Rachel, Yang

ANFT Nature & Forest Therapy Guide
Certified (provisional) 2024 | ANFT Cohort #128

My Story: Having grown up in China and Hong Kong, highly critical, striving and perfectionistic voices have been my old friends. There’s a Mandarin phrase loosely translated to “butt on fire”, that accurately describes this energy of restlessness and constantly rushing somewhere.

I found myself on a quest seeking answers to "where is home?" "what is authentic love?".

I encountered Forest Bathing, Mindful Self Compassion, and Blues dancing. They slowly but surely cultivated a sense of tenderness and safety within. I am coming home to myself.

I am noticing a lack of tenderness in our generation. A lot of friends around me, who, like me, grew up in asian households experience a heightened stress, and over-critical inner voices.

So here I am, sharing these practices with you. :)

My Work:

- Certified Forest Bathing Guide (provisional, anft.earth), guiding walks that helps remember the relationship we always had with nature, a part of our human nature, through tuning back into our senses: sight, touch, sound, smell, taste.

- Trained in Mindful Self Compassion (centerformsc.org), teaching 8-week programs that help gentle-hearted individuals build internal resources, an inner tenderness and safety: the same source of safety we feel when we feel close to our mothers.

- Facilitated self-connection for 400+ participants through Blues dance for the past 6 years, with a focus on empowering women to come home to their bodies and movement.

- 9 years in the tech industry, most recently in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Programs.

Instagram | @rachbeanbean