Florence Williams investigates how nature affects your mind and body
We’re told all the time that being outside is good for your health. In fact, spend just a few minutes in the sun and you can feel your mood improving and your body relaxing. There’s even a word to describe the trauma one feels when disconnected from nature.
We know this, we experience this, and yet it is still somewhat of a mystery as to WHY.
That’s what Florence Williams aims to find in her work as a fellow at the Center for Humans and Nature and a visiting scholar at George Washington University. Her latest book The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative is “an intrepid investigation into nature’s restorative benefits.”
“For centuries, poets and philosophers extolled the benefits of a walk in the woods: Beethoven drew inspiration from rocks and trees; Wordsworth composed while tromping over the heath; Nikola Tesla conceived the electric motor while visiting a park. Intrigued by our storied renewal in the natural world, Florence Williams sets out to uncover the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain.
From forest trails in Korea, to islands in Finland, to groves of eucalyptus in California, Williams investigates the science at the confluence of environment, mood, health, and creativity. Delving into completely new research, she uncovers the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and ultimately strengthen our relationships. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas—and the answers they yield—are more urgent than ever.”
We look forward to hearing her speak at the Biophilic Leadership Summit and at her Author Talk. In the meantime, we’ll be be out in the Serenbe woods soaking up all that natural happiness.
Florence will be in-residence with AIR Serenbe from April 7-14, 2019, for the Biophilic Leadership Summit and to do a talk on her latest book The Nature Fix. Click here to RSVP to the free talk and book signing on Saturday, April 13 at 2pm.