Ecotherapy & Forest Bathing
Guide training

Objectives To develop and set a professional standard of Nature and Forest Ecotherapy Guides in Southern Africa. The art of facilitating nature therapy experiences is for the enhancement of mental and physical health of participants. The aim is to deepen respect for the natural environment by bringing awareness to the interdependence of our own connection with nature.

NATURE CONNECTION GUIDE TRAINING PROGRAM

Brief outline of the Ecotherapy guide training program
(Forest Bathing & Zen Safari)

INTRODUCTION

Introduction to the program

Nature Connection

Introduction to Meditation

Ecotherapy and role of the Ecotherapy Guide

Introduction to Fungi

Introduction to the Soil ecosystem

FACILITATION SKILLS
The skills and process of conducting a nature connection (Forest Bathing & Zen Safari) experience

NATURE AS THERAPY
Psychological and physical benefits
Animal connections
Plant connections
Energy fields and personal space
Tree energy connections
Biophilia hypothesis and the Ecological self
The Savanna Effect

THE PRESENT MOMENT
Pre-guided experience awareness
Awareness vs Disturbance circles
Beginners mind
Meditations

LETTING GO

Letting go exercises with nature

Dealing with stress

Returning to everyday life

DOWN TO EARTH
Grounding
Conductive beings
Earth resonance
Soil connections

USING OUR SENSES
Meditations
Awareness exercises (invitations)
The Sit spot

The program includes theory lectures, meditations and awareness exercises, practical sessions, workbook completion, and demonstration of nature connection facilitation.
Most of the training is practical and experiential based, being out in the field where guides are re-connected to nature and experience their own personal insights and realisations by participating in the meditations and awareness experiences. They are then taught to facilitate a nature reconnection experience for guests.
Guides are issued with a nature connection manual and workbook.

Course duration – recommended 5 days full-time (additional own-time after the program for the completion of workbooks and submission of practical experience) The course process can be customised to work for guides who may have other duties towards guests during the program.

Practical – Forest walks and meditations (Forest Bathing) or Walks and game drives (Zen Safari) for experiential practical learning as well as practical demonstrations as a competent Ecotherapy Guide.

Competence is declared based on, firstly the practical demonstration of ability to facilitate a nature connection experience, and secondly on the successful completion of the program workbook. An Ecotherapy Forest Bathing Guide Certificate or Ecotherapy Safari Guide Certificate will be issued on declaration of competence. If the participant is already a qualified health practitioner, then an Ecotherapy Practitioner (Ecotherapist) Certificate will be issued.

This program not only trains guides to conduct Nature Connection experiences with guests but is a personal growth and development experience for the guides themselves. The program provides a very different approach and insight into conducting guided nature and safari experiences.

Refer to the entry requirements for training in the EFGO section.