Become a certified forest therapy guide
Step into your calling: Guide others to profound healing and belonging.
Welcome to the Heartwood School of Forest Therapy, a place of learning and remembering. Here, we honor the Earth in her wholeness—healer, mother, sustainer—and experience Forest Therapy as a sacred, relational practice.
Our certification programs are designed for like-hearted individuals ready to weave together ancient wisdom and modern practice, guided by a collective of seasoned, heart-led instructors.
Who Is This Training for?
Mental health and wellness practitioners integrating nature-based approaches
Educators and coaches supporting embodied, mindful learning
Outdoor guides and facilitators deepening their connection-centered work
Spiritual and community leaders seeking restorative, nature-rooted practices
Nature lovers called to guide others with presence, care, and intention
Why the Heartwood School?
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Mindful & Somatic Awareness
Cultivate the ability to be embodied and sense the subtle both within and in nature to guide from a place of deep inner attunement.
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Decades of Experience
Learn from lead instructors with 35+ years of combined experience across psychology, mental health, ecology, and earth-based wisdom.
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Women-Owned & Led
Grow with a school founded and led by women dedicated to advancing this practice with integrity and care.
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We Live the Work
Be mentored by seasoned guides who actively practice and embody forest therapy in their daily lives.
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Nature as Community
Join a like-hearted collective that mirrors nature’s harmony, fostering interconnectedness and collaborative growth.
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Internationally Accredited
Earn a Forest Therapy Certification built on established practices and enriched by Heartwood’s unique philosophy.
The Heart Behind Heartwood
Guides, teachers, and lifelong students of the Earth, Julie and Kathleen founded Heartwood to share the practices that transformed their own lives.
Their teachings weave science, soul, and the wisdom of the forest into a living path of connection.
Choose your path to Certification
Both of our certification pathways offer the same comprehensive curriculum and lead to the same respected credential. The choice is yours—based on your life, schedule, and preferred way of learning.
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Online Pathway
Journey into forest therapy from anywhere in the world. Our 12-week, 100% online program offers deep, guided immersion with the freedom to weave learning into the rhythm of your daily life.
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Retreat Pathway
Begin your certification on the land. This accelerated pathway blends in-person learning with guided mentorship at home, supporting your growth as a confident, heart-led guide.
Reflections from our community
My experience on the forest therapy guide training retreat created such a positive shift in me and it was through your leadership in facilitating such a great group of people through the experience. As a parks and recreation director and yoga instructor for over 20 years, I've been involved in many training experiences. This one stands out as the most profound experience for me. — Simon Bradbury
Thank you for putting so much time, effort and love into the program. You have truly changed my life for the better. My light shines brighter now because of you, and I will use this torch to continue the path and teach others along the way. Your school gave me purpose and focus. I am forever changed and blessed. Thank you!— Angela Potter
Nature-based Therapy will suit anyone who is looking for more than just traditional therapy in a room. It artfully brings nature into everyday life situations, brings the bigger picture into play, and offers a completely new dimension into a therapeutic relationship.”— Katie Bray
Ready to Step into your calling?
The forest is waiting. Your community is waiting. Begin your journey into meaningful work and embodied Earth kinship. Your path to profound connection and impact starts here.