Forest Therapy Certification REtreat
Hickory Cohort
Thursday, October 8 - Sunday, October 11, 2026
Rocky Creek Ranch in Statesville, North Carolina
Join us for a four-day immersive training retreat: an in-person experience of learning, practicing, growing, and belonging.
Within the arc of this retreat, not only will you experience a deep somatic relationship with the landscape, but you will learn how to masterfully guide others in an embodied, relational, and trauma-informed way anchored in reciprocity with the land. You’ll leave with both personal transformation and professional growth: clearer and grounded in yourself, more confident as a guide, and more able to support the kind of connection you feel called to bring into the world.
Your Retreat Experience Includes:
Heartwood’s Forest Therapy Guide Certification Program
4 weeks mentored practicum
Daily guided forest bathing
4 day pass to Rocky Creek Ranch
Community dinner on Saturday evening
Fire circle ceremony on Saturday evening
A copy of The Nature Reset and The Forest Therapy School Guidebook
A virtual Meet & Greet and pre-retreat support
Lifetime access to program materials via our online learning hub
An invitation to the Heartwood Collective
Rocky Creek Ranch is one of those rare places that instantly shifts your internal landscape.
Set in the foothills of North Carolina, about 50 miles north of Charlotte, this property spans roughly 500 acres, with open grasslands, protected hardwood forest, a small lake, and creek corridors that weave through the landscape.
Rocky Creek Ranch is recognized as a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat, which you can feel the moment you arrive. There’s a reverence woven into the stewardship here, the landscape is protected, well-tended, and vibrant. Winding trails, native meadows, and pollinator gardens invite a slower pace, helping you settle into sensory presence and deep listening.
In addition to the immense wildlife that call this landscape home, there are the horses, donkeys, and goats, all incredibly well-loved and cared for. Even without formal interaction, simply sharing space near a herd in a peaceful pasture offers something subtle and powerful. Their grounded presence becomes part of the atmosphere: steady, regulating, and relational.
For over twelve years, our co-founder, Kathleen has partnered with Rocky Creek Ranch for retreats, restoration, and nature connection. Many of her clients have shared the same experience: upon arrival, there is an immediate sense of calm, like the land herself is already holding you. It is an ideal setting for immersive training, deep restoration, and remembering what becomes possible when we return to the rhythm of nature.YOur Guides
Kathleen McIntyre, LCSWA
Co-Founder & Lead Instructor
Co-Founder & Lead Instructor
Julie Sczerbinski
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Each day begins with arrival at 8:30 am, allowing time to settle in our bodies and onto the land before learning begins. Evenings conclude at 5:30 pm on Thursday and Friday, at 8:00 pm on Saturday after a community dinner and fire circle ceremony, and at 3:00 pm on Sunday to support an easeful departure. We recommend planning travel with these times in mind so you can get the most out of your retreat experience.
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Accommodations are not included as part of this retreat. A range of Airbnb and hotel options are available in nearby Statesville, with additional lodging options in Mooresville, approximately 30 minutes away. For those who prefer camping, the nearest campground is Lake Norman State Park in Troutman.
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Meals are not included during the retreat, with the exception of a catered dinner on Saturday evening which we will share together before our fire circle ceremony. Throughout each day, tea, coffee, water, and light snacks will be available to support your nourishment and comfort. Meals are not included during the retreat, with the exception of a catered community dinner on Saturday evening, which we will share together as part of our time on the land. Tea, coffee, water, and light snacks will be available throughout each day to support your comfort. We recommend planning to bring your own lunches, as dining options are limited within driving distance of the retreat location.
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Rocky Creek Ranch is located at 196 Old Stagecoach Lane in Statesville, North Carolina. The nearest major airport is Charlotte Douglas International Airport, approximately 57 miles from the retreat location, and offers the most convenient option for those traveling by air.
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Following the retreat, you will continue into a four-week mentored practicum that supports integration, confidence, and real-world guiding experience. During this time, you’ll gather weekly on Zoom for live classes, guide two forest therapy walks and complete a Harvest Offering inspired by your Nature Quest experience. Weekly Zoom classes take place on Tuesdays from October 20 through (November 10) from 7:00–8:30 pm ET, and are recorded so you can stay connected even if you need to miss a session.
The DeTails
Your Investment In You
$2195
Includes certification program, access to Rocky Creek Ranch, a catered dinner and ceremony on Saturday evening, and month-long mentored practicum.
Travel, meals, and accommodations are not included.
Early Bird Savings: Register by July 1st and Save $300.
A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your spot. You will be sent an invoice for the balance due on August 8th.
Space is limited. Save your spot today!
Cancellation Policy
$500 non-refundable deposit guarantees your spot (unless the retreat is cancelled by the leaders, and then the deposit is fully refunded). No exceptions.
Cancellations after August 8, 2026: All payments are non-refundable and non-transferable.
UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES: Heartwood cannot provide refunds or discounts for late arrivals, early departures, flight cancellations, travel delays, injury, or illness.
For additional protection, we recommend purchasing travel insurance. Providers include Travel Safe, Insuremytrip, Travel Guard, or similar companies.