Frequently Asked Questions
Should you have additional question(s) to the ones answered below, please contact us.
Do I need to be a licensed therapist or mental health professional to take an Ecotherapy training?
What is the difference between "certificate" and "certification" for Ecotherapy?
What’s the difference between Levels 1 through 3 Ecotherapy trainings?
Level 2 Professional Ecotherapy Certificate Immersions are transformational, land-based retreats in scenic natural settings. They allow you to learn and practice a rich mix of nature-based healing practices to use with individuals and groups, indoors or outdoors, as part of a supportive community. They help you deepen your personal relationship with nature, and prepare you to integrate Earth-based interventions into your work with confidence and skill.
Level 3 Advanced Ecotherapy Training & Certification is a hybrid online and in-person program that will allow you to deepen essential Ecotherapy skills, learn new potent practices, and expand your capacity to address critical growing-edge issues. It is rooted in a decolonial framework, a core pillar of which is weaving the individual to the collective to support Earth-rooted leadership and embodied activism-inspired Ecotherapy. You will feel deeply supported and prepared to take your empowered next steps both personally and professionally.
After I do a training, can I call myself an Ecotherapist or say that I practice Ecotherapy?
If you are a mental health professional, and will use Ecotherapy as one of your main modalities, you can say or advertise that you are an “Ecotherapist.” You also can say that you “practice Ecotherapy” or “have a specialty in Ecotherapy.”
If you are outside of the mental health profession you can say that you “offer Ecotherapy practices” if that is contextualized within your profession. You also can say that you “have training in Ecotherapy” or “a specialty in Ecotherapy.” However, we caution against using the term “Ecotherapist,” since people might misinterpret that as offering psychotherapy. Our trainings do not qualify you to be a psychotherapist.
Possible titles you can use: nature connection guide, nature connection teacher, Earth-rooted coach, eco-wellness practitioner or nature guide. You can be creative with this so it speaks to you and your communities.
Are there national or international Ecotherapy certification standards?
How is the BIPOC-only online class different from the regular class?
This training provides a safe space for BIPOC participants and centering BIPOC perspectives. The foundations of the training and most of the content are the same as the regular Level 1 training. This training includes additional content to support a deeper look at BIPOC relationships to land and healing. It is offered at an equity price that is listed on the registration page.
Is the training facilitated by a BIPOC instructor?
Yes, the training was developed and is taught by Niralli D’Costa, Musenge Luchembe Hayslett, Yvonne McGaughey, Johnette C. Walser, and Maraina Montgomery. You can find more about them at the bottom of the program page.
What does a work study scholarship entail, and how do I sign up for one?
Is there a scholarship for all three Ecotherapy levels or for the entire Ecotherapy Certification process?
We can sometimes offer a partial scholarship throughout the certification process. We almost exclusively offer equity scholarships to Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and LGBTQIA2S+. All scholarships are on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are interested, please fill out this form.
How many hours a week is the commitment for the Level 1 training?
Do you offer programs at times favorable to European time zones or other countries?
Yes. Once or twice a year, we offer the Level 1 online training from 10am-12 noon PST, which is 6-8 pm GMT.
What is your refund policy?
Level 1 training: Participants may withdraw from the program within seven days after receiving the class access information and receive a 50% refund. After that time, no refunds will be given.
Refund policies for Level 2 & 3 are more complex. See bottom of each program’s page for details:
Level 2 return policy can be found on the bottom of this page.
Level 3 return policy can be found on the bottom of this page.
What is your Covid precautions policy, including testing and quarantining before the event?
To help keep all our participants safe, our policies follow and exceed CDC and local health guidelines, which evolve over time. The trainings are mostly or almost entirely outdoors, with masks optional. Depending on current public health conditions and guidelines at the time of the training, we may spend some time indoors, possibly with masks required.
We require participants to have a negative PCR test 48 hours before they arrive and in that 48 hours before the training, as much as possible quarantine from anyone who might come in contact with others who may be infected. (Planes have shown to be pretty safe due to their filtering). We won’t ask anyone to quarantine once they arrive on site unless they develop Covid symptoms. We may have rapid tests for people to take when they arrive.
To help ensure everyone’s safety, we strongly prefer that all participants be fully vaccinated and boosted. However, we may consider unvaccinated people with special circumstances. Please email arianaca@sbcglobal.net if this is your situation and we will evaluate it.