Our Creation Story
Motz Studios is a Minneapolis-based wellness provider of evidence-based, therapeutic, forest bathing walks. The company was founded in 2018. The walks are based on the Japanese tradition of Shinrin Yoku, which emphasizes engaging all of your senses in an intentional, immersive, and meditative experience of nature.
A Place of Ongoing Nourishment
We come to nature for spiritual, mental, and physical nourishment at the pivotal times in our lives. Yet we also need ongoing nourishment that strengthens our daily resolve. I am excited to bring my design expertise in landscape architecture to my forest bathing guide practice, helping demonstrate how nature has been a place of respite and transformation throughout history, and how we might use the lessons we glean from the forest in our everyday lives and places.
Lessons from Japan and the United Kingdom
Motz Studios also draws on my international expertise in Japan and the U.K. Fellowships in both cultures deepened my study of design, history, and spirituality, and their connection to nature. The UK's tradition of "thin space," a spiritually powerful place where the veil between heaven and earth dissipates, resonates across landscapes throughout the United Kingdom.
Japan influenced my philosophy with its focus on Shinto, the sacred essence that manifests in multiple forms: rocks, trees, rivers, animals, places. Influential facets of simplicity/complexity are woven throughout Zen Buddhism, as are those of Wabi-Sabi (finding beauty in the transience and imperfection of the world). Biophilic design is strong in the spiritual traditions of Japan, with the extensive use of wood and stone in temples and shrines. It is also found in their gardens, which are designed with deep intention, incorporating biophilic design patterns such as mystery, dappled light, and prospect/refuge.
A Philosophy of Attention
Stoicism and other philosophies are also key components to my work. I have always tended toward the philosophical approach to inspiration and finding joy. Sharing this facet with participants of Motz Studios' forest experiences continues to motivate me.
Bringing It All Together
I also have expertise in campus and urban master planning and have won key professional leadership awards throughout my career. All these elements have coalesced over the course of my practice and are now influencing the ethos of Motz Studios.
Our Team
David Motzenbecker, PLA, ANFT
Founder
David Motzenbecker is one of ANFT's most experienced Certified Forest Therapy Guides globally, a Forest Therapy Trail Design & Certification Consultant, and a trusted, award-winning Landscape Architect practicing since 2001. He has led over 400 walks for more than 3,000 participants since founding Motz Studios in 2018.
He holds a terminal MLA (Master of Landscape Architecture) degree from the University of Minnesota's College of Design, and is Certified through the globally-recognized Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides (ANFT). Before founding Motz Studios, he served as President & Mayor's Representative of the Minneapolis City Planning Commission and President of ASLA-Minnesota.
Writing under the pen name The Forest Philosopher, David weaves Stoic thought into his walks and essays — using the forest as a living text for questions about attention, restraint, and how to meet an uncertain world. He has presented this work at international forest therapy gatherings in Finland and Germany, alongside corporate, healthcare, and civic audiences across the U.S.