balance we become, physically and emotionally. Reconnection is the medicine.
As a certified wellness coach and ecotherapy practitioner, I integrate nature-based modalities with mindfulness, yoga, and somatic awareness practices to help people heal from overwhelm and realign with their truth.
There are many ways to practice ecotherapy: spending time outdoors with awareness, engaging respectfully with animals, surrounding yourself with natural elements, tending to the Earth, and even being conscious of your food — where it comes from, how it’s grown, and how it’s prepared.
My retreats are designed to help people fully immerse themselves in these experiences. In Wyoming, for example, we step away from technology and into the stillness of wild landscapes. One of the most transformative moments comes when we enter a corral with about 70 gentle, well-loved horses and are invited to connect with them. Horses sense our energy — they respond to calm, presence, and authenticity. When one chooses to approach you, it’s a powerful reflection of the state you’re in.
I also incorporate forest bathing, mindful sensory engagement, and yoga — always practiced outdoors. In South Africa, we take the experience even deeper through wildlife conservation. Guests join a conservation team for a day to help protect rhinos by participating in a safe and guided dehorning process. It’s a life-changing act of service that reminds us: when we protect the Earth, we are protecting ourselves.
Meals are local, often grown right onsite, and shared family-style to nurture both body and community.
Q: What is nature’s role in regulating the nervous system?
Modern life constantly demands our attention — screens, noise, deadlines — all of which overstimulate the nervous system and drain our energy. Nature has the opposite effect. It doesn’t demand; it invites.
Being outdoors activates the body’s “rest and digest” response, helping us move out of stress and into balance. The air is rich in negative ions, which neutralize free radicals and refresh our systems. Research consistently shows that time in nature lowers cortisol levels, reduces inflammation, and restores cognitive focus — but beyond the science, it simply reminds us of our belonging.
Sunlight, natural sounds, and the rhythm of wind and water bring us into harmony with something larger than ourselves. When we spend time in nature, our breath slows, our heart rate steadies, and our minds become clearer. It’s as if the Earth resets our internal frequency.
Q: You’ve mentioned that rituals in nature matter more than routines. What do you mean by that?
A routine is something we do automatically; a ritual is something we do with intention. Intention turns an ordinary act into a sacred moment.
When we take our self-care outdoors, nature helps anchor us in the present. The sun warming your face, the sound of birds, the rustle of wind through the trees — these sensations remind you to slow down and be here. Each element of nature invites awareness.
When we turn routines into rituals, we practice devotion — to ourselves, to the Earth, and to being fully alive in each moment.
Q: Can immersion in nature positively impact relationships?
Absolutely. Nature has a way of softening us. It calms the nervous system, quiets the mind, and helps us see more clearly. When we’re grounded and present, we show up differently — with patience, compassion, and authenticity.
Being in nature also helps us shift from “fight or flight” into “rest and digest,” which is where connection thrives. When you’re at peace within yourself, that peace naturally extends to others. You communicate with more clarity and kindness.
In my retreats, I’ve witnessed women come together to form a sisterhood that is deep, nurturing, and lasting — a bond that continues well beyond our time in the wild. They support one another authentically, reminding me that when we reconnect with nature, we also reconnect with the best parts of our humanity.
Q: You often speak of self-care as activism. Can you elaborate?
When people act out of anger, greed, or indifference, it’s often because they’re operating from a place of lack — a lack of love, safety, or understanding. Self-care helps heal that lack.
When you take the time to nurture yourself, to rest, to listen to your needs, you create balance within. A balanced, loving person contributes differently to the world — they make choices that support peace and compassion.
That’s why I say self-care is activism. It’s not selfish; it’s service. When you care for yourself deeply, you naturally bring a more loving presence to your family, your community, and the planet. When enough of us choose to care for ourselves consciously, we begin to shift the collective energy of the planet — one peaceful person at a time.
Q: Lastly, I think most readers here can appreciate the calming value of a walk in the woods, but how can we make our connection to the natural world more intentional, even spiritual?
Before stepping into nature, set an intention. Ask yourself, Why am I here today? What am I seeking — clarity, grounding, inspiration, peace? Then let the land know — quietly, in your own way — that you’re open to its support.
As you walk, engage your senses. Notice the light, the colors, the sounds. Feel the texture of bark beneath your fingertips, breathe in the scent of the earth, listen to the rustle of leaves. This kind of awareness transforms a simple walk into a communion.
When you finish, pause to give thanks. Express gratitude for what you’ve seen, felt, or learned. Nature is sacred — when we approach it with reverence, it responds in kind. Every time we walk in the woods, we’re not escaping life — we’re remembering how to live it.
You may also enjoy reading Forest Bathing: How Immersing in Nature Can Help You Reconnect, by Tess DiNapoli.
