Forest Therapy Guide Certification Retreats
Become a Certified Forest Therapy Guide Through Heart-Led Reconnection
An Accelerated, Embodied Journey on Sacred Ground
Heartwood’s Forest Therapy Guide Certification Retreats offer a grounded, experiential journey for those who learn best through presence, connection, and hands-on practice. This accelerated pathway blends a 4-night in-person training with a month-long at-home practicum, offering a powerful, unplugged immersion into the heart of Forest Therapy.
Here, you will connect deeply with the land, your cohort, and yourself, guided by our collective of experienced lead instructors.
A Pathway for Accelerated Learning
Retreat certification is ideal for those who:
Crave real, human connection and learn best through lived experience
Seek an accelerated path to certification
Are ready to unplug from screens and immerse fully in the wisdom of the living world
Value the powerful bonds and shared experience of a close-knit retreat community
If you’re ready to learn through the language of the land, this pathway will meet you there.Your Journey of Connection
This training unfolds through three interconnected phases designed to root your learning, deepen your practice, and support your emergence as a Certified Forest Therapy Guide.
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Begin your journey in person: four days and nights of experiential learning on sacred ground.
Together with your cohort, you’ll explore forest therapy principles, guiding techniques, and sensory awareness practices held within a supportive learning circle.
Daily forest therapy walks and engaging instruction
Somatic and mindfulness practices to anchor presence
Foundational study of trauma-informed and inclusive facilitation
Receive your course materials, including The Forest Therapy School Guidebook and The Nature Reset
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After your retreat, your learning continues at home.
Through your month-long mentored practicum, you’ll apply your skills in your own landscape while receiving personalized support and reflection from your instructors.
Guide two Forest Therapy walks (1:1 and group)
Completion of your Nature Quest and your Harvest Offering
Continued weekly mentorship and connection with your instructors and cohort on Zoom
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Your certification is just the beginning. Stay connected through our online community of guides, where you can share experiences and exchange ideas while continuing to grow your practice with ongoing email support and advanced learning opportunities.
You’ll also receive:
A complete and professional presentation template to launch your guiding practice
A collection of 100 guiding invitations for inspiration and structure
Access to complimentary quarterly guide gatherings and a lifelong learning community
Invitations to advanced trainings from the Heartwood Collective
Lifetime access to all course materials and resources
What you will learn
Techniques for guiding meditations in natural settings
How to hold space and facilitate group sharing with warmth and presence
Principles of trauma-informed, choice-centered guiding
How to work skillfully with all the senses, including interoception and intuition
The art of partnering with place as co-guide
Safety considerations and trail-selection essentials for outdoor facilitation
Rituals and tea practices that deepen gratitude and connection with the land
Ways to bring forest therapy into your community, profession, and everyday life
The roots, science, and wisdom traditions behind forest therapy
The evidence-based health benefits of nature connection
How to build a living, reciprocal relationship with the more-than-human world
Practices for grounding, nervous system regulation, and embodied guiding
Ways to align with nature’s rhythms—day and night, season and cycle
How to design forest therapy walks using a trusted model
Skills for crafting sensory, nature-based invitations that inspire curiosity and connection
Requirements for your certification
To ensure you are fully confident and prepared as a Certified Forest Therapy Guide, the following must be completed during your retreat and practicum:
Completion of 2 Medicine Walks (one 2-hour and one 4-hour)
Leading 2 Forest Therapy walks (1:1 and group) with reflection
Completion of a Harvest Offering, a reflection of your Nature Quest practice.
Successful demonstration in crafting and offering invitations (sensory prompts that foster presence and nature connection)
This is more than a certification. It is a return to belonging–an initiation into guiding others toward wholeness and connection with the living world.Upcoming Retreat & Investment
Invest in your calling with a transformative, in-person immersion.
Hickory Cohort
October 8 - 11, 2026
Rocky Creek Ranch
Statesville, North Carolina
Tuition: $2295
(does not include meals, accommodations, or transportation)
More details coming soon.
Seeking Further Guidance?
We’re here to help you find the right fit.
If you’d like to explore whether the retreat pathway aligns with your learning style and goals, schedule a complimentary discovery call with one of our lead instructors.