Meet Holly Merker | Nature-based Wellness Specialist | Author | Founder of the Mindful Birding Network

We had the good fortune of connecting with Holly Merker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Holly, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
The industry I’m involved with is both very new, yet quite old : Nature-based Wellness…That is, accessing nature, specifically through observing wild birds, in order to not only form deeper connections to the natural world around us, but also to reap the multitude of wellness benefits that nature holds for our own overall wellbeing.

While now gaining traction in global wellness communities through practices like Forest Bathing and Mindful Birding, this idea of nature being therapeutic, healing, or as part of our daily self-care has deep roots in indigenous cultures.

Many people are unaware of the wellness benefits that slowing down, or taking a mindful approach to observing nature, holds for us.

Mounting research demonstrates that by turning our attention towards something other than our own busy lives, by intentionally shifting our attention towards nature instead, our minds and bodies benefit.

Studies show that listening to several minutes of birdsong can loosen the grip of anxiety for up to eight hours, while at the same time, being in green spaces can lower our cortisol levels after just twenty minutes. This means that by seeking out birds and environments we share with them, we can boost our immune systems, and calm our minds. It’s easy to do, comes with little expense other than our time. Being intentional in incorporating nature into our wellness regimens is key, and can have surprisingly positive effects on how we are feeling.

As a global advocate of the practice called Mindful Birding or Ornitherapy, I’ve coauthored two books on this topic in order to share awareness of the power of birdwatching. This practice pairs together the observation of wild birds (by sight or sound) with mindfulness techniques, amplifying the wellness benefits of both. Observing birds transports us into the present moment, and gives permission to forget our long to-do lists, what’s worrying us, and can even temporarily distracts our minds away from our aches and pains.

I personally discovered the benefits of this practice while going through treatment for breast cancer when I was a young mom. I accidentally stumbled into this “way of being present” because the chemotherapy and surgeries I was undergoing forced me to slow my pace, grabbing moments of respite here and there outdoors where I could. Already a bird lover, they became more than just beautiful creatures that captured my attention. They suddenly became companions along my journey towards wellness, helping me find peace amid the grip of medical chaos I was experiencing, and an escape door outside of “cancer world” – a place I didn’t ever expect to travel to.

Birds allowed me to forget the grim prognosis my cancer type held, and the anxiety over what life would be like for my young kids if I was not around. Through birds, I found peace, hope, and a sense of my place in the world.
This shaped my career trajectory, and because I believe that birds helped save my life, I aim to help save them by sharing with others the many benefits we can receive from them – mind + body + spirit – so that more people will cherish and steward the natural world we all share.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My professional background has roots in Art Therapy, but I always loved birds and nature. I made a career shift which allowed me to share nature education with children. As an environmental educator and professional birding guide, I kept noticing positive transformations that connecting to nature held for people young and old.

Due to my life experiences that allowed me to recognize the benefits of nature as a healing power, I decided to combined my understanding of the therapeutic process and my work as a professional birding guide and educator into a new career for myself in something called Ornitherapy or Mindful Birding.

In order to find a space where I could share and promote these concepts with experience in the birdwatching communities, I contributed years of volunteer work towards bird conservation. In a field (birding) where women in roles of administration or authority have historically been absent or few, I was able to take my experience to levels which allowed me to assume roles only ever held by men in my community. This wasn’t always easy, and as a female I had to work harder to establish a level of credibility and respect. By showing the same respect towards others and the birds, I gained credentials by staying focused on the heart of my work, which was and is bird conservation. But now, including “conservation of self” into this work.

In realizing that I felt a calling towards sharing nature and birds as companions in our personal wellbeing, I researched every aspect of science that supported this, and have taken what I’ve learned and been able to share ways in which we can all harness these benefits by co authoring two books on this subject: Ornitherapy: For Your Mind, Body, and Soul (Crossley Books, 2021) and The Power of Birdwatching (Freya verlag, 2023 – available only in Europe).

Additionally, I founded an organization called The Mindful Birding Network, so that others can benefit from learning about this practice, but also find other people around the world to be inspired by and inspire, as we work together to elevate this concept, globally. The network is free, and offers people a hub of all things Mindful Birding, including resources, events, podcasts, and regular online gatherings. Through the network, I hope more people will be able to find wellbeing and inspiration and share this within their own communities.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I recently had the opportunity to offer a program in LA called “Forest Bathing with Birds” at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, and found it to be one of the most peaceful places to have an experience in nature.

Believe it or not, cemeteries are bird magnets! With the beautiful trees, shrubs, and flowering plants within, and water features, nature abounds. And being in a cemetery naturally encourages us to slow our pace and become more reflective.

While most people might not consider a cemetery a must-see location in LA, I’d encourage you to check it out. It offers some iconic views of Hollywood, celebrity resting places, and bountiful natural landscapes and birds.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are many people that have supported me along my journey, and of course there are the birds themselves!

From my parents who encouraged me to explore nature from as far back as I can remember, to the nature camps I attended and the volunteer opportunities I pursued as a teen (especially with the Maryland Zoo as a Junior Zoo Keeper), I am indebted. Free-play in nature, allowed me to explore the natural world, and seek it to calm and redirect attention, as a child who at times struggled with ADD and anxiety.

One of the strongest mentors in my professional career was Bill Stewart, former Director of Conservation and Community with the American Birding Association. Bill helped shape my leadership skills, by providing me opportunities to demonstrate leadership in my field, and taught me that with a strong belief and passion, anyone can do anything. Sadly, bill passed away in 2019 after a long battle with a chronic form of Leukemia, leaving behind a legacy of conservation-in-action to which I hope to continue to help shine forward.

As a published author, I’d also like to thank all of those people that helped support me through this journey and labor of love. Especially my co-authors of both books, Richard and Sophie Crossley, and Angelika Nelson. But also for the many readers and friends who help support and elevate the concepts shared within both books, that by observing birds we can be healthier and happier, and ultimately, good stewards of our ecosystems.

I’m so grateful for the support of my family, especially Dave, Alex, and Henry, who have supported me along my untraditional career path, and the many hours of work and time away from home as I carry out my life’s work: sharing the wellness benefits that birds and nature hold for us all.

Website: https://ornitherapy.com/ | https://www.themindfulbirdingnetwork.com/

Instagram: @hollymerker | @mindfulbirdingnetwork

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Ornitherapy

Image Credits
1) Forest Bathing with Birds – Hollywood Forever Cemetery – image by Whitney Lanfranco 2) Mindful Birding with Holly Merker, Willistown, PA – image by Blake Goll 3) Inside pages of Ornitherapy For Your Mind, Body, and Soul – Crossley Books 4) Cover spread of Ornitherapy book – Crossley Books 5) Cover of “The Power of Birdwatching” – Freya verlag 6) Prothonotary Warbler – image by Holly Merker 7) Mindful Birding Network logo – Lauren Diamond, designer 8) Holly Merker birding at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary – image by George Armistead 9) me “in LA” on the freeway watching birds image by Richard Crossley, ©Crossley Books