About the Program
About the Training
Course Overview
Through interactive discussions, case studies, and experiential exercises, therapists will gain a deeper understanding of how to leverage nature's innate healing qualities to support their clients on their path to healing. Join us as we discover together the profound impact of nature in therapeutic work and unlock new avenues for transformation and renewal in client care.
Key Learning Objectives
Grasp ecopsychology and biophilia's role in grief counseling.
Discover the therapeutic benefits of nature in grief sessions.
Master nature-based interventions for grief.
Conduct nature-based assessments to customize interventions.
Course Format and Teaching Methods
Live Interactive Sessions: Conducted in a live, online format to facilitate real-time interaction and learning.
Diverse Learning Approaches: Incorporating lectures, partner dialogues, and small group discussions.
Experiential Learning: Engage in nature-based experiential activities such as nature walks and outdoor mindfulness practices to personally connect with the healing power of nature and gain insight into its potential impact on the grieving process.
Hands-On Activities: Role-plays, case write-ups, and collaborative group projects to practice and refine counseling skills.
Who Should Attend
This course is ideal for helping and healing professionals such as counselors, nurses, social workers, health coaches, educators, and pastoral care providers looking to enrich their practice with nature-based approaches to grief counseling. It's also beneficial for those interested in understanding the dynamic interplay between nature, grief, and healing processes.
Course Agenda:
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM: Registration and Introduction
Registration: Participants log in
Welcome, and Course Overview: Introduction to the course, instructor, and participants.
Icebreaker Activity: Brief interactive session to get to know each other.
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Foundations of Grief Counseling
Lecture: Overview of death & dying 7 principles of the Human Grief Response, and Attachment Theory (Bowlby).
Discussion: How these principles and theories inform grief counseling practices.
Experiential Exercise: Ten Loves in Nature
11:00 AM - 11:10 AM: Break
11:10 AM - 12:30 PM: Theories and Models of Grief
Lecture: Introduction to the Five Stages of Loss (Kübler-Ross) and Four Tasks of Mourning (Worden).
Experiential Exercise: Loss History Graph & Nature Genogram
Partner Dialogues: Small group discussions on personal and professional experiences with these models
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch Break
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM: Integrating Nature into Grief Counseling
Lecture: Therapeutic benefits of nature and methods for integrating nature into grief counseling.
Case Studies: Examples of successful nature-based interventions.
Experiential Activity: Grief Ritual
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM: Tools and Techniques for the Road to Healing
Lecture: Tools and techniques for facilitating the healing process.
Demonstration: FishBowl
Experiential Nature Session: Tree Activity
3:50 PM - 4:00 PM: Break
4:00 PM - 4:30 PM: Meaning Making & Post Loss Identity
Experiential Activity: Trifold Art
Group Sharing: Share reflections and discuss the potential impact on clients.
4:30 PM Summary & Closing
Your Instructor
Heidi Schreiber-Pan, Ph.D. LCPC, CNIT
Heidi Schreiber-Pan, Ph.D., LCPC, is a successful psychotherapist, the Executive Director of Chesapeake Mental Health Collaborative and founder of Center for Nature Informed Therapy, a sought-after international speaker and trainer. She is also the author of the popular book Taming the Anxious Mind – A Guidebook to Relieve Stress & Anxiety.
