Jerome’s Journey: From Burnout to Breakthrough through Forest Therapy

Note: This is a personal story shared in the guest’s own words. It reflects their lived experience and connection with nature, not a fact-checked report. These stories are held with care and shared to inspire healing and reflection.

Welcome back to Healing in Nature Stories.

Today, I’m honored to share Jerome Bautista’s story. A journey of overcoming burnout, embracing vulnerability, and reconnecting to his true home within through the healing power of nature.

Jerome is a certified forest therapy guide, mindfulness and life coach, and the co-founder of The Sacred Space Therapy and Wellness in Hong Kong.

He now helps others rediscover their true selves, no matter where they are in the world.

A Rocky Start: From Suburban Kid to Nature Lover

Jerome’s story starts in a much different place than where he is now. Growing up in a military family, he moved around a lot and was a suburban kid who didn’t have much interest in nature.

“I was born on the mainland of the United States, and my father was in the military. We kind of moved around a bit, and I was a suburban kid. I didn’t go out much. I played a lot of video games. If you told me you wanted to go to the park or to the beach, I’d rather game.”

His relationship with nature didn’t begin until he moved to Hawaii, where the beauty of the land, sea, and sky began to deeply impact him.

“When I was in Hawaii, I got to swim in her waters, surf her waters, wander through her forests, climb the mountains, and just take a look over the Pacific Ocean. And it’s doing that day after day that you build this love for Ina—love of the land, love of the water.”

In Hawaii, Jerome became deeply involved in volunteer work, dedicating his time to environmental conservation efforts.

“I did a lot of beach cleanups, whale counting, and worked with the Sierra Club. I had a deep connection with the land, and I knew I wanted to do something to protect what I loved.”

A Turn in the Road: Finding Purpose Amidst Struggle

But life took a significant turn during the pandemic. Jerome found himself in a painful divorce, and as much as he tried to hide it, the emotional weight took a toll on him.

“I spiraled because I was not equipped to deal with this. I fell into quite a funk... depression. I was so scared to go home because all I would do is see this empty house, and I’d just crumble and cry.”

During this challenging time, Jerome discovered meditation as a tool for self-healing. He initially started with just one minute of quiet time.

“One minute became two. Two minutes became three. And then I started to listen to guided meditation. I started to reframe how I thought about what was going on in my life. Instead of thinking about what was taken from me, I asked, ‘What was actually given? What was going to teach me lessons and help me grow?’”

Through meditation, Jerome found his way out of the dark spiral, but he still had a long road ahead.

Eventually, he sought professional help and began taking courses on grief, guilt, and shame to help turn his life around.

“Being vulnerable and asking for help, like, that actually is a strength. I saw a therapist, and I started taking courses on how to deal with shame and grief. And that helped turn my life around.”

Turning Point: A New Chapter and the Call of Nature

Despite the progress Jerome was making in his personal healing journey, he continued to feel a sense of burnout.

He struggled to find balance between work, personal life, and healing, all while navigating

his divorce.

“I was still struggling with my mental health. I had a concussion, some weird health issues. I was working full time and trying to heal myself, but I wasn’t tending to my body. I couldn’t slow down. I just kept pushing through.”

In the midst of this burnout, Jerome realized he needed to make a major change.

“I thought, ‘Is this how it’s going to be? If I continue to stay here and do the same things, I’m not sure it’s going to change.’”

During the pandemic, Jerome had taken a course on visioning and where he saw himself in the next three to five years.

The answer was clear to him: he wanted to travel and work anywhere in the world. That was when the seed of change began to grow.

“I had this seed kind of pop up again in my stomach... ‘Do you remember this thing you told yourself you were going to do?’ I knew it was time to leave.”

Jerome left his job and embarked on a journey that took him to several countries. Along the way, he sought a deeper connection with nature, taking courses on sound healing in Nepal and Thai massage in Thailand. But it wasn’t until he learned about forest therapy that he truly found the path he had been searching for.

“I had this deep love for nature that stemmed from Hawaii, and throughout my travels, I always wanted to be in beautiful places—old forests, mountains. When I heard about forest therapy, it felt like the right fit. I wasn’t going back to what I was doing before.”

Jerome trained as a forest therapy guide, learning the principles of mindfulness and deep connection to nature. The experience of being in the forest and simply “being” without any expectations was transformative for him.

“When you’re in the forest and you’re just being, there’s no expectation but just to be. You open yourself up to hearing and seeing things that you might not experience if you’re just rushing through life.”

Through forest therapy, Jerome realized the power of slowing down, connecting to his senses, and being present with himself and the world around him.

The Healing Journey: What Forest Therapy Has Taught Me

As Jerome continued his journey as a forest therapy guide, he began to witness incredible shifts in the people he was guiding.

“One of the beautiful moments I’ve experienced is seeing the inner child of someone just come out. It’s amazing to see someone who’s initially skeptical begin to open up and connect with nature in such a profound way.”

Through the forest therapy invitations, Jerome helps people release the adult “shoulds” and return to the playful, present part of themselves.

“I saw one person, who was initially very skeptical, really open up. She was connecting with her inner child. It was so great to see her let go and just be present with the trees.”

For Jerome, forest therapy is not only about physical healing but also emotional growth. He sees people making connections, letting go of mental blocks, and realizing how small their worries truly are in the grand scheme of things.

“One person shared how they realized how small their problems were when they took a step back. It was a freeing moment for them. It doesn’t happen in every walk, but it’s such a beautiful part of the process.”

Reflections from Me: The Courage to Let Go

Jerome’s story is such an inspiration. His ability to pivot from a life of burnout and emotional struggle to finding deep healing through nature is an example to the power of vulnerability, self-care, and listening to the quiet voice inside.

What I love about Jerome’s journey is how he embraced the discomfort of his situation. He didn’t ignore it; he leaned into it.

It’s easy to push through life, thinking that we have to be strong and keep going, but as Jerome so wisely said:

“If you do make that realization and create intentional time for yourself to reflect and heal, then I feel that we start to notice like, well, if I even took just a little bit of this time to maybe be quiet and still in the morning. Maybe I do those workouts three times a week or whatever. You’re making an investment in yourself.”

This is the message I take from Jerome’s story: healing starts with taking care of ourselves first, and it is only through that self-care that we can show up for others.

Why I’m Sharing This Story

I’m sharing Jerome’s story because it’s a beautiful reminder that we don’t need to have it all figured out.

Sometimes, all it takes is slowing down, showing up for ourselves, and trusting that the journey will unfold as it’s meant to.

If you’re struggling with burnout, emotional pain, or just feeling disconnected from yourself, I hope this story serves as a sign that it’s okay to slow down.

Nature is always there to hold us, to guide us, and to help us heal.

Jerome, Thank You

Jerome, I want to thank you for being so open and vulnerable, for sharing your powerful story with us. Your journey is a beautiful reminder that healing is not a destination but a process.

Thank you for inspiring us all to take that first step, to lean into our emotions, and to trust the process of healing.

🎥 Want to Watch the Full Conversation?

Jerome and I dive deeper into his journey in the full conversation. We talk about his healing process, his shift from burnout to breakthrough, and the power of connecting with nature.

Come join us. Listen. Reflect. Heal.

Want to Connect with Jerome?

Jerome is open to connecting with anyone who resonates with his journey and would love to share more about the power of forest therapy. Feel free to check out his website at The Sacred Space Therapy and Wellness or reach out to him via email at jerome@sacredspacehk.com.

📲 Feel free to check out HERE ways to connect with him.

🌱 Over to You

What about you? How has nature played a role in your own healing journey? Have you ever experienced a turning point that led you to reconnect with yourself?

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. And if you’ve experienced a transformative moment in nature that you’d like to share, please feel free to comment below - I’d be honored to read your story, and if interested - feature you as a guest.

With love and respect for your journey,

Klara!

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Disclaimer: Healing in Nature Stories features personal reflections shared by each guest in their own words. These stories are not fact-checked or edited for accuracy, but offered as authentic expressions of lived experience, memory, and meaning. The intention is to create space for healing, connection, and the role of nature in each person’s journey—not to verify details or retell events objectively.

Thank you for reading with an open heart.