Forest Therapy Guide Certification Training Retreat
April 2 - April 6, 2025
Wimberley, Texas
Forest Therapy Guide Certification Training Retreat
Lotus Ranch Retreat Center
Wimberley, Texas
In the heart of Texas Hill Country
Wednesday, April 2th through Sunday, April 6th
Your retreat experience includes:
The Forest Therapy Guide Certification Program
A 6-week mentored practicum
4 nights accommodations
All vegetarian meals prepared by personal chef
Nature trails throughout the center’s 40 scenic acres
Gentle yoga
Campfire circle
Stargazing
Hot tub and cedar barrel cold plunge
Labyrinth
Permaculture farm tour
Lifetime access to our program’s course content upon certification
The Location
Lotus Ranch is a beautiful, 40-acre family-owned retreat facility located in Wimberley, Texas. The venue boasts expansive vistas, landscaped ponds and a serene, tranquil vibe that provides the ideal backdrop for yoga, meditation, art and spiritual retreats. In this peaceful location, guests notice the difference of being away from the city—with clear views of treetops, low-EMF exposure (except for wifi access in the hall lounge) and an enchanting forest.
Lotus Ranch is a working permaculture farm with the family's homestead on-site. The facility offers peaceful indoor and outdoor spaces including a yoga hall and a 25-bed lodge with commercial kitchen, dining room and lounge. In operation for more than 15 years with retreat groups visiting nearly every weekend, the staff at Lotus Ranch is confident you will have a wonderful weekend, sharing the spirit of the land and our homey, clean accommodations.
Known as “A Little Bit of Heaven”, Wimberley is halfway between Austin and San Antonio, in the Heart of the Texas Hill Country. Nearby attractions include The Blue Hole and Jacobs Well, just a few miles from Lotus Ranch.
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 (April 8 - May 13) 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 Lotus Ranch
Arrive: Wednesday, April 2nd between 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm CT
Depart: Sunday, April 6th by 10:00 am CT
Your retreat experience includes:
The Forest Therapy Guide Certification Program
A 6-week mentored practicum
4 nights accommodations
All vegetarian meals prepared by personal chef
Nature trails throughout the center’s 40 scenic acres
Gentle yoga
Campfire circle
Stargazing
Hot tub and cedar barrel cold plunge
Labyrinth
Permaculture farm tour
Lifetime access to our program’s course content upon certification
Your Investment:
Option 1:
Private Room (3 spaces available)
$3540 USD
(includes program, practicum, 4 nights accommodations in private room with shared bath, and all meals)
Located in the Lotus Ranch Lodge, your private room is simple, clean and furnished with a twin bed. Sheets, pillow and a towel are provided. There are 3 centrally-located, shared bathrooms in the lodge as well as a kitchen, dining room, and lounge area.
Meals and snacks are prepared by a personal chef. 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: March 1, 2025
Early Birds - Enroll before January 15th and save $150 on tuition.
Option 2:
Shared Room
$3240 USD
(includes program, practicum, 4 nights accommodations in shared room with shared bath, and all meals)
Located in the Lotus Ranch Lodge, your shared room is simple, clean and furnished with a twin beds. Sheets, pillow and a towel are provided. Each room will be shared by up to 3 people. There are 3 centrally-located, shared bathrooms in the lodge as well as a kitchen, dining room, and lounge area.
Meals and snacks are prepared by a personal chef. 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: March 1, 2025
Early Birds - Enroll before January 15th and save $150 on tuition.
Option 3:
BYO Camping (3 spaces available)
$3060 USD
(includes program, practicum, primitive camp site, and all meals)
Bring your own camping gear and sleep under the stars.
Meals and snacks are prepared by a personal chef. 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: March 1, 2025
Early Birds - Enroll before January 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 February 1, 2025.
Final tuition balance will be due on March 1, 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.
Lotus Ranch | 525 Fischer Trail, Wimberley, TX 78676
By Car:
Wimberley, Texas is:
37 miles from Austin, TX
62 miles from San Antonio, TX
182 miles from Houston, TX
230 miles from Dallas, TX
By Air:
Lotus Ranch is located near:
San Marcos Regional Airport, TX (30 minutes)
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, TX (1 hour)
San Antonio International Airport, TX (1 hour)
“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