Corporate Team Building – Nature Based Retreats
The header image features Akasawa Natural Recreational Forest, widely recognized as the birthplace of Shinrin Yoku—Japan’s practice of forest bathing. Today, Akasawa welcomes over 100,000 visitors annually, the majority of whom are corporate employees from Tokyo. Many of these companies have now institutionalized forest therapy into their wellness programs—sending teams to Akasawa twice a year to sustain focus, reduce burnout, and foster stronger collaboration.
Transformative Nature-Based Team Building Retreats
At Universe Mindfulness, Emma and Carlos have built a dedicated program with one simple goal: to help company teams reconnect, recharge, and truly thrive. Drawing from a rich background in both corporate life and personal transformation, they know first-hand how stress, burnout, and everyday pressures can disconnect people from themselves—and each other. The Nature-Based Team-Building Retreats are specifically designed to address these elements. 
Carlos spent over three decades immersed in the fast-paced corporate IT world in Canada, where he learned the hard lessons of some modern work styles. Seeking change and healing, he moved to Europe—first to Bavaria, then to Tuscany—where he discovered the restorative power of nature through Shinrin Yoku (forest bathing). He later became a certified Forest Therapy Practitioner after acquiring training in the UK, Germany, and Japan.
Emma brings over 25 years of experience as a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher and is also a certified Forest Therapy Practitioner. With her gentle guidance, she helps individuals find calm and clarity, ensuring that everyone feels seen and supported. Together, they combine their expertise to create retreats that are as personal as they are transformative.
A Personalized Journey for Your Team
Every retreat is uniquely tailored to meet the needs of your team. As part of the planning stages, Emma and Carlos will get to know you—through video meetings and surveys—to design an experience that speaks directly to your team’s challenges and aspirations. Whether your team stays local at an on-site venue, with opportunities to escape into nearby forest trails, or travels to one of Universe Mindfulness’ signature locations (such as the Black Forest, Scotland’s Highlands, Tuscany, the Dolomites, or even Japan), the retreat is structured to offer:
- Individual Renewal: Mindfulness-in-nature sessions that help each team member reconnect with inner calm and creativity.
- Team Empowerment: Group exercises that build trust, stimulate open communication, and ignite innovative problem-solving.
- We can “Read the room”: With a comprehensive program and a vast stock of exercises at our disposal, we continuously watching group responses and feedback to fine‑tune our delivery, ensuring the content remains engaging without ever feeling overwhelming.
- Lasting Benefits: Practical tools and insights—such as “Urban Nature Therapy” techniques you can take back to the office—that transform moments of quiet, reflective nature time into long-term recharge, enhanced well-being, and improved efficiency.
Sharing Our Insights on the Global Stage
In recognition of the transformative impact of our work, I was invited to speak at the 5th International Congress “Forest and Its Potential for Health.” In the forest tourism section, I presented my talk titled “Forest Tourism Brings the World Together.” Drawing from our experiences with hundreds of participants from around the world who joined our one-day Shinrin Yoku sessions offered through Airbnb Experiences, I shared how perfect strangers, who met just hours before, became remarkably close—like an ideal family—by the end of our activities.
Over the past eight years, we have consistently witnessed this extraordinary level of closeness—participants who had only known each other for four hours in our day sessions formed bonds deeper than we have seen in any other activity. This phenomenon highlights the powerful effect of Shinrin Yoku in fostering genuine connections among individuals.
Imagine the Impact on Your Team
If Shinrin Yoku can bring together strangers in such a profound way in just a few hours, imagine the transformative effect it can have on a team that already knows each other over the course of an entire retreat, three to five days in length! The shared experience not only strengthens existing relationships but also builds new levels of trust and camaraderie, significantly enhancing team cohesion and collaboration.
At the heart of our retreats is the belief that by enhancing the individual, the team is strengthened as a whole.
We begin by focusing on personal well-being and connection with nature—vital for genuine team development. At the start of the retreat, through the practice of Shinrin Yoku (even when our sessions are performed as a group), we guide each team member through our specially designed mindfulness-in-nature exercises. While shared in a group setting, these practices are crafted to ensure individual attention, reducing stress and fostering a deep sense of inner peace by cultivating a profound connection with the natural environment. This individual grounding creates a strong foundation for the collaborative work that follows.
As the retreat progresses, we transition into team-focused activities.
Building upon the renewed clarity and calmness of each participant, we facilitate experiences that enhance communication, trust, and collective problem-solving. The result is a cohesive team dynamic where everyone’s unique strengths are amplified.
What Makes Our Retreats Unique:
- Individual Transformation Leading to Team Empowerment: By first prioritizing personal growth, we ensure that each team member is ready to contribute positively to the group’s success by the end of the retreat.
- A Unique Blend of Mindfulness Practices: Experience the fusion of Shinrin Yoku and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction—a combination crafted by experts in both fields to offer an unparalleled mindfulness-in-nature experience.
- Proven Techniques from Japan: Engage in practices that have rejuvenated and unified thousands of corporate teams in Japan. We’re bringing these time-tested methods to the awe inspiring forests near you.
- Expert Guidance: Benefit from our combined expertise—Carlos’ personal training and hands-on experience in Shinrin Yoku and team facilitation, inspired by authentic Japanese methodologies, alongside Emma’s extensive background in MBSR and her expertise in Forest Therapy.
- Customized Programs with a Personal Touch: Before the retreat starts, we conduct a video interview with the management team and provide an online survey for each team member. This allows us to tailor each retreat to address your team’s specific goals and challenges, ensuring a personalized and effective experience.
- Lasting Impact with Urban Shinrin Yoku: Equip your team with practical tools to manage stress, enhance communication, and foster a collaborative spirit long after the retreat ends. In the final portion of the retreat, we share our Urban Shinrin Yoku tips that each team member can utilize back at the home base.
We invite you to embark on this transformative journey with us. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to elevate your team’s potential amidst a forest of your choice.
