Intro and Advanced Ecotherapy Skills for Mental Health and Substance Use Counseling

WHEN: ONLINE Friday, May 2, 2025 9 am-12:15 pm AND

               INPERSON Friday, May 9, 2025 9 am-5:30 pm

Attendance at both are required for licensure credit

COST: $165 covers 10 hours of approved continuing ed., organic continental breakfast and full lunch on practicum day. Vegetarian options.

CONTACT HOURS: 10.0 for LCMHC, LPC, LCSW, LMFT, Peer Support, LCAS, CDAC. NCASPPB approved. NBCC approval statement below.

DESCRIPTION: Ecotherapy is as old as the counseling profession. Nature is a great teacher and processor of life’s struggles and woes. An evidenced based therapy, ecotherapy utilizes the outdoors to assist in identifying and processing issues with nature as the teacher. The natural environment offers a greater space than the four walls of a therapy room to both challenge and nurture. Nature invites a deeper connection with self and others through an engagement in the elements of the earth. Nature may offer new insights based both mindfulness and natural challenges. We’ll examine available curriculum in ecotherapy as well as a process to develop your own ecotherapy protocol based on diverse populations, even those people who may have physical or mental limitations. All case studies will involve both substance abuse, dual diagnosis, and mental health issues.

Come prepared with one ecotherapy exercise that you have utilized previously or choose one from one of the resources below to share during our afternoon session. You may pair up with another participant to share your ecotherapy exercise. We’ll utilize mindfulness-based skills and ecotherapy in individual as well as group exercises utilizing the resources below. You may also share your own resource materials. There is no requirement to purchase the resource materials. You are encouraged to begin reading research articles about ecotherapy in the area of your interest.

We now have options for attendees who may not choose to hike. Two hikes (nature walks) are involved medium to difficult so you must be in good walking physical health, able to walk on narrow trails, steep and uneven terrain. Good walking shoes and or hiking boots are required as well as rain gear and any medications needed for allergies to pollen or bees.  Vegetarian options. Onsite room rentals are available on a limited basis. Contact Linda Harrison (828) 380-2948 for more information.

OBJECTIVES:
1. Develop a working knowledge of the guiding principles of ecotherapy.

2. Explore skills and curriculum to guide your work with clients in nature, both directive and non-directive. Incorporate both clinical and self-help step work for mental health and substance abuse.

3. Learn how to slow down the process of therapy to match the tempo of nature, truly supporting clients to engage the natural world.

4. Experience firsthand, a shift in your own wellbeing as you enter into ecotherapy with other workshop participants, emerging 6 hours later with renewed perspective.

AGENDA for 3 hour online training:

9-10:30 am  Develop a working knowledge of the guiding principles of ecotherapy.

10:30-10:45 am Break

10:45 am-12:15 pm Explore skills and curriculum to guide your work with clients in nature, both directive and non-directive. Incorporate both clinical and self-help step work for mental health and substance abuse.

AGENDA for full day practicum training:

9-10:30 am Ecotherapy icebreakers for team connection and building. Morning walk in nature with mindfulness skills.

10:30-10:45 am Break

10:45 am-12:15 pm Explore, discuss, and skill development in 6 types of ecotherapy.

12:15-1:15 pm Lunch

1:15-2:45 pm Afternoon mindful nature walk with ecotherapy exercises.

2:45-3 pm Break

3-4:30 Individual groups present on their ecotherapy topic and skills work.

4:30-4:45 pm Break

4:45-5:45 pm Review skills, answer clinical questions. Develop a plan on how you will utilize ecotherapy with mental health and substance abuse clients.

Instructor: Linda Harrison, LCMHCS, CCS, MAC and Practicum Students

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Refund policy:

We offer a 100% refund for requests made inside 48 hours after the purchase. After 48 hours no cash refund or credits are given.

No refunds are made due to technology problems resulting from participants audiovisual equipment or personal internet failures. Arriving more than 20 minutes late to a virtual training may prevent receipt of full workshop hours. Participants must be on camera for the duration to receive credit for the training.  

National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) Approval Statement:

Asheville Counseling, Clinical Supervision and Training has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6957. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Asheville Counseling, Clinical Supervision and Training is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.