Nature contact and nature connectedness are well-researched health-promoting resources. IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription is a practice-ready program that helps medical practices and health professions deliver structured health promotion counseling and adherence support. Low-barrier. Time-saving. Safe to implement.
IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription | Partner Program for Medical Practices & Health Professions
The Green Prescription for Medical Practices and Health Professions: Structured Prescribing and Support for Forest Bathing and Forest Therapy
Forest bathing and forest therapy are practical, motivating, and resource-oriented approaches that can be particularly helpful for stress, sleep problems, depressive symptoms, and chronic complaints.
Patients are seeking clear, feasible steps that support health-promoting behavior change in everyday life.
At the same time, many practices would like to integrate nature-based approaches but are unsure how to do so efficiently, safely, and in a standardized way within routine care.
This is exactly where IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription comes in: it is much more than prescribing a “dose of nature” – it is a structured, practice-ready program for health promotion counseling and adherence support through forest bathing and forest therapy. It translates these nature-based therapeutic approaches into a clear, practical workflow for routine care.
- A practice module for health promotion counseling and adherence support
- Standardized recommendations for different indications and patient profiles
- Safe, time-efficient implementation for the practice team and patients
- A structured process instead of general lifestyle advice
- Sustainable implementation
with materials and a toolkit aligned with the IM-WALD-SEIN® quality standard
Would you like to integrate forest bathing and forest therapy into your practice in a structured way? We would be pleased to introduce you to IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription in a personal consultation.
Attractive. Safe. Motivating
At a Glance: Forest Bathing and Forest Therapy in Medical Practice
Nature-Based Therapy: Three Core Components for Medical Practices and Health Professions
- A professional routine-care toolkit with an operationalized 5A strategy and clearly defined process modules
- Patient empowerment through evidence-informed, practical guidance that strengthens self-efficacy and personal responsibility
- High-quality, flexible training for practice teams
How IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription Works for Health Professions
WHO IS IT FOR?
- Medical practices seeking to integrate forest bathing and forest therapy into routine care as a structured approach to health promotion counseling and adherence support.
- Health professionals who want to support patients in evidence-informed health behavior change.
- Practice teams looking to implement nature-based approaches in a time-efficient, team-based, and delegable way.
- Practices with a high counseling load that need a structured, repeatable workflow.
WHAT DOES THE PROGRAM PROVIDE IN MEDICAL PRACTICE?
- A standardized practice workflow for forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku) and forest therapy, based on preventive medicine principles.
- A structured counseling and follow-up process designed to fit within existing appointments.
- Support for health-promoting behavior change through clear steps, a 5A framework, materials, and follow-up logic.
- No special infrastructure is required; it can be implemented as a self-guided approach in local green spaces, forests, or parks.
WHAT DO YOU RECEIVE?
- Everything required for structured, sustainable implementation in medical or health practice.
- A clinically grounded framework that makes forest bathing and forest therapy indication-specific, feasible to implement, and adaptable to the patient profile.
- A consistent system tailored to your practice’s requirements, enabling a straightforward start.
- A complete toolkit with practice and patient materials, plus team training aligned with the IM-WALD-SEIN® quality standard.
REFERENCE PARTNERS
- IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription is currently being implemented by physicians at Sana Clinics Sommerfeld. The focus is on therapeutically sound, easy-to-implement recommendations, patient assessment, and a structured follow-up process.
- The aim is to enable patients to use the forest area independently as a forest therapy intervention during treatment-free time and to strengthen self-efficacy and personal responsibility.
- We are happy to facilitate professional exchange with our flagship partner.
Evidence-Informed. Reliable. Practice-Oriented
A Quality Framework Healthcare Professionals Can Rely On
For physicians and other healthcare professionals to reliably recommend nature-based treatments such as forest bathing or forest therapy, more than good intentions are required. IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription translates scientific evidence into a clinically credible, quality-assured framework. The program has been in place since 2019 and is built on proven expertise and practical experience.
Evidence and Scientific Framework
Nature-based interventions such as forest bathing (shinrin yoku) and forest therapy have been scientifically studied. Systematic reviews report significant effects on immune function, stress-related parameters, blood pressure, and psychological well-being, among other outcomes.
IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription translates these findings into a practice-ready approach for integrating forest bathing and forest therapy into routine care.
Patient Demand and Clinical Credibility
Many practices are seeing growing patient interest in nature-based treatment approaches. The key is to translate this demand into a clinically credible framework and a reliable, standardized workflow.
For this reason, IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription is grounded in the international evidence base for nature-based therapy and in guiding principles of preventive medicine.
Experience and Quality
IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription is an evidence-informed program for medical practices and healthcare professionals that we have continuously developed since 2019. It brings forest bathing and forest therapy into health promotion counseling and adherence support through a structured, practice-ready approach. Accessible, motivating, and designed to strengthen personal responsibility, it supports adherence and continuity.
Proven Expertise and Clinical Reference
IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription can be used across different care settings.
Together with the Sana Clinics Sommerfeld, we are currently adapting the program for day-clinic use and for self-guided use by inpatients during treatment-free time.
This also supports its use in outpatient medical practices and among non-medical health professions.
Transparent. Straight to the point
FAQ: IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription
Here we answer the most frequently asked questions about using forest bathing (shinrin yoku) and forest therapy with IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription. If you would like to clarify whether the program is a good fit for your setting, or if you have questions about implementation, time requirements, or costs, please contact us. We will provide a clear assessment and outline the next sensible steps.
What is IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription?
IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription is a structured, written recommendation for nature-based preventive measures within medical or therapeutic counseling. It translates forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku) and forest therapy into a clear practice workflow with counseling and follow-up logic. The goal is to support health-promoting behavior change in a safe, practical, and motivating way.
What does “Green Prescription” mean in the German healthcare system?
In the German healthcare system, the “Green Prescription” traditionally refers to a physician’s written recommendation for over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. It is not a statutory health insurance prescription, but a written recommendation for patients. IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription builds on this principle and applies it to evidence-informed, nature-based measures in health promotion.
Is IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription a standard medical prescription?
No. IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription is not a statutory health insurance prescription or a standard medication prescription.
It is a structured written recommendation for forest bathing and forest therapy within medical or therapeutic counseling. It goes beyond simply recommending a daily dose of nature by providing a structured framework for counseling, implementation, and follow-up.
It supports self-guided practice in a forest, park, or local green space.
How can IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription support health promotion and prevention?
IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription can support health promotion as well as primary prevention (preventing disease), secondary prevention (early risk detection), and tertiary prevention (reducing consequences and relapse in chronic disease).
Depending on the patient profile, it provides a structured recommendation for nature-based routines within medical or therapeutic counseling. The key is individualized assessment and a practice-oriented approach.
Which patients is IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription suitable for?
IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription is suitable for patients who may benefit from nature-based measures and are willing to integrate health-promoting behavior changes into everyday life. Typical contexts include stress, sleep problems, depressive symptoms, and chronic complaints, where motivation, self-efficacy, and continuity are particularly important.
Recommendations are tailored to the patient’s resources, risks, and everyday circumstances. The program supports this with indication-specific, practice-ready materials.
How do patients benefit from IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription?
Patients benefit from clear, feasible steps that support health-promoting routines in everyday life. This is especially helpful in situations where motivation and self-efficacy are central, such as stress, sleep problems, depressive symptoms, and chronic complaints.
IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription translates the physician’s recommendation into practical, motivating exercises and provides the materials needed for self-guided implementation, helping patients use the positive effects of forest and nature contact consistently.
How much time does implementation take – and how does a practice get started?
IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription is designed to fit into existing appointments and does not require separate consultation sessions.
Getting started typically involves a compact onboarding process, clear team roles, and a structured counseling and follow-up workflow. This makes implementation time-efficient, team-friendly, and manageable in routine practice.
What exactly do physicians and healthcare professionals receive?
IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription provides a complete toolkit with practice and patient materials, along with team training aligned with the IM-WALD-SEIN® quality standard. In other words, practices receive a quality-assured framework for structured, sustainable implementation.
The program is built on a clinically grounded framework that makes forest bathing and forest therapy indication-specific, feasible to implement, and adaptable to the patient profile. It is tailored to the requirements of medical and health practice and enables a straightforward start.
Does it need to be a specific forest, or would a park also be suitable?
No. It does not need to be a specific forest. A park or local green space may also be suitable, and in some cases even a garden.
What matters most is that the setting is accessible, feels safe, and is acceptable for the patient. IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription is not tied to a specific location and can generally be implemented in any suitable forest or park, depending on the patient profile and the planned format (individual, pair, or group-based).
What are the costs of introducing IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription, and are there self-pay options?
The cost depends on the scope of collaboration and the service package selected.
As IM-WALD-SEIN® The Green Prescription is not covered by statutory health insurance, the related counseling can be offered as an optional self-pay service (for example, as an IGeL service in Germany). Billing is handled directly with patients on a self-pay basis.
We are happy to discuss suitable billing pathways with you and identify a model that fits your setting.
