Forest Therapy Guide Certification Training Retreat
August 20 - August 25, 2024
Washington, Maine
Forest Therapy Guide Certification Training Retreat
Medomak Retreat Center
Washington, Maine
nestled among the pines on a beautiful lake
Tuesday, August 20 through Sunday, August 25, 2024
Your retreat experience includes:
The Forest Therapy Guide Certification Program
A 6-week mentored practicum
5 nights accommodations in a cabin
All fresh and healthy meals
Gentle yoga
Campfire circle
Swimming, kayaking, and canoeing
Nature trails
Stargazing
Lifetime access to our program’s course content upon certification
The Location
In Washington, Maine, Medomak Retreat Center provides a place of simplicity and an opportunity for camaraderie. Facilities are tucked within cool pine forest and sit just above a pristine lake shoreline. Outdoor activities and educational opportunities abound, and comfortable accommodations offer the perfect environment for rest and relaxation. As a whole, Medomak Retreat Center’s easy graciousness provides an ideal setting for bringing together individuals with a common thread and surrounding them in the serenity of nature.
The accommodations feature cabins–each with a private bathroom, shower, electricity and comfortable beds.
Medomak encompasses 250 acres of blueberry fields, forest and pristine lakeshore and is a short 30-minute drive to more than five port towns, including Rockland and Camden.
The Curriculum
Whether you are taking this training for personal growth or to share the life-changing benefits of forest therapy with others, the curriculum is thoughtfully designed to give you a deeper understanding of the emerging field of forest therapy. You’ll walk away with the skills and confidence to guide participants in meaningful and restorative forest bathing experiences.
Over the course of this 5-night retreat, you will learn:
What it means to be a forest therapy guide
The history of forest therapy and forest bathing
The holistic benefits of the practice along with the science to back it up
Mindfulness in nature and embodiment practices
How to offer guided nature meditations
The importance of the senses in connecting to nature and ourselves
A reliable and trusted walk sequence for guiding your clients
How to craft nature-based invitations for client engagement
How to personally style a forest bathing walk
Group facilitation and effective communication skills
The psycho-spiritual dimension of the human-nature connection
Following the in-person training, you will enter into a 6-week mentored practicum where you will participate in weekly Zoom meet-ups, complete assignments, guide 2 forest therapy walks and receive 2 small group mentor calls.
The weekly meet-ups will be held on Tuesdays (August 27 - September 24) at 7:00pm—8:15pm EST. The meet-ups are recorded, so if you have to miss one, you can watch the recording. Graduation will be held on Sunday, September 29 at 7:00pm–7:45pm EST.
Join like-hearted people committed to reconnecting humans to nature.
The Details
The Forest Therapy Guide Certification Program at Medomak Retreat Center
Arrive: Tuesday, August 20 between 3:00pm–4:00pm EST
Depart: Sunday, August 25 by 10:00am EST
Your retreat experience includes:
The Forest Therapy Guide Certification Program
5 nights accommodations in a cabin
All fresh and healthy meals
Gentle yoga
Campfire circle
Swimming, kayaking, canoeing
Nature trails
Stargazing
Lifetime access to our program’s course content upon certification
Your Investment:
Option 1:
Private Cabin (1 space left)
$3500
(includes program, practicum, 5 nights accommodations, and all meals)
The private pine wood cabin is simple, clean and furnished with a comfortable twin bed. Sheets, blankets, towels, and a pillow are provided. The cabin has a private bathroom, shower, and electricity.
Meals and snacks are chef-prepared, locally sourced and predominantly organic. With notice, Medomak Retreat Center can accommodate vegetarian/vegan diets. All meals have essential components that are gluten-free, but guests with celiac disease may be concerned that the kitchen cannot account for cross-contamination. Guests who prefer to eat gluten-free may wish to bring along personal items to supplement their preferences.
$500 non-refundable deposit required upon registration
Payment plans available.
Early Birds - Enroll before June 1, 2024 and save $200 on tuition.
Option 2:
Shared Cabin
$3275
(includes program, practicum, 5 nights accommodations, and all meals)
The cabin will be shared by up to 3 people and is furnished with comfortable twin beds. Sheets, blankets, towels, and a pillow are provided. Each cabin has a private bathroom, shower and electricity.
Meals and snacks are chef-prepared, locally sourced and predominantly organic. With notice, Medomak Retreat Center can accommodate vegetarian/vegan diets. All meals have essential components that are gluten-free, but guests with celiac disease may be concerned that the kitchen cannot account for cross-contamination. Guests who prefer to eat gluten-free may wish to bring along personal items to supplement their preferences.
$500 non-refundable deposit required upon registration
Payment plans available.
Early Birds - Enroll before June 1, 2024 and save $200 on tuition.
Program Terms and Cancellations:
Tuition Payment Schedule:
A non-refundable deposit of $500 is due upon registration
50% of the remaining tuition will be due on June 15, 2024
Final tuition balance will be due on July 20, 2024
Prior to tuition due dates, you will receive an invoice via email. Failure to make a payment may result in a forfeiture of your booking.
Cancellations:
All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Cancellations made 31 days or more prior to retreat start date: The deposit is non-refundable. All payments (minus the deposit) are not refundable, but are transferable to a future training retreat held within one year.
Cancellations made 30 days or less prior to retreat start date: All payments are non-refundable or non-transferable. You may register to take the online certification course at no additional charge.
We offer 27 CE credits through the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching.
Getting Here
Please Note: Transportation is not included in the cost of the retreat.
By Car:
Washington, Maine is:
25 minutes from Rockland, Camden, and Belfast, ME
30 minutes from Augusta, ME
90 minutes from Portland and Bangor, ME
3 hours from Boston, MA and Manchester, NH
7 hours from New York City
11 hours from Baltimore, MD
By Air:
Medomak Retreat Center is located near:
Knox County Regional Airport, Rockland, ME (30 minutes)
Portland International Jetport, ME (1.5 hour)
Bangor International Airport, ME (1.5 hour)
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, NH (3 hours)
Boston Logan International Airport MA (3 hours)
“Taking part in the Forest Therapy Certification retreat was a truly special and joyful experience. I can say with all honesty that I am a changed person. I am a mindfulness mediation teacher who already practices in nature quite a lot, yet there was still a shift that took place in me. The learning and guidance I received allowed me to drop deeper into the practices of sensing and being which in turn brought about greater awareness and wisdom. The training has invited me to be connected to nature in a deeper and more heart-felt way. It feels like a gift that I can now offer to others, to nature, and to myself and I am very grateful.”
— Jen Rodrigues, Mindfulness Meditation Teacher