Women’s Stories – with Dr. Efrat Danino
On our blog, we are always on the lookout for women who create out of a deep passion, responsibility, and a mindful awareness of the world around us. This time, we are thrilled to host someone who might seem like a non-traditional choice for the design world, yet feels like the most natural and profound fit for our core values.
Meet Dr. Efrat Danino, an expert and facilitator in the fascinating field of Forest Medicine (traditionally known as Shinrin-Yoku, or Forest Bathing). Beyond our shared philosophy, Efrat holds a very special place in the heart of Iota—she and our very own Tal studied together in the "Menomadin" program, which is where the seeds for this conversation were first planted.
We sat down with Efrat to talk about the healing power of nature, the ability to slow down in an accelerated digital world, and how listening to our environment and the raw ingredients of life ultimately reminds us of what truly matters.
Could you introduce yourself?
My name is Efrat, Dr. Efrat Danino. I am a nurse, researcher, and the Director of the Academic Campus at the Shamir (Assaf Harofeh) Medical Center, in collaboration with the Hebrew University. I am a member of the hospital’s executive board, co-leader of Forest Medicine Israel, a lecturer at the Hebrew University’s Faculty of Medicine, and a driver of diverse health initiatives.
Throughout the years, I have woven together the worlds of healthcare, education, and management, fueled by the belief that medicine can be more humane, innovative, and deeply connected to the individual. In recent years, I have also been co-leading the field of Forest Medicine in Israel—a practice that bridges nature, physical and mental well-being, community, and preventative care.
Tell us about your work. What background do you come from?
I come from the world of nursing and public health. I began my career as a clinical hospital nurse, later transitioning into professional education, health sciences instruction, and eventually into management, research, and healthcare system development. Today, I manage a large academic campus training nurses and allied health professionals. I lead studies that drive procedural progress, innovation, and healthcare technologies.
My lectures and research focus on promoting innovation in medical education—ranging from XR and VR technologies, bots, and educational escape rooms, to developing curricula tailored to an ever-changing world. Concurrently, I work to advance Forest Medicine in Israel through a holistic view of health, understanding that humans are not detached from the environment they inhabit. To me, this is a form of innovation with a profound national and global impact, even if it isn't strictly technological.
Tell us, what exactly is Forest Medicine?
Forest Medicine is an evidence-based approach that studies the beneficial effects of spending time in nature while following a structured therapeutic protocol on our physical, mental, and social health. It isn't a typical "hike" or just "spending time outdoors" in the ordinary sense. It is a process—a therapeutic encounter spanning three hours, conducted in a group setting (without verbal interaction between participants), that facilitates slowing down, presence, and a deep connection to our senses and nervous system.
The clinical protocol of Forest Medicine began in the 1970s with a Chinese internist who practiced "Forest Bathing." Over the decades, through the 1990s, the method evolved into a validated 7-station therapeutic process certified by an international organization. It creates a powerful synergy between presence in the forest and established clinical approaches. Numerous studies have proven its efficacy, demonstrating that nature immersion combined with a clinical protocol significantly reduces stress, anxiety, and burnout, improves physiological markers, and strengthens both personal and community resilience.
In Israel, particularly during these times, I view it as both a therapeutic tool and a philosophy for living. Forest Medicine allows individuals—medical staff, students, patients, and families—to pause for a moment, breathe, and remember our primal connection to nature and healing.
Where do you draw your inspiration?
From human connection, and from blending different worlds.
Over the years, I have met patients, students, and staff members dealing with immense pressure, pain, and burnout, but who also possess so much hope and a capacity for growth. My inspiration also comes from nature itself—from its simplicity, its quietude, and its ability to remind us of balance. More than anything, it comes from the realization that if something, big or small, can help any one of us, it has an inherent value that must be amplified.
Additionally, I draw inspiration from the worlds of innovation, research, and education, and from the possibility of connecting fields that seem worlds apart: medicine, community, leadership, nature, and technology.
How do you begin the creative process for a new project?
First and foremost, by listening. With every inquiry or whenever I identify a challenge, I try to understand the true underlying need of the people, the system, or the community. Only then do I bridge empirical research with creativity and practical thinking.
I always map out a clear process because milestones are what ground a project's execution—linking the ultimate long-term vision to the immediate next steps. I then evaluate what data is required to make the most of every phase and checkpoint.
Many of my projects started with a simple question: "How can we do this differently, but also more humanely?"
I am also a firm believer in cross-disciplinary and interpersonal collaboration, so nearly every new initiative of mine is co-created with a diverse team of professionals.
How do craft and handwork intersect with all of this, if at all?
Very deeply. Even though I come from an academic, institutional, and public sector background, I believe in work that carries a personal touch. In both Forest Medicine and medical education, there is immense meaning in the lived experience, the fine details, and the creation that stems from the heart.
To me, "handwork" isn't just about material; it’s an ethos. It’s the ability to build processes with presence, mindfulness, and authenticity, rather than just relying on automation or rigid protocols.
What is your favorite part of your work process, or your workday?
The exact moment a concept transforms into something that has a tangible, positive impact on people.
Seeing a student believe in herself, a medical team go through a meaningful transformation, or an individual rediscover a sense of peace through nature—those are the moments that give my work its purpose.
I also love the very beginning—the moment I grasp a challenge and envision an innovative solution. That's when I enter the creation phase with peak motivation and energy. Thinking ahead, dreaming up new possibilities, and connecting disparate worlds is pure joy!
How has the situation in Israel affected your work?
The past year has highlighted just how inseparable mental and community resilience are from physical health. I see it daily in students, healthcare workers, families, and entire communities grappling with ongoing emotional strain. I see it within my own home, too, as a mother of five sons who are either active-duty soldiers or reservists. Every single day, they and their friends mirror the complex reality of life in Israel right now, emphasizing just how vital and valuable this work is.
Precisely during this period, Forest Medicine and the connection to nature have taken on an even deeper meaning for me. There is a vital need to create spaces for breathing, regulation, and healing, even within a healthcare system under constant strain.
What are you working on these days?
I am continuing to advance Forest Medicine in Israel, focusing on both empirical research and its integration into communities and healthcare frameworks. This includes research specifically tailored for those dealing with PTSD, as well as institutionalizing the practice within the broader medical system. Simultaneously, I am developing innovations in medical education, advancing simulations and cutting-edge learning technologies, and leading programs that marry professional excellence with humanity and compassion.
What dreams do you still hope to fulfill?
To keep building bridges between worlds—between medicine and nature, academia and community, innovation and humane care. I dream that Forest Medicine will become a natural, integrated part of the healthcare and education systems in Israel, and that we will succeed in fostering a medical culture that sanctifies not just treating illness, but actively promoting health, prevention, and quality of life. I hope we can pass this forward as a core tenet of professional education.
A life recommendation, exhibition, album, or motto?
Two principles guide my personal and professional life. First, the rarest commodity is the ordinary person—meaning we are no different from anyone else driving change; we better the world as an essential part of being human, not because we are uniquely superior. Second, you cannot heal people without seeing the whole person—their body, mind, environment, and the community in which they live.
And a recommendation for life? Pause every now and then. Go out into nature without a goal, without a screen, and without rushing ahead. A lot of answers arrive in the quiet.
Tell us something you learned from your grandmother. Preferably something concrete.
My paternal grandmother was a truly remarkable woman who passed away at 95. When my parents were young and working long hours, she took care of my siblings and me. She always made sure to tell me that "order is half the job." To this day, I make sure to work and think methodically—viewing the whole picture while creating order within the chaos of thoughts and processes.
