The Mindful Somatic Ecotherapy Training program is a comprehensive 11-day course aimed at professionals in supportive roles or those who aspire to be in supportive roles. Our goal is to equip participants with the skills to conduct mindful somatic ecotherapy sessions outdoors.
The training is structured around the four therapeutic stages and weaves throughout it the three stages of traditional Rites of Passage in relation to the Four Shields. We draw from a variety of modalities including Mindfulness, Ecotherapy, Somatic Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Nonviolent Communication, Creative Arts Therapy, and Hakomi. This transformative journey invites you to deepen your connection with nature while enhancing your therapeutic practice.
Engage with a community of like-minded individuals and explore the profound healing potential of the natural world. Each day is designed to foster personal growth and professional development, ensuring that you leave with not only knowledge but also practical skills that can be applied in your work and life. Join us in this unique experience that blends ancient wisdom with modern therapeutic practices, and discover the power of mindful somatic ecotherapy.
The nature based approach in this training is deeply rooted in a rich tapestry of wisdom from remarkable figures such as Dave Talamo of Wilderness Reflections, Jonathan Gustin from The Soul Purpose Institute, Steve Foster and Meredith Little of the School of Lost Borders, Marshall Rosenberg, the visionary founder of Nonviolent Communication, SN Goenka in Vipassana Meditation, and Jon Young, a masterful storyteller and tracker and Bill Plotkin from the Animus Valley Institute.
Module 1: Basecamp (Creating Alliance and Trust)
The Basecamp module is dedicated to fostering deep, trusting, and secure relationships between our clients and the natural world, as well as with ourselves. We achieve this through the practice of somatic nature awareness skills, therapeutic language, and the nurturing of a loving presence.
Basecamp invites both our clients and ourselves to engage in a safe and enriching connection with nature, guiding them toward a more nurturing relationship with the environment and themselves.
Module 2: The Foothills (Supporting Resilience and Resourcing)
The Foothills is dedicated to equipping our clients as they journey into their internal wilderness with a strong sense of security and trust. As their guides, we aspire to ensure that together—our clients, ourselves, and the collective wisdom we share—we possess all the essentials in our backpacks to explore the inner wilderness, navigate the unknown, and venture into uncharted territory with intention and choice.
Module 3: Into the Wilderness Therapeutic Processing
The Wilderness module fosters the development of the essential skills and artistry needed to safely, therapeutically, somatically, and mindfully guide individuals through the vital journey of exploration, acknowledgment, and healing of the wounds, grief, and impacts shaped by life’s experiences.
In the wilderness, we assist our clients in engaging mindfully and somatically with the unknown, the mysteries, the often painful memories, and the pathways where they may have lost their direction. As Ecotherapists, we draw upon the groundwork we have laid in the foothills, to facilitate a transformative therapeutic experience during these critical threshold moments.
Module 4: Back to Basecamp (Integration and Meaning)
Back to Basecamp is dedicated to cultivating and enhancing the art that intricately weaves a transformative integration of our clients’ often challenging and therapeutic journeys. In this module, we learn to guide them on a grounded and actionable path toward healing, integration, wholeness, courage, and growth.
This in turn fosters a deep remembrance of the regenerative, resourcing and wisdom inherent in both their wild hearts and the wild heart of the land.
Meet the Team
Toni Mcerlane
Facilitator – Somatic Ecotherapist, Counselor, Mediator, Nonviolent Communication Facilitator
Tim Heekamp
Facilitator – Psychologist and Ecotherapist
Mel Auld
Assistant – Ecotherapist and Life Coach
Holly Bracknall
Assistant – Ecotherapist, Rites of Passage Guide, Counselor in Training
Course Logistics
Dates:
2-12 March, 2025
Location:
Kauaeranga Outdoor Education Centre
Thames, New Zealand
Investment:
$2,950 NZD
For more information:
https://restorativerelationships.co.nz/mindful-somatic-ecotherapy-professional-training/
