Access Partners Highlight: Vision Sports Ireland and Vision Ireland

Empowering Blind and Vision-Impaired Communities Through Nature Connection

At Nature Therapy Ireland, we believe in the power of nature to heal, reconnect, and restore. A core value of our work is making nature connection practices accessible to everyone, especially those who may face barriers in experiencing the natural world. We’ve been privileged to collaborate with two incredible organizations, Vision Sports Ireland and Vision Ireland, to create inclusive nature-based programs for blind and vision-impaired people across Ireland.

These partnerships have been truly transformative, allowing us to adapt our programs and bring the benefits of nature connection to a community that is often underserved in the outdoor industry. Through these collaborations, we’ve been able to design meaningful, accessible experiences that help participants not only reconnect with nature but also improve their overall health and wellbeing.

A Journey into Nature:

When Vision Sports Ireland reached out in January 2021, we were so excited by the opportunity to tailor our nature connection sessions for people who are blind or vision impaired. We launched weekly online nature connection sessions for their community.

These sessions run for one hour and allow people from across Ireland to gather in community; learn about the power of nature connection for health and wellbeing; to share their experiences and memories; and to be guided through a detailed nature visualisation/ meditation that allows the group to experience a walk through nature from the comfort and safety of their own homes.

Here’s some feedback we’ve received from participants:

"These sessions mean so much to me every week, they truly have changed my life. I love logging in, hearing the familiar voices, feeling part of a community, learning so many interesting things about nature and how to use this work in my daily life. I genuinely feel so much more connected to nature now as a person with vision impairment than I ever did during my sighted life."
"I find myself using the simple practices, I have learned from this, daily outdoors in my garden. Joining this group has had such a profound impact on how I experience nature. I love the motivation of hearing about what everyone in the group did in nature that week."
"This group has brought up so many beautiful memories from my sighted life that I had not thought of in years. Your detailed description of the walks through nature are simply magic, I feel transported to the forests, mountains and rivers every week and leave the sessions feeling relaxed, connected and refreshed."
"I have been coming to this group for almost 4 years now and recently I actually got to see what we have learned in action. I was very nervous about a surgery so I brought all of the recordings of the ocean, the birds, the forests and your nature visualisations with me and they helped me to feel calm throughout my entire hospital stay! Thank you."
*Quotes are anonymised and paraphrased:

In January 2023, we expanded our offerings in collaboration with Vision Ireland by launching seasonal online nature connection sessions and in-person forest bathing walks.

The online sessions include a series of talks based on how to harness the power of nature for health and wellbeing and a series of seasonal workshops that guide smaller groups in how to connect to nature in the present season.

One of the most exciting aspects of our partnership with Vision Ireland has been the launch of forest bathing walks that take place across the country and create access for blind and vision impaired people to immerse themselves deep in nature in a way that, for many, may not generally be accessible. These three hour events are made possible by Vision Ireland including transport to and from the forest; providing sighted guide volunteers; seating in the forest; locations with accessible bathrooms and refreshments on the day.

Here’s what some of our participants have shared about these walks:

"I feel so grateful that we have the opportunity to sit deep in the forest together a few times a year and focus on connecting to each other and to nature. Spaces like this are not accessible for me at all anymore so this is such a joy."
"Getting to sit in a forest for 3 hours is so beautiful. Being guided to explore the sounds, smells, textures, sensations etc. has been so special. I already cannot wait to come back!"
"Forest bathing feels like the perfect fit for my life, slow movement through nature is something that I can take into my daily life with me."
*Quotes are anonymised and paraphrased:

The Health and Wellbeing Benefits:

For blind and vision-impaired individuals, nature connection practices are not just about experiencing the outdoors—they’re about improving overall wellbeing. Nature connection offers a range of profound benefits that can positively impact mental, emotional, and physical health.

Enhancing Sensory Awareness
Blind and vision-impaired people often develop heightened sensitivity to touch, sound, smell, and taste. Activities like forest bathing encourage exploration through these senses, fostering mindfulness and a deeper connection to nature while promoting calm and reducing stress.

Promoting Emotional Well-Being
Nature connection lowers cortisol, helping reduce stress and anxiety. For those who may feel isolated, spending time in nature improves mood, offers relaxation, and provides a grounding, non-judgmental space for emotional healing.

Fostering Social Connection
Nature activities—whether online or in person—create opportunities for blind and vision-impaired people to connect, share experiences, and build a strong sense of community and belonging.

Improving Physical Health
Outdoor activities like nature walks and forest bathing improve balance, coordination, and physical fitness. They also offer therapeutic benefits, including lower blood pressure, enhanced immune function, and improved cognitive health.

Building Confidence and Self-Esteem
Nature connection fosters self-reliance, empowering individuals to navigate the world without sight. Successfully engaging in outdoor activities builds independence, confidence, and a sense of accomplishment.

Restoring Connection to the Environment
Sensory exploration through forest bathing helps blind and vision-impaired people develop a profound sense of connection to nature. It also provides a restorative break from sensory overload in daily life, allowing for emotional and mental grounding.

Ensuring Accessibility
Tailored nature activities, including tactile objects and sound cues, ensure full participation. As individuals adapt to these sensory experiences, they grow in emotional regulation, resilience, and self-awareness.

Check out the references for this information on our research resources page.

Overcoming Accessibility Challenges

While we’re so proud of the success and impact of these programs, we acknowledge that there are still challenges when it comes to ensuring accessibility for blind and vision-impaired people.

Online Nature Connection Sessions

Navigational Issues: virtual meeting software can be challenging to navigate for blind and vision impaired people.
Screen Reader Limitations: Screen readers don’t always fully support all virtual meeting software features.
Solution: We ensure all accessibility features are in place for our participants and Sarah offers additional assistance when needed.

Forest Bathing Walks

Transport and Accessibility: In Ireland, public transport often does not serve nature spaces well; alternative private transport options often involve prohibitively high costs with a lack of sufficient funding available and here is a lack of community based transport available. All of this limits access to outdoor spaces suitable for nature connection.
Navigational Barriers: Uneven terrain and lack of tactile markers can create difficulties for blind and vision impaired people in outdoor settings.
Solution: Vision Sports Ireland & Vision Ireland provide transport from across Ireland directly to our forest bathing walks. Sarah is a fully qualified guide and ensure that all routes are carefully recced beforehand, and we provide detailed verbal descriptions and navigational support to ensure safety and ease of movement.

A Path to Inclusive Wellness

Working with Vision Sports Ireland and Vision Ireland has been one of the most rewarding experiences of our 4+years in business here at NTI. Through these collaborations, we’ve seen firsthand the transformative impact that nature connection can have on blind and vision-impaired people. The feedback from our participants, and the community that has formed through these sessions and walks, reminds us of why we do this work.

By breaking down barriers and making nature accessible, we’re empowering people to reconnect with the world around them in a way that feels meaningful and healing. This partnership has not only enriched the lives of the participants but has also deepened our own understanding of nature’s power to heal and unite us all.

To date we have hosted over 130+ nature connection events with Vision Sports Ireland & Vision Ireland and we are so excited for what is to come this year!

Together, we can make the outdoors more inclusive and accessible for all.

If you are interested in learning more about us our nature connection programs or becoming involved in upcoming sessions and forest bathing walks, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us: naturetherapyireland@gmail.com.