The air falls silent, footsteps halt, and a candescent glow illuminates the rainforest. For a brief moment, I hold my breath as a high-pitched trill echoes throughout the Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad.
It's the sound of the Bearded Bellbird and I've travelled 4000 miles to this remote slice of paradise just to hear it sing after reading up on 'ornitherapy', a nature-based wellness program designed to improve the mind and body through the observation of birds.
On a guided hike along the winding trail by the river, I learn how their chirping - as they defend their territory, attract mates, communicate and signal alarm - can have enormous benefits to humans too.
Caleb Walker, a tour guide with HADCO Experiences at Asa Wright for 13 years, says: 'Bird watching offers significant, science-backed mental health benefits, including reduced stress, anxiety and depression.
'Simply hearing or seeing birds has been shown to improve mental wellbeing. This practice serves as a form of mindfulness in motion, allowing individuals to connect with nature, reduce cognitive fatigue, improve their overall mood and provides a sense of accomplishment.'
Calmness sweeps over me as I watch an array of colourful hummingbirds on the charming veranda at Asa Wright.
One by one, they gather at the feeders lining the stone path, poking their beaks into the tiny seed ports. The whoosh of their wings resembles a buzzing sound that settles my mind and draws my focus to their movement.
I allow my thoughts to leave me, and any anxiety that burdened me previously shuts off. This is not by chance, as research at King's College London found that being around birds is linked to higher levels of mental wellbeing.
A study of 108 individuals exposed to natural features, including birdsong, showed immediate and 'time-lasting benefits' for mental wellbeing.
Ornitherapy 'works through attention restoration', explains Walker.
Although not a formal medical treatment, it 'allows the brain to reset in low-stress environments - and through sensory grounding'.
I can attest that it works - within minutes of practising ornitherapy, I feel less anxious and more in tune with my emotions.
As a first-time home owner I have been under a lot of pressure managing a property, which has left me feeling dejected and inadequate.
I also suffer from mild anxiety having experienced job loss in the past, and despite counselling to manage mental distress, despair is an ongoing issue for me.
Therefore, I welcomed the idea of ornitherapy with open arms. No equipment is needed to practice this experience - just your eyes and ears.
Guides at HADCO Experiences advise learning about common species first, paying attention to habitat and behaviour, calls and songs.
The experience should be observational rather than checklist-driven. Birding is most meaningful when the focus is on how these species move in their climate.
Ornitherapy can be enjoyed anywhere - even sitting in your garden. But if, like me, you chose to explore birding in a remote rainforest, it is crucial to move slowly, keep a distance and allow wildlife to behave naturally.
At Mt Plaisir Estate in the north coast of Trinidad, I find a new way to unwind.
My large beachfront lodge at the intimated 21-room resort offers me the best ocean view and easy access to a nearby river for kayaking.
Locally-sourced toiletries in every room somehow capture the essence of the natural surroundings.
Leatherback sea turtles are known to make an appearance at the resort's sandy beach to lay their eggs from about April through to July.
For lunch, I devour shrimp, pumpkin puree and a vegetable medley, before washing it down with homemade banana wine. Chocolate and sea salt cookies or red velvet cake, all made in-house, are for dessert.
When I'm not dipping my toes in the resort's warm, colour-changing pool or sampling treats from experienced chocolatiers, I find myself trekking.
Mt Plaisir Estate is notorious for its wide range of birds, including Trinidad's piping-guan, also known as Pawi, and Trogons. On this occasion, it is the natural bath I seek, an unspoiled fresh water experience in the heart of the tropical rainforest.
Like birding, natural baths have countless health benefits, both mentally and physically, from improved circulation and reducing inflammation to promoting sensory grounding and lowering stress.
Giselle Ragoonanan, a guide at HADCO Experiences, who has a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Conservation, said: 'Natural settings also reduce overstimulation compared to built environments.
'An indigenous saying is "bathe in living water", you never touch the same water twice, and it activates a flow in the body that promotes healing. My grandmother described rivers and springs as a living being. An ancestor, wiser than the earth.'
For more than two years, I have been struggling with ankle tendonitis. Despite a course of shockwave therapy, I still feel a niggle along my tendon. But the practice of natural bathing, or Blue Mind Theory as it is known to some, helps boost circulation in the affected area, relieving me of prolonged pain.
Prior to travelling to Trinidad, a wellness enthusiast introduced me to Blue Mind Theory; the improvement of the mind and body through the use of water.
Popularised by marine biologist Dr Wallace J Nichols in 2014; Blue Mind can be induced through exposure to water such as swimming and bathing; both of which can help trigger this calm restorative state.
Healing Waves; an organisation dedicated to enhancing the well being of individuals through water; write: 'Studies are continually finding that natural bodies of water can help to enhance nature's healing qualities.'
At sunset in the west of the country, I arrive at Caroni Bird Sanctuary, a massive 12,000-acre area and the largest mangrove wetland in Trinidad and Tobago. Against the gentle ripples of the swamp, I sail through the waters on a flat-bottom boat rum-punch in hand as I casually spot Scarlet Ibis, a bird once at risk from poaching.
My guide explains how these deep pink feathered birds, with a long neck and downward-curved bill, travel daily from the Venezuelan mainland to feed, then return to the swamp at dusk - a distance of about 11 miles. They are met in this swamp by more than 100 species of other birds, caimans, crabs and boa snakes.
As the sun sets, a swarm of Scarlet Ibis that made the long journey to Venezuela returns covering the skies with their orange-red hue; a spectacle dozens of tourists like me come to witness each day.
We humans can learn 'patience and attentiveness' from birds,says Ragoonanan.'Birds respond to subtle changes in weather,light,and habitat.Watching them teaches you to slow down,notice small details,and understand that ecosystems function through balance and timing rather than urgency.'
My time in Trinidad serves as a reminder of the often-overlooked power of birding to refocus, relax and recalibrate. Not just in times of despair, but to regularly boost your health - mentally and physically.
TRAVEL FACTS
HADCO Experiences at Asa Wright Nature Centre start at $500/£364 per night based on two people sharing a double room. Access to the nature trails and natural pools, as well as a guided 60-minute trail walk is part of the overnight package. Visit hadcoexperiences.com/asa-wright-nature-centre.
Shanique stayed at Mt. Plaisir Estare Hotel. Room rates start at $700/£510 per night based on two people sharing a double room, inclusive of all meals. Guests have access to the Pawi Lodge viewing platform and trails, as well as the heated pool and kayaks. To book, visit Booking.com.