Forest Therapy Guide Training

The world’s most experienced forest therapy guide trainers invite you join a growing global movement and an activist community that is making a difference by rebuilding.
A Forest Therapy Guide facilitates safe gentle walks, providing instructions—referred to as “invitations”—for sensory opening activities along the way. These walks follow a standard sequence. Each walk begins with establishing embodied contact with the present moment and place. Next come a series of connective invitations, often improvised in the moment and adapted to the needs of participants. These may be followed by wander time and/or sit spot. The walks end with a ceremony of sharing tea made from foraged local plants. Forest therapy walks are not hikes in the traditional sense. An entire walk is typically 2 to 4 hours in duration and often covers no more than a quarter mile distance. In that short distance most people experience contact with nature in a much deeper way than they ever have prior to the walk. On Forest Therapy walks, people have a wide range of experiences, some of which they feel are significant, even profound. We don’t train therapists; we train guides.

In this training, you will learn:

The Standard Sequence of Guided Forest Therapy Walks
Professional standards and competencies: what a Forest Therapy Guide should know and be able to do
The pedagogy and fundamentals of nature connection
Nature and forest therapy research and effects on health care and well-being
Our framework for the Way of the Guide, wisdom on the inner aspects of the art gained through decades of experience
The leadership skills and style of the Guide archetype
Creating space for others to find their own authentic nature connection
Accelerating connection to deep mindfulness and bodyfulness through simple sensory invitations
What makes a good setting for forest therapy
How to facilitate restorative human connection through storytelling and witnessing
Our theoretical framework of deep nature connection through embodiment, liminality, reciprocity and relationship
Sequencing forest therapy invitations for maximum impact and benefit
Expressive arts activities for forest therapy
Somatic techniques for embodied awareness

Meals:

Three vegetarian meals are provided at $60.00 per person per day. All main meals are gluten­-free. Breakfast includes gluten-free oats and other options.

Registration:

For more information and registration click here