NBT in Practice (Victoria, BC)

Join us for a deeper, experiential immersion into the possibilities that Nature-based therapy can hold for yourself and your clients. Surrounded by the rolling creeks, huge firs, and green ferns of the W̱MÍYEŦEN Nature Sanctuary, we will play, practice, and grow our capacity to hold and transform emotional pain within this container of connection to self, community, and Earth.  Be prepared to build community with like-minded practitioners, engage in self-reflection, practice interventions, role-play, and explore your own personal relationship to the non-human Natural World. 

This course is designed to build on the theory and core skills learned from the Introductory course and translate the online learning into embodied practices.  The goal of this training is for participants to leave feeling confident in their ability to draw from a breadth of tools and lived experience when turning to nature as co-therapist.  This course is for you if you are either already working in the outdoors with clients, or planning to make the switch out of 4 walls.  Participants will learn and practice interventions they can apply right away with clients.

Foundational Theory that will be applied and practiced includes: 

• Introductions and setting up safe space
• Therapist’s baskets – drawing from your skill set
• Practitioner’s relationship with nature & embodiment
• Client assessment and Ecological identity
• Sensory awareness & regulation
• Nature as co-facilitator
• Working with mirroring and metaphor
• Experiential learning and growth
• Moving through stages of NBT practice (regulation, re-structuring, consolidation)
• Guiding models for session flow and process
• Weaving in psycho-education with nature connection
• Solos and sit spots
• Integration and closing

Bring your full authentic self as we come together to explore the beauty and potential of Nature-based Therapy.  We hope you can join us!

Location: W̱MÍYEŦEN Nature Sanctuary, Victoria, BC

Dates: June 6-9, 2024 

Times: Day 1: 9:30am-4pm; Day 2: 9am-4pm; Day 3: 9am-4pm; Day 4: 9am-3:30pm

Fees: $800 ; Student Price = $650  (students can be in school, or are out of school but not yet working as a counsellor)

Accommodation: Camping is available onsite if desired

Meals: Not included.  

 ** Subsidies available for Indigenous, and BIPOC participants, and others living with systemic barriers. Please contact us to inquire about how we can support you in accessing this course. Email [email protected]

* This course will be held at W̱MÍYEŦEN Nature Sanctuary in Victoria, BC.  The sanctuary lies within the territories of the WSÁNEC Coast Salish Peoples.  The sanctuary is a place where, in strong relationship and partnership with T’Sartlip First Nation, local species such as the coastal Douglas Fir, Western Screech Owl, Western-Painted Turtle, and Phantom Orchid are protected. We are grateful to be able to invite you to learn about and practice Nature-Based Therapy with this beautiful land.

** Prerequisite: completion of our online Introduction to Nature-based Therapy Course (click to learn more)

Next Intro to NBT Course: November 14. 15. 21. & 22. 2024. 

Click here to register for our Intro Workshop!

Past participants said:

“If you are interested in opening up space for nature as your co-therapist in your practice I cannot recommend this training enough. As someone who already works with nature as a co-therapist in my practice, this training offered me increased confidence, inspiration, and intentionality in my work. It provided me with intentional language to use, useful interventions, and a group of others engaged in this incredible work. I am so grateful for this experience and cannot wait for future consult groups or additional trainings! THANK YOU!” participant, summer 2023

“A must do training for professionals. A great combination of experiential, modeling co-regulation, and integration of the grounded world around us.” participant, summer 2023 

“I was especially grateful for the therapeutic dyads, which were quite powerful, and helped me learn or intuit quite a bit in the moment about what NBT therapy can look like. In general, I welcomed the in-person format, the great wealth of experiential activities, and the balanced outdoor setting (quiet, contained wild nature plus facilities) of this course, especially following the more theoretical intro / online course. I also appreciated the explicit naming and framing of the course as educational, not therapeutic; a format which gently acknowledges all the tender feelings that come up for participants but does not take the role of processing them in group. The games were wonderful, and I loved witnessing how powerful these simple experientials are for adults new to NBT play.”  participant, spring 2023

“Human Nature Counselling is run by an experienced, genuine, and knowledgeable team who uses nature therapy to help support children, youth, adults and families.”  participant, spring 2023

“This workshop is a wonderful opportunity to deepen one’s capacity to build nature connection ethically into their practice, regardless of one’s level of past experience. Katy, Dave, and supporting staff blend intellectual and embodied engagement through a variety of activities fostering exploration, growth, and reflection on individual and group levels.”  participant, spring 2022