PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SCHOOL IS ON HOLD FOR THE REST OF 2021 AND IS NOT TAKING STUDENTS AT THIS TIME.
The Forest Ecotherapy School was founded in 2020 by Julianne Skai Arbor, MA (Arts and Consciousness Studies), MS (Experiential Environmental Education) in northern California. Julianne is a interdisciplinary educator, certified naturalist and arborist, forest ecotherapist, award-winning author and nature photographer with over 25 years experience in holistic nature education and consciousness studies. Her specialization in Forest Therapy evolved from 25 years of intimate, sensory exploration in trees all over the world, co-directing the first Forest Therapy Training program outside of Japan, and independent Forest Therapy research and certification in Japan through the International Society of Nature and Forest Medicine.
This Program offers the IES training in Ecotuning/Applied Ecopsychology based on the standards of the International Ecopsychology Society with a focus in Forest Ecotherapy. The Program combines individual Online Courses taken at your own pace with two 10 day Immersive Nature Intensives (Autumn and Spring) in Northern California, organized for students to attend from all over the world. Students have 20 months to complete the Program, including their Final Project.
Rooted in Ecopsychology and the animistic worldview that everything is alive with consciousness, Forest Ecotherapy is a facilitated nature therapy experience combining the fields of Ecopsychology, Ecoliteracy and the science of Forest Therapy to aid human beings in re-bonding with nature for reciprocal healing. While based upon the Japanese practice of Forest Bathing (shinrin-yoku) and the scientific field of Forest Medicine, Forest Ecotherapy aims to be more than a refreshing walk in the woods with physical and mental health benefits; it means to be deeply impactful and transformative in creating experiential pathways for people to cultivate ongoing deep interrelationships with the more-than-human world as a resource and ally of mutual reciprocity. The Program includes training in a holistic (mind-heart-body-spirit), comprehensive set of knowledge and skills to aid people in restoring inner states and outer actions of biophilia through Ecoliteracy education, Multi-sensory Awareness, Professional and Outdoor Leadership Skills and Nature-based Ceremony Facilitation.
This Certificate Program will provide you with the abilities to:
1. Be ecoliterate in forest ecology & relevant natural sciences.
2. Have an in-depth understanding of the field of Forest Medicine and practice of Forest Therapy.
3. Live from an embodied psychological understanding of ecopsychology, biophilia and ecocentrism.
4. Develop heightened abilities multi-sensory perception and interspecies listening.
5. Create strong alliances with the More-than-Human-World through personal practices of gratitude, humility, reciprocity and service.
6. Be an effective leader in facilitating individuals and groups mindfully and professionally in natural landscapes.
7. Have an specialized toolkit for facilitating experiential engagement with people that incorporate simple, yet profound, ritualistic elements.
8. Practice mending the ecocidal split between the human and more-than-human world.
Click Here to explore the entire Training Program on the Forest Ecotherapy Website
It is possible to participate in individual IES Training modules and complete the training in another IES School. Check out the schedules of all the IES School accredited to provide the necessary training to enter the Register of Ecotuner (IRoE) and become accredited IES member.
