Interested in becoming a Forest Bathing Guide, but not sure what you need to qualify and train in Forest Bathing? Let me give you an insight.
Training to be a Forest Bathing guide is broken down into four parts when you work with us at Adore Your Outdoors. This includes:
- Stage 1 – Home study
- Stage 2 – The introduction (online learning)
- Stage 3 – An immersion week (online or in the woods in Hampshire)
- Stage 4 – Coursework, assessment and ongoing Support
In this blog, I will explore each phase, what it entails and why it is important. Be assured that with each stage, I set you up for success. Furthermore, over this time you will build an incredible camaraderie with your fellow Forest Bathing Guide trainees.
Train in Forest Bathing – 4 Steps
Stage 1 – Home Study
The first stage of your Forest Bathing Guide Training starts with giving you a strong foundation in the history, essence, evidence, benefits and practicalities of Shinrin Yoku / Forest Bathing.
Online self-paced course
At the point of enrollment you immediately receive access to the online course “Discover the Magic of Deep Nature Connection”, which you can work through in your own time. It’s a mix of theory and practical exercises, that you can enjoy at home, in the garden or outside anywhere you feel safe, with my video or audio guidance. Plus mindful photography and journalling opportunities.
Extensive training manual
Then the extensive manual is sent out a few weeks before the online introduction so that you have some time to familiarise yourself with key concepts and begin your learning journey. This training material acts as your support manual as you progress through the programme.
For you to read and study in your own time, the manual covers Nature Connection and Forest Bathing with insights into:
- Principles
- Ethics
- Philosophy
- Science and health benefit evidence
- Best practice recommendations
- 50+ invitations and other activity guides
- ‘Done for you’ session plans for various customer types
- Creating and holding the therapeutic container – with a nod to my background in counselling that gives you the very best chance of giving your participants an unforgettable and transformative experience.
- How to expand or launch your business
Video – The realities of being a Forest Bathing Guide
Hey – if you’re someone who wants to get straight into the nitty gritty and find out what life is really like as a Forest Bathing Guide, you might want to watch/listen/read Secrets and Straight Talk. In this free resource, I shed light on some of the questions I’m often asked, such as around earning potential, level of nature knowledge needed, highs, lows and realities of working with the general public in the great outdoors, and what I wish I’d known from the outset. Grab your insights here.
Stage 2 – The Online Introduction
This is 2 days of live learning with me and your fellow Forest Bathing Guide trainees on Zoom.
I will take you through the content of the training manual and subsequent practical assignments to ensure your overall understanding of, and present the key dates in, your 6 month journey. Importantly, you have the opportunity to ask questions, explore the concepts, principles, science and impact of the practice, experience me guiding some invitations as well as have a go at guiding some yourself in break-out rooms; this is a very interactive couple of days that receive excellent feedback.
Our online training days offer a safe space to get to know your fellow Forest Bathing Guide trainees too.
We will discuss themes such as:
- intrinsic worth
- ancestral ways
- animism
- reciprocity
- embodied response
- best practices
- the forest (and nature as a whole) as the therapist
- scenario troubleshooting
You will also be introduced to the Forest Bathing model, process and core invitations and furthermore, you will experience a few together with your first sharing circle.
I also guide you through the practical elements of running your own Forest Bathing workshops and working as a small business owner. We cover everything from practical organisation and safety elements right through to business planning.
These energetic sessions also include plenty of opportunities for whole group discussion, scenario troubleshooting and practical exercises.
Stage 3 – Your Immersion Week
Without a doubt, being together in nature is the most valuable part of training to be a Forest Bathing Guide. The ‘immersion week in the woods’ is where you hone the practical skills of your newly gained knowledge (from the manual and online sessions) in a real-world setting.
I am committed to supporting you to get off to the best start when you train in Forest Bathing and Nature Connection with Adore Your Outdoors. I feel it is so important to dedicate a significant amount of time with you to ensure you feel confident and finish our programme feeling like a ‘Forest Bathing expert’. This happens because of all the practice together yes, but also the opportunities to help me deliver an experience for paying customers on day 4 and by the final day, students get to co-create and deliver a full session with their peers for some volunteer participants!
I invite all of my trainees to commit their time, energy and focus to the ‘immersion week in the woods’, however I also recognise that travelling to Hampshire isn’t always possible. That’s why the fully online learning path was created and many students have chosen this way to learn. It’s not less, we just act out the scenarios online.
Over the week, you will learn:
- How to facilitate a full-length Forest Bathing experience
- How to use over 50+ invitations in your own sessions
- How to craft high-quality beginnings and endings
- How to create and hold a safe and nurturing environment
- How to ensure an inclusive and welcoming space
- How to lead exercises that truly add value to your participants
- How to run a sacred circle that touches their souls
- How to handle the unexpected!
Working together with other trainees in your group (who will come to be an amazing support network), you will receive valuable feedback from peers and me throughout as we use the triad approach to practice.
There are shorter courses and ‘quick ways’ to train as a Forest Bathing Guide, but through this immersive face-to-face and role play learning, I witness so much progress and deep connection. For me, this immersion week is a critical part of the training, but above all, it leaves you feeling more confident and ready to move forward.
Stage 4 – Coursework
I ask for coursework in stages throughout your training, but please do not let this word put you off! Please don’t worry about these if you don’t enjoy academic-style work or assignments, much of the work can be submitted as drawings, photographs or recorded spoken word.
Importantly, they are to encourage your ongoing exploration and deeper connection with nature – not to test you or catch you out!
The assignments are activities that help to integrate and embed what we learn together, especially what you will need to guide others. They are there to further your learning and hone your skills, because we don’t master things by doing them once. Repetition through various scenarios is key.
The coursework includes a variety of tasks, including:
- sit spot diaries to deepen your personal connection to nature
- delivery of three trial walks to groups of at least 4 people (includes walk preparation and write-up)
- recording your delivery of specific invitations – done as an audio or video recording so I can check language, pace, tone and transitions as you move from the introduction, delivery, close and finally into the sharing circle.
- Becoming comfortable with silence
- Drafting your business plan so you leave with a clear set of steps to follow
The coursework helps you to reflect on your experiences and refine your abilities over an extended period of time. It is a wonderful opportunity for me to see how you are progressing and help you overcome any hurdles. Additionally, there is a short open-book exam at the end. Ongoing support is provided through the monthly Connection Calls, where I present the month’s deliverables and we enjoy the opportunity to reconnect.
Ready to Train in Forest Bathing?
If you’re excited by the different elements of the Forest Bathing Guide Training and want to get started, then check out our upcoming course dates here. We have six training opportunities across the year, with Spring being the best time to start so you get to do your practical assignments during the longer and hopefully brighter days. You can view the payment plans and complete the application form on the webpage above too.
If you still have questions, you might want to check out Secrets and Straight Talk, in which I’ve tried my best to answer all the questions that you can’t get answered on Google.
