A Transformative Training Course
Nature Informed Therapy Training: Integrating Nature Into Your Clinical Practice
A live 3-day in-person program with a certification option
New! Mountain West Training
Experience our Nature Informed Therapy workshop in Salt Lake City’s stunning Conservation Garden.
Nature Informed Therapy Training:
Transform Your Approach with
Nature's Wisdom
Envision a clinical practice that partners with the natural world to foster health and healing in humans. This program is designed to empower mental health professionals with the skills and knowledge to effectively integrate nature into therapy sessions, both indoors and outdoors. Whether you're seeking to enrich your existing clinical toolbox with nature-inspired tools or to fully align your practice with the more-than-human world, our nationwide community of nature-informed therapists is the perfect fit for you.
The journey to becoming a certified nature-informed therapist comprises two stages. The initial stage consists of a 3-day in-person training, followed by a 3-month online mentorship program that encompasses individual and small group consultations. Join us in embracing the healing power of nature and elevating your therapeutic practice to new heights.
Embark on a Journey to Certification
1. 3-Day In-Person Training: Immerse yourself in nature’s classroom. Learn to assess clients for Nature Informed Therapy, select therapeutic locations, and apply nature-based interventions. This foundational course is your first step towards certification.
2. 3-Month Online Mentorship Add-On: Deepen your expertise with individual and small group consultations. This essential component solidifies your skills, culminating in certification as a Nature Informed Therapist. Join our community, making a profound difference in mental health care.
Training Highlights
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Comprehensive Curriculum: From biophilia to practical nature-based exercises, our training covers theoretical foundations and hands-on skills.
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Inclusive Learning: Engage in an environment that fosters personal growth and professional development, tailored to both mental health and non-mental health attendees.
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Community and Support: Join a network of like-minded professionals dedicated to leveraging nature for healing and growth.
Ready to Embrace Nature's Potential?
Whether seeking certification or looking to integrate nature’s wisdom into your work, our training offers a unique blend of knowledge, practice, and community. Dive into a transformative experience that will enrich your professional path and personal journey.
Future Course Dates
Semester | Course Start Date | Course End Date | Location | Early Bird Deadline | Availability | Early Bird Code | Training Setting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025 Summer | 08/04/2025 | 08/06/2025 | Salt Lake City, UT | 06/01/2025 | Limited | EBSU25 | Urban Conservation Garden |
2025 Fall | 09/09/2025 | 09/11/2025 | Monkton, MD | 07/08/2025 | Limited | EBFA25 | Nature Camp |
Register Early to Get
15% Early Bird Discount!
"EBSU25" for Summer 2025 by 06/01/2025, or
"EBFA25" for Fall 2025 by 07/08/2025
and, ask about our
Interest-Free Payment Plan
Are you a student? Take off 15% with booking code "STUDENT15"
Summer 2025, Salt Lake City Utah
Starts Aug 4
960 US dollars
Starts Oct 3
640 US dollars
Fall 2025, Monkton Maryland
Starts Sep 9
960 US dollarsStarts Oct 3
640 US dollars
Lodging & Logistics Options for Out-of-Towners
Starts Sep 10
30 US dollars
Starts Sep 8
90 US dollarsStarts Sep 9
60 US dollars
Starts Sep 8
Starts Sep 8
40 US dollars
WHAT OUR PARTICIPANTS SAY
“Hands down, the best, most inspiring, training I have attended in my 25 years as a social worker. I am, today, the very next day impactfully using the strategies and concepts that I learned in this training to help my clients. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
More Details
Envision a clinical practice that partners with the natural world to foster health and healing in humans. This program is designed to empower mental health professionals with the skills and knowledge to effectively integrate nature into therapy sessions, both indoors and outdoors. Whether you're seeking to enrich your existing clinical toolbox with nature-inspired tools or to fully align your practice with the more-than-human world, our nationwide community of Nature Informed Therapists is the perfect fit for you.
The journey to becoming a certified Nature Informed Therapist comprises two stages. The initial stage consists of a 3-day in-person training, followed by a 3-month online mentorship program that encompasses individual and small group consultations. Join us in embracing the healing power of nature and elevating your therapeutic practice to new heights.
About the 3-day In-person Training
In the 3-day in-person training program, participants will receive an overview of significant research findings and learn how to assess a client for Nature Informed Therapy. You will learn to choose appropriate locations for therapies like Outdoor Therapy Training, discover suitable therapeutic approaches, and master the practical elements of getting you and your clients into the natural world.
The 3-day in-person course is also an excellent opportunity for professionals outside the mental health field who utilize similar skills in their practice to audit and benefit from our Nature Informed Therapy training
Training highlights include:
1. Theoretical foundations: Gain an in-depth understanding of the principles and research underpinning nature-informed therapy, including the biophilia hypothesis, attention restoration theory, and stress reduction theory.
2. Assessment and intervention tools: Learn to assess clients' nature connectedness and design personalized, nature-based interventions tailored to their specific needs and goals.
3. Practical exercises: Discover an array of therapeutic activities and exercises that can be adapted for individual, group, or family therapy settings, such as forest bathing, mindfulness in nature, and eco-art therapy.
4. Case studies: Explore real-life examples of successful nature-informed interventions, illustrating how clinicians have effectively integrated nature into their practice to promote mental health and well-being.
5. Ethical considerations: Understand the ethical implications of nature-informed therapy and how to navigate the unique challenges that may arise when working with clients in natural settings.
Participants will receive a Starter Kit to launch their own Nature Informed Therapy practice. The kit will include:
- Informed consent for NIT
- Sample Outdoor Waiver
- Intake Form that includes ecological assessments
- Important gear list
- Safety checklist
- Sample statement/reading that speaks to ethical land use and acknowledges decolonization efforts
- Code of Outdoor Therapy Ethics
Training Outcomes
By the end of the Nature Informed Therapy Training three-day intensive, participants will be able to:
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Summarize current research in the field of Nature Informed mental health
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Assess specific populations, diagnoses, and treatment goals (loneliness, grief, etc.) that are well suited for nature informed therapy
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Assess client's fit for nature informed therapy, including understanding how a client's nature autobiography and genealogy influence their relationship to nature
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Evaluate appropriate locations for nature informed therapy and how to prepare for sessions, including safety considerations, appropriate gear, etc.
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Administer an Ecological History Assessment and Ecological Wellness Evaluation for a new or existing client
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Apply suitable nature informed therapeutic approaches and interventions based on a client's treatment goals
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Perform an effective risk assessment of environment during therapies set in outdoors like Wilderness therapy training
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Integrate ethical and legal considerations specific to nature informed work into the practice of nature informed therapy
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Apply activities that use metaphor, ritual, and ceremony
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Describe how considerations of race, culture, ethnicity and gender influence a client's relationship to nature and how a therapist uses this understanding to inform appropriate nature informed therapy interventions
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Describe how Attachment Theory & Inter(personal) Neurobiology are ways of calming the nervous system and encouraging nature bonding
About the 3-month Online Mentorship
The three-month online component includes monthly one-on-one consultation meetings with a mentor, as well as monthly small group meeting to discuss Nature Informed practice and application of training content and goals.
To become a certified Nature Informed Therapist*, students must attend the 3-day live course and the 3-month online mentoring program. Certification is provided by the Center for Nature Informed Therapy and includes membership in our nationwide directory of Nature Informed Therapists.
*Please note that you are required to attend all arranged individual and group meetings offered during the online segment of the certification. If you are unable to attend the scheduled small group meetings, you are responsible to arrange for an additional consultation meeting with one of our consultants and pay the extra consultation fee of $80. If an individual consultation is canceled within 48 hours or is a no-show, there is a $60 cancellation fee.
Program Instructors
Heidi Schreiber-Pan
Ph.D., LCPC, C-NIT
Internationally recognized anxiety- and grief-specialist, therapist, author, and public speaker. Founder of Chesapeake Mental Health Collaborative (CMCH) and the visionary behind CNIT, she leads strategy and clinical integrity while championing nature-informed mental-health worldwide.
Zoe Jack
MBA, LCSW-C, C-NIT
Phillip McKnight
C-NIP
Phillip has experience teaching a wide variety of ages, backgrounds, and abilities and uses his MA in Instructional Systems Design to determine the needs of the participant and help them develop skills in mindfulness meditation with tools for body, heart, mind, and community. Trained in the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield, Phillip will help design and facilitate course implementation. In addition, Phillip brings with him fifteen years of environmental leadership where he has acted as a naturalist, educator, community advocate, and guide for groups such as The Audubon Society and Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Gina Strauss
M.A., LCPC, C-NIT
Gina Strauss is a licensed clinical professional counselor who infuses her work with children, teens, and parents with creative, nature-based interventions. She specializes in adapting NIT techniques for both indoor and urban environments, utilizing biophilic design elements to foster relaxation and connection to the natural world. Gina also develops and leads psycho-educational groups and speaking engagements, illustrating how metaphors and meaningful moments inspired by nature can guide personal insight and growth. Her focus on living in harmony with the seasons invites clients—and fellow clinicians—to explore the natural rhythms that support emotional well-being.
Rachel Oppenheimer
LCPC, C-NIT
Rachel Oppenheimer is an experienced nature-informed therapist who integrates present-moment awareness and mindfulness techniques into her work with clients experiencing anxiety. She is skilled at designing and leading a variety of nature-based therapeutic groups and retreats, including day-long events, hiking sessions, and backpacking immersions. Rachel also specializes in applying NIT principles to support body image and eating disorder recovery, focusing on self-compassion and strengthening the mind-body connection. Through workshops and conference presentations, she shares her expertise on how nature can play a transformative role in mental wellness.
CE Details
Center for Nature Informed Therapy has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing
Education Provider, ACEP No. 7473. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly
identified. Center for Nature Informed Therapy is solely responsible for all aspects of the
programs. Nature Informed Therapy Training Level I: Integrating Nature into Your Clinical Practice Live 3-Day Program will earn 19.5 NBCC credit hours.
This program consists of 19.5 NBCC clock hours of continuing education instruction. Credit requirements and approvals vary per state board regulations. Please save the course outline, the certificate of completion you receive from the activity and contact your state board or organization to determine specific filing requirements
The Center for Nature Informed Therapy, Provider 2022, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: July 7, 2024-July 7, 2025. Social workers completing this course receive 19.5 clinical continuing education credits.
The Center for Nature Informed Therapy is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.
Interest Free Payment Plan
We offer an interest-free payment plan. You have an option to request to pay the tuition in 3 separate payments without any fee or interest. Just email us your request with the course date that you intend to attend. We will register you manually and send you 3 separate invoices with the due dates one month apart.
Training Gallery
Nature Informed Therapy training one on one practice
Cancellation Policy
In-Person Multi-Day Intensives and Special Events
1. Cancellation by CNIT
CNIT reserves the right to cancel or reschedule any event due to insufficient enrollment, extreme weather conditions, or unforeseen circumstances beyond our control.
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Notification: All registrants will be notified promptly via email and/or phone.
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Refund Options: Full Refund: All registration fees, including any deposits, will be fully refunded.
2. Cancellation by Participant
Standard Cancellation Policy:
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Full Refund: Submit your cancellation request at least 90 days before the event start date to receive a full refund of tuition paid minus a 10% processing fee.
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Partial Refund: Cancellations made between 89 and 45 days before the event are eligible for a 50% refund.
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No Refund: No refunds will be issued for cancellations made within 45 days of the event due to commitments with our location partners.
Transfer to Future Event:
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Option: You may transfer your registration to the same future training/event at no additional cost by notifying us at least 45 days before the event.
Substitutions:
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You may designate a substitute participant by notifying us at least 14 days before the event. Acceptance of substitutes is subject to CNIT approval and may depend on the substitute meeting any prerequisites or qualifications.
Cancellation Process:
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Submit your cancellation, transfer, or substitution request in writing via email to info@natureinformedtherapy.org.