Forest Therapy Guide Certification Training Retreat
September 16-19, 2026
Hillsborough, North Carolina
Forest Therapy Guide Certification Training Retreat
RambleRill Farm
Hillsborough, North Carolina
Immerse yourself in the forested hills and gentle farmlands of the Carolina Piedmont.
Wednesday, September 16 through Saturday, September 19, 2026
Your retreat experience includes:
The Forest Therapy Guide Certification Program
A 6-week mentored practicum
Access to RambleRill Farm and Forest
Lifetime access to our program’s course content upon certification
Special Activities:
(optional and all-inclusive)
Farm Tour
Tea Making for Forest Therapy Guides
Artful Flower and Natural Object Arrangement for Forest Therapy Guides
Mindful Yoga
Forest Metaphors in Health and Wellness
Harvest to Table Dinner
Movie Night in the Barn
Goat Visit
Longleaf Forest School Visit
Fire Circle
Meet Your Instructors
-
Regan Stacey
LEAD INSTRUCTOR
-
Leah Manuel
INSTRUCTOR
Join like-hearted people committed to reconnecting humans to nature.
The Location
The Forest Therapy School team is pleased to introduce the farmers who steward this land. What follows are their own words, offering a sense of place and the care that guides their work.
“We are Jane Saiers (Farmer J) and Darin Knapp (Farmer D) of RambleRill Farm, which lies on 28 acres of fields and forest in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Established in 2010, the farm is named for the rill that crisscrosses the land and feeds New Hope Creek. We grow organic fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, and herbs; raise laying hens and goats; and welcome visitors to the farm for nature-based experiences and community events.
Our farming ethos is reflected in the words of Kentucky farmer and author Wendell Berry: "The care of the earth is our most ancient and worthy, and after all, our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only...hope.”
To learn more about the Hillsborough area, see this this article in Southern Living magazine—The 14 Best Things to Do in Hillsborough, North Carolina.
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 3.5-day 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 class meetups, complete assignments, guide 2 forest therapy walks and receive 2 group mentor calls.
The weekly meetups will be held on Wednesdays (September 23 - October 28) at 7:00 pm - 8:15 pm ET. The meetups are recorded, so if you have to miss one, you can watch the recording.
The Details
The Forest Therapy Guide Certification Program
at RambleRill Farm
Arrive: Wednesday, September 16 at 4:00 pm at RambleRill Farm
Depart: Saturday, September 19 after the celebration dinner
Your retreat experience includes:
The Forest Therapy Guide Certification Program
A 6-week mentored practicum
Access to RambleRill Farm and Forest
Lifetime access to our program’s course content upon graduation
Optional offerings: (all included)
Farm Tour
Tea Making for Forest Therapy/Bathing Guides
Artful Flower and Natural Object Arrangement for Forest Therapy/Bathing Guides
Mindful Yoga
Forest Metaphors in Health and Wellness
Harvest to Table Celebration Dinner
Movie Night in the Barn
Goat Visit
Longleaf Forest School Visit
Fire Circle
Lifetime access to our program’s course content upon graduation
Your Investment
Forest Therapy Guide Certification Tuition:
$2695*
(Includes certification program, access to RambleRill Farm and surrounding forest, catered lunches, special activities, movie-night dinner, a harvest celebration dinner, and the 6-week practicum. Select meals and accommodations are not included.)
Meals:
Breakfast: Dine on your own.
Lunch: Enjoy catered lunches at the farm.
Dinner: Dine as you wish on Wednesday and Friday nights. Thursday dinner at the barn and Saturday’s harvest celebration dinner are included in your tuition.
Please see our cancellation policy below.
Registration deadline: August 25, 2026
*Enroll by July 22 and save $200 with an early-bird savings.
Payment plans available through Klarna and Afterpay at checkout.
We offer a limited number of partial scholarships. If you are in need of scholarship assistance, please fill out the application here and we’ll get back to you shortly. Thank you.
We offer 27 CE credits through the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching. NBHWC Approved Course CE Number: CEA-000003-1
Recommended Accomodations
Airbnb Options:
Artists’ Studio
Originally the studio of a visual artist (long ago garden illustrator for The New York Times), this petite building is completely private. Firm queen bed. Mix of antiques and artisanal built-ins. Radiant heat. AC. Mini fridge and microwave, electric kettle, Chemex coffee maker and French Press, excellent wifi. Unique space in one of the best country neighborhoods around. Serene pond and grounds. Read more…
Located 7 minutes from RambleRill. Sleeps 2 guests. 1 queen bed and bath.
Split Rock Guest House with Pond
The guesthouse is a large pool cabana with kitchenette & queen bed overlooking a 4.5-acre pond surrounded by uninterrupted woodland. You are welcome to canoe, fish, walk our trails, play disc golf, or just enjoy the peaceful view. Read more…
Located 7 minutes from RambleRill Farm. Sleeps 2 guests. One queen bedbath. Kitchen.
Beautiful Large Apartment with Attached Garden
Large living room with couch; dining area; wi-fi; fridge & microwave. Artsy bedroom with desk, TV and queen bed. Private entrance, parking, use of outdoor walled garden & sitting area at the creek. 600 square feet. Read more…
Located 4 minutes from RambleRill Farm. Sleeps 2 guests. One queen bed. Full bath.
Private Retreat
Welcome to our renovated full apartment with a private entrance and patio. Set in the country, there is plenty of yard to run and play. This peaceful setting is a place to take a deep breath, sip some sweet tea and relax. The apartment has two bedrooms joined by a full bath. Read more…
Located 4 minutes from RambleRill Farm. Sleeps 6 guests. 1 queen bed. 2 singles. Air mattress. Full bath. Kitchen.
Carriage House with Woods, Trails, and Pond
The private property is 32 acres and mostly woods. There are almost 2 miles of hiking trails with a few open spaces including around the pond. The 1000 square foot carriage house has large picture windows with views of the wooded property and the sun setting through the forest. The vaulted ceilings compliment the open floor plan. The kitchen is fully equipped with upgraded amenities. Read more…
Located 3 minutes from RambleRill Farm. Sleeps 4 guests. 2 bedrooms. Full bath. Kitchen.
Private Bedroom
Large, private, ground floor primary bedroom with attached full bathroom & access to shared common areas. Located on a peaceful wooded lot in Hillsborough. Queen sized bed, desk & smart TV in your private room. Read more…
Located 6 minutes from RambleRill Farm. Sleeps 2 guests. 1 queen bed. Full bath.
Cozy Cabin in the Countryside
Enjoy a cozy cabin with hot tub, internet, ac/heat, kitchenette with fridge and microwave. Please note there is no water in the cabin and shower and toilet are located in the bathhouse just a few steps away. Read more…
Located 5 minutes from RambleRill Farm. Sleeps 2 guests. 1 full bed. Bath w/shower.
Center for Creative Balance Cozy Treetop
Featured in an issue of Southern Living Magazine, this is a cozy, book-lined, recently renovated space with elegant decor and a wraparound sitting porch, located in a beautiful, mature, piedmont forest abounding with wildlife. Read more…
Located 5 minutes from RambleRill Farm. Sleeps 3 guests. 2 Beds. Bath w/shower.
Guest House in Hillsborough
Cozy, wheelchair-accessible, recently renovated cabin with unique decor and a sitting porch, located in a beautiful, mature, piedmont forest that abounds with wildlife and has hiking trails along New Hope Creek. Read more…
Located 5 minutes from RambleRill Farm. Sleeps 3 guests. 2 Beds. Bath w/shower.
Hotel Options:
Carrboro:
Hampton Inn and Suites, 3 star (travel time: 17 min)
Hillsborough:
Colonial Inn, 4-star (travel time: 14 min)
Holiday Inn Express Hillsborough, 2.5-star (travel time: 10 min)
Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Hillsborough, 2-star, (travel time: 11 min)
Chapel Hill:
The Graduate by Hilton, 4-star, (travel time 18 minutes)
The Carolina Inn by Hyatt, 4-star and AAA Four Diamond (UNC Campus) (travel time 19 minutes)
Our cancellation policy:
Cancellations made 60 days or more prior to retreat start date: Payment is 100% refundable (less payment processor and administrative fees reflective of the retreat cost).
Cancellations made 59-31 days prior to retreat start date: Payment is 50% refundable (less payment processor and administrative fees reflective of the retreat cost). You may transfer your remaining tuition credit to a future training retreat held within one year or to any online certification course.
Cancellations made 30 days or less prior to retreat start date: Tuition is non-refundable. You may transfer your tuition credit to a future training retreat or to any online certification held within one year.
Travel Insurance: For additional protection of your retreat investment, you may wish to purchase travel insurance through companies like Travel Safe, Insuremytrip, Travel Guard or other options listed here.
Getting Here
Please Note: Transportation is not included in the cost of the retreat.
By Car:
RambleRill Farm is:
10 miles from Chapel Hill
16 miles from Durham
36 miles from Raleigh
45 miles from Greensboro
134 miles from Charlotte
By Air:
RambleRill Farm is located near:
Raleigh-Durham Airport (25 miles)
Greensboro Airport (52 miles)
Charlotte Int’l Airport (136 miles)
“Thank you so much for this in-person forest bathing experience and certification course! It has always been about the trees for me. I have deepened my connection to the natural world and am looking forward to sharing the practice with others. My trees are happy and so am I. My mind is clear, and my heart is full. Standing in gratefulness to you!”
— Ginny Speaks, Health and Wellness Coach