Online Professional Nature Therapy Guide Certification

Nature therapy describes an approach to wellbeing that emphasizes meaningful exposure to nature, which research has associated with numerous benefits for physical and mental health. Since connecting with nature can happen in myriad ways, nature therapy can take many distinct (but often overlapping and related) forms. Read our article with 10 examples of nature therapy approaches here.

A nature therapy guide’s central role is to use their skills and knowledge to cultivate safe, enjoyable, and mutually respectful nature experiences for participants. Frequently, guides develop and lead participants on nature-focused walks, meditations, or activities. Guides may share information on local natural history and interpret natural features. Guides may support participants in processing spiritual experiences by contextualizing relationships to nature through the lenses of participants’ own faith and spiritual beliefs.

As an example, graduates of our program have successfully launched full-service nature wellness retreats, led outstanding nature walks for groups, enhanced their life coaching practices with nature walks, developed nature play spaces for children, guided intimate one-on-one nature experiences, and more.

Nature therapy can be successfully offered as a standalone service, but it also integrates nicely with careers geared toward aiding overall wellbeing, including holistic health paraprofessionals (such as health coaches, yoga instructors, mindfulness coaches, and spiritual advisors) and licensed healthcare and mental health professionals (such as nurses and psychotherapists). Our graduates have successfully launched full-service nature wellness retreats, led outstanding nature walks for groups, enhanced their life coaching practices with nature walks, developed nature play spaces for children, guided intimate one-on-one nature experiences, and more. Several common ways nature therapy guides earn a living are listed below.

• Most frequently, nature therapy guides host nature walks or meditations, typically thirty minutes to three hours in length, and may opt to charge a fee commensurate with length, materials supplied, and demand (usually between $10 and $50 per person for group walks, more for a private walk).
• Some guides offer multi-day nature-based retreats, charging accordingly higher fees (ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on the retreat).
• Others work with local businesses, parks, and wellness centers to provide nature-based experiences to employees, visitors, and patients, which may involve per-person fees or billing the facility a flat charge.
• Guides can work with clinicians hand-in-hand to help clients achieve clinician-recommended goals using nature-based activities.
• Guides may teach nature therapy classes for continuing education or personal enrichment at local community colleges, museums, parks, wellness centers, or educational institutions.
• Another option is to consult with clients and businesses on incorporating more nature into their homes and premises, for example by implementing gardens, nature-friendly landscaping, bird feeders, indoor plants, and nature artwork.
• Guides sometimes publish and sell books or develop other creative materials, including social media channels, based on their unique approach to nature therapy, covering things such as their philosophy and activities.
• Guides can offer nature-based spirituality services, such as at religious and healing institutions.
• Guides may further specialize in environmental education and related fields, for example, offering nature-based play and learning experiences to parents, schools, parks, and other groups.
• Guides may lead green exercise sessions, such as yoga in the forest.
• Many other possibilities exist depending on the guide’s interests, experience, education, and specializations. Many guides choose to give back by offering occasional gratis services to environmental nonprofits, underserved groups, or by donating a portion of proceeds to worthwhile causes.

In designing the program, we specifically worked to keep tuition at a level that would allow the widest reach. Our philosophy is that nature is the best teacher, and we provide structure and foundational knowledge to the student to supplement that relationship; students sufficiently document their progress (through the program assignments) to demonstrate achievement of key competencies that merit certification as a guide. We keep costs low by minimizing travel (which significantly reduces overhead), using custom course materials (all included), maintaining a small network of qualified instructors who agree to work with the program, and through special arrangement with the Academy.

We truly believe our low tuition provides value to our students by minimizing the financial burden created by course fees, without any sacrifice of quality. A review of our syllabus demonstrates the breadth and comprehensiveness of our program, including a smorgasbord of custom-made and curated course materials specifically designed to help you succeed. Since 2013, the Natural Wellness Academy has helped graduates around the globe to launch successful wellness careers in numerous subspecialities. Graduates of the nature therapy program have successfully launched full-service nature wellness retreats, led outstanding nature walks for groups, enhanced their life coaching practices with nature walks, developed nature play spaces for children, guided intimate one-on-one nature experiences, and more.

Click here for a summary comparison of our program to other popular nature therapy certifications.

All required course materials are included with tuition. In addition to the main course text (which is provided digitally), we provide a mix of digital (but printable) workbooks, worksheets, and infographics created specifically for this course, as well as curated collections of scientific articles, book excerpts, and articles (comprising hundreds of pages of relevant materials for you to peruse), plus hand-selected video resources. Tuition also covers printing and mailing of your graduation certificate. The screenshot provides a sample of some of our materials.

In developing our materials, our goal is to identify the most important concepts needed to be a successful and effective nature therapy guide, then we condense those essentials into an accessible format, organized via modules into a logical structure that progressively and seamlessly builds skills. Students frequently compliment us on how easy and fun our materials are to digest, including infographics (plus several that can be shared with your clients!), hand-outs, and worksheets, augmented by numerous resources for those wanting to take deeper dives into specific nature therapy sub-topics.

Additionally, students receive access to the Natural Wellness Academy student Facebook Group (our “virtual campus”), plus the class forum, where instructors share and analyze recent news and research articles. As a bonus, you will be automatically enrolled, at no additional cost, into the Academy’s Webinars Library and Essential Effective Coaching courses.

Please see the syllabus for a full list of materials included.

We develop guides who can craft and lead nature experiences designed to facilitate positive connections between nature and people. We equip guides with tools to build their own customized nature therapy programs, on a foundation of key theoretical and practical knowledge, through the lenses of their own expertise and backgrounds. Please see the syllabus for a full list of concepts and competencies that the program covers, as well as how we assess them. For examples of final projects, click here.

Our general philosophy is that nature is the best teacher of nature therapy. Our teaching approach regarding nature therapy is down-to-earth and applications-focused, yet flexible. So, in developing assignments/projects and in assessing student work, we emphasize doing and feeling over knowing (but students will get plenty of exposure to all three!).

This approach also allows us to offer the certification as a distance program: your love and experience with nature is your fundamental asset as a guide, then we help you go the rest of the way by sharing key information and skills that will help you be effective and successful. But just because miles may separate you and your instructor, doesn’t mean that you’ll be on your own! In addition to a treasure trove of specially-developed course materials that make self-study seamless, you’ll have access to a qualified instructor who will provide uplifting and useful feedback and help.

The format of the course is largely self-guided using our custom course materials with experiential projects, combined with regular instructor feedback and guidance following each module and on an as-needed basis per student request. It’s somewhat akin to the “flipped classroom” approach becoming popular at universities, where students view the lecture materials in advance, then time with the professor is focused on hashing out specific student questions. This style of teaching recognizes that students enter our program with varying levels of interest and expertise in our target knowledge areas, and it allows students to customize their learning according to their needs, schedule, and preferred level of interaction.

In developing our materials, our goal is to identify the most important concepts needed to be a successful and effective nature therapy guide, then we condense those essentials into an accessible format, organized via modules into a logical structure that progressively and seamlessly builds skills. Students frequently compliment us on how easy and fun our materials are to digest, including infographics (plus several that can be shared with your clients!), hand-outs, and worksheets, augmented by numerous resources for those wanting to take deeper dives into specific nature therapy sub-topics.

To top it off, our friendly instructors are just a phone call or email away, ready to bounce ideas, provide feedback, and delve farther into your areas of interest to help you succeed. We recommend checking out the syllabus for more details!

You can petition various certifying bodies to accept Academy courses for credit. Upon request, the Academy will award 24 continuing education hours for successful completion of this course, if certain conditions are met, which are described in the syllabus. Contact us if you have any questions about the process.

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates receive certification as a Certified Nature Therapy Guide through the Nature Therapy Center at the Natural Wellness Academy. In addition to a hard copy diploma mailed to them, graduates have access to a printable “e-certificate” in their account.

Our program is not designed to meet any licensing requirements for any jurisdiction. Please contact a licensed attorney and/or your state’s relevant licensing bodies to determine whether or not your services require any forms of licensing and what forms of training are acceptable. Please read this document for more details.

At the time of writing, there are no widely-accepted accredited or licensing bodies that deal specifically with nature therapy training programs. However, the Academy has received external validation via recognition from the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. Note that as a non-degree offering institution, the Academy is not accredited by an agency listed by the United States Department of Education and therefore cannot administer federal student aid. However, accreditation is not necessary to practice as a guide and coach, and the goal of certification programs at the Academy, which has operated since 2013, is to tie the benefits of our education directly to the job market. Many of our graduates have used the practical skills and experience they gained from our certification to augment or launch successful careers and practices as wellness specialists. Specifically, graduates have successfully launched full-service nature wellness retreats, led outstanding nature walks for groups, enhanced their life coaching practices with nature walks, developed nature play spaces for children, guided intimate one-on-one nature experiences, and more.

Click here for a summary comparison of our program to other popular nature therapy certifications.

Many students entering our program already have experience with nature and its healing power but would like deeper exposure to the science and language of nature therapy and/or want help building specific nature therapy programs and activities. Basically, they usually already have most of the building blocks but need help refining them and putting them together. In working through the structured guidance of the modules and assignments/projects, implementing our flexible step-by-step template for walks and activities, as well as collaborating with instructors for feedback and ideas, all of our graduates have been able to crystallize specific programs and walks — with their own unique flair.

As we say, if you love nature and enjoy spending time in nature, you already have the most important traits of a successful nature therapy guide! We can help you go the rest of the way. Finally, many of our graduates appreciate that a respected third-party credential demonstrates the guide’s professionalism and competency, which inspires client confidence. It feels good to have that certificate on your wall! (If you believe you already have education and experience to qualify as a Guide, we do allow certain exceptional candidates to formally petition to challenge the program; see the next question.) Feel free to check out the syllabus or reach out to us to help determine if the program is right for you!

The Academy feels our program offers a comprehensive, immersive education in nature therapy that uniquely prepares Guides for service. However, we recognize that select candidates arrive with extensive professional experience and educational credentials. Accordingly, in exceptional circumstances, the Academy will permit candidates to challenge the certification. The challenge process begins with a formal petition of the Academy, during which Academy faculty will interview the candidate and review the candidate’s documented experience and credentials.

If the Academy determines the candidate is eligible to challenge the program, the candidate can receive certification if they successfully pass the final exam and the final project. The tuition for a challenge is equal to 50% of the standard tuition. The candidate will receive access to all digital course materials. If the candidate successfully graduates from the program, the candidate will receive a printed certificate. The certificate is identical to the standard certificate. Challenges are not eligible for refunds, whether successful or unsuccessful. However, if the candidate’s challenge is not successful, the candidate can opt to apply their initial tuition payment toward full program tuition and complete the program in its entirety, after which, if successful, they would be eligible for certification. Challenges are NOT eligible for continuing education credits. Please contact us to discuss if challenging the program could be an option for you.

Each of the first 5 modules includes an assignment featuring some combination of essay response questions and small projects, while the 6th module consists of practicals and an exam. All assignments are assessed by an instructor, who will mark the assignment as either satisfactory or unsatisfactory and provide appropriate feedback. Students may reattempt unsatisfactory assignments. The capstone final report should provide compelling evidence of the student’s competence in designing and facilitating safe and positive nature encounters with participants. Students must satisfactorily pass all assignments to graduate from the program.

Our philosophy is that your local nature is the greatest teacher of nature therapy, so no extended or overnight travel is required as part of the program. However, students will need to access local nature settings in their area appropriate for hosting nature therapy sessions.

An optional advanced track is included with the course at no additional cost. The advanced track forces the student to grapple with concepts more in-depth and therefore requires a higher time investment of the student. Advanced track learning experiences are listed at the end of Modules 1 through 4; students wishing to complete the advanced track should include responses to the standard AND advanced questions in their learning experience submissions for those modules. (Students who do not wish to complete the advanced track do not need to respond to the advanced questions.) Additionally, advanced students are expected to review most or all of the optional resources, such as journal articles. Finally, the capstone report will be assessed more stringently to ensure the student meets the higher standards required of the advanced track. Advanced track learners will receive a special designation on their graduation certificate. However, the advanced track does not result in additional continuing education credits.

You will meet your main instructor/mentor during the onboarding process. At minimum, you will interact with your instructor after the submission of each assignment. Additionally, an instructor will be available to answer questions or bounce ideas via phone or email. Some students prefer regular check-ins, while others prefer less contact — the frequency of communication is up to you. Please review our instructor qualifications here.

For most questions, instructors typically respond within 5 business days (often much sooner). The course instructors maintain a current turnaround goal of reviewing assignments within 10 business days, although oftentimes will respond much sooner than that. Please email your instructor(s) if your processing time exceeds this limit. Feel free to proceed into the next module while you’re awaiting feedback, except that we recommend checking in with your instructor before embarking into Module 6.

Yes, we offer an intensive, on-site training program in France. Click here to learn more.