Forest Therapy Guide Certification Training Retreat
July 23 - July 27, 2025
Cherry Valley, New York
Forest Therapy Guide Certification Training Retreat
Hawk Circle Retreat Center
Cherry Valley, New York
In the foothills of the Catskill Mountains
Wednesday, July 23rd through Sunday, July 27th
Your retreat experience includes:
The Forest Therapy Guide Certification Program
A 6-week mentored practicum
4 nights accommodations
All vegetarian meals
Gentle yoga
Tea-making workshop
Nature trails throughout the center’s 200 scenic acres
Campfire circle
Lifetime access to our program’s course content upon certification
The Location
Hawk Circle Retreat Center is located in the foothills of the Catskill and Adirondack Mountains - the land of the Mohawk Tribe. Surrounded by rolling green hills, we are inspired by the same wilderness that inspired James Fenimore Cooper's, Leatherstocking Tales.
Located on 200 acres with many diverse plants, trees and wildlife, Hawk Circle is a place that welcomes you home to the heart of nature and your own inner nature. Guests enjoy fresh water streams, sacred areas, hiking trails, a glacier-made stone circle, wild flower meadows, and have plenty of space both indoors and outdoors for yoga and meditation.
Our unique, hand-crafted, timber frame cabins at the edge of the forest provide you with a place for deep rest and renewal. Immersed in the shade of maple trees and spruce, you'll wake to the sweet sounds of our abundant song birds.
Eagle House, our main building for gathering, yoga, and meditation is built with Amish beams and earthen walls made with clay from our own land. A charming, rustic dining deck provides a natural setting to enjoy your meals and outdoor showers with changing rooms are guests' favorite. Our Forest Perfumery & Herbarium offers unique products made onsite available to all our guests.
Hawk Circle is only 15 minutes from Cooperstown and Otsego Lake, and several New York State Historical Museums. Visitors to the area appreciate of the beautiful and serene wilderness, farms, and country B&B's.
The Curriculum
Whether you are taking this training for personal growth or to share the life-changing benefits of forest therapy with others, the curriculum is thoughtfully designed to give you a deeper understanding of the emerging field of forest therapy. You’ll walk away with the skills and confidence to guide participants in meaningful and restorative forest bathing experiences.
Over the course of this 4-night retreat, you will learn:
What it means to be a forest therapy guide
The history of forest therapy and forest bathing
The holistic benefits of the practice along with the science to back it up
Mindfulness in nature and embodiment practices
How to offer guided nature meditations
The importance of the senses in connecting to nature and ourselves
A reliable and trusted walk sequence for guiding your clients
How to craft nature-based invitations for client engagement
How to personally style a forest bathing walk
Group facilitation and effective communication skills
The psycho-spiritual dimension of the human-nature connection
Following the in-person training, you will enter into a 6-week mentored practicum where you will participate in weekly Zoom meet-ups, complete assignments, guide 2 forest therapy walks and receive 2 small group mentor calls.
The weekly meetups will be held on Tuesdays (July 29 - September 2) at 7:00 pm - 8:15 pm ET. The meetups are recorded, so if you have to miss one, you can watch the recording.
Join like-hearted people committed to reconnecting humans to nature.
The Details
The Forest Therapy Guide Certification Program at Hawk Circle Retreat Center
Arrive: Wednesday, July 23rd between 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET
Depart: Sunday, July 27th by 10:00 am ET
Your retreat experience includes:
The Forest Therapy Guide Certification Program
A 6-week mentored practicum
4 nights accommodations
All vegetarian meals
Gentle yoga
Tea-making workshop
Nature trails throughout the center’s 200 scenic acres
Campfire circle
Lifetime access to our program’s course content upon certification
Your Investment:
Option 1:
Shared Room
$3375 USD
(includes program, practicum, 4 nights accommodations in shared room with shared bath, and all meals)
Your shared room in a unique hand-crafted timber frame cabin is simple, clean, and furnished with twin beds. Each cabin will be shared by up to 4 people. Cabins are heated for chilly nights and beds have all-cotton sheets and quilts.
There are centrally-located shared bathrooms in the Eagle House, the main building for gathering.
All meals are provided and an afternoon tea and snack station is available. The plant-based meals consist of wholesome, locally-sourced ingredients and focus on flavor as well as fulfilling the needs of the body and soul.
$500 non-refundable deposit required upon registration
Registration deadline: June 30, 2025
Early Birds - Enroll before April 15th and save $150 on tuition.
Option 2:
BYO Camping or Commute (3 spaces available)
$3175 USD
(includes program, practicum, facilities use fee, and all meals)
Bring your own camping gear and sleep under the stars or commute in each day.
There are centrally-located shared bathrooms in the Eagle House, the main building for gathering.
All meals are provided and an afternoon tea and snack station is available. The plant-based meals consist of wholesome, locally-sourced ingredients and focus on flavor as well as fulfilling the needs of the body and soul.
$500 non-refundable deposit required upon registration
Registration deadline: June 30, 2025
Early Birds - Enroll before April 15th and save $150 on tuition.
Terms and Cancellations:
Tuition Payment Schedule:
A non-refundable deposit of $500 is due upon registration
50% of the remaining tuition will be due on May 30, 2025.
Final tuition balance will be due on June 30, 2025.
Prior to tuition due dates, you will receive an invoice via email. Failure to make a payment may result in a forfeiture of your booking.
Our in-person training retreat cancellation policy:
All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. No exceptions. If the retreat is cancelled by The Forest Therapy School for any reason, the deposit is fully refundable.
Cancellations made 46 days or more prior to retreat start date: The deposit is non-refundable. All payments (minus the deposit and payment processing fees) are not refundable, but are transferable to a future training retreat held within one year. Travel insurance is highly recommended.
Cancellations made 45 days or less prior to retreat start date: All payments are non-refundable or non-transferable. No exceptions. Travel insurance is highly recommended.
Unforeseen Circumstances: There will be no refunds nor discounts for arriving late, leaving early, flight cancellations, travel delays, injury, or illness prior to and/or during the retreat.
Travel Insurance: For additional protection of your retreat investment, it is highly recommended that all participants purchase travel insurance at the time of booking the retreat. Travel Insurance is an optional purchase that covers your investment with The Forest Therapy School for any unforeseen events that may arise before or during your trip. If you opt to pass on the added insurance, your investment is bound by the cancellation policy of The Forest Therapy School as outlined above. Travel insurance is available through companies like Travel Safe, Insuremytrip, Travel Guard or other options listed here.
We offer 27 CE credits through the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching.
NBHWC Approved Course CE Number: CEA-000003-1
Getting Here
Please Note: Transportation is not included in the cost of the retreat.
Hawk Circle is in Cherry Valley, NY
By Car:
Cherry Valley, New York is:
15 miles from Cooperstown, NY
58 miles from Albany, NY
93 miles from Syracuse, NY
142 miles from Springfield, MA
143 miles from Scranton, PA
By Air:
Hawk Circle is located near:
Albany International Airport, NY (1.5 hours)
Syracuse Hancock International Airport, NY (1.5 hours)
“Regan and Julie are inspirational, knowledgeable and care deeply about our connection to nature. Their guidance during my in-person retreat awakened a confident nature connected leader. I left with abundant knowledge and skills to use on my journey as a forest therapy guide. The Forest Therapy School enriched my life so that I may do the same for others. ”
— Gerald Vance, Coach