A 4 day in-person gathering, with 1 or 2 trainers, and people from different cohorts where you will have the opportunity to apply what you learned, experience in-person forest therapy walks and simply connect and share experiences and stories with other guides.
In this immersion, you will:
Get a hands on experience of what you learned
Get to know trainers personally
Get to know other guides and connect
Learn from shared experiences with other guides
Deepen into the practice
Get the opportunity to ask specific questions that might come up
Once you complete this four-day immersion, your certification will be moved from provisional to permanent. You have two years after you complete the six month core training course to complete an immersion. It will help to give you a sense of the community of guides that has grown and is active throughout the world.
This is an ASL video by Deaf certified ANFT guide, Summer Crider, explaining the details of this retreat, including some video clips of the Aspen Camp location.
Broughton Sanctuary is situated in the very centre of the UK, in the foothills of The Yorkshire Dales, one of the most picturesque parts of the country and about an hour before you enter into the world famous Lake District.
The 3,000-acre Sanctuary allows you to reconnect with nature and reminds us of the intrinsic connection of all things. From the Fire Temple to the Labyrinth, the Woodland Sauna to the Wild Swimming Pond, there are numerous unique opportunities to allow our outer nature to support our inner nature transformation.
Broughton Hall dates back to 1597 and has been in custodianship of the Tempest family who have been established in the area for close on a 1000 years. The Hall is one of the few exclusive use Historic Houses in the UK and the only one fully dedicated to serving a new way of life. Historic formal gardens studded with statues, ponds, parterres and fountains offering a glimpse of 18th century fashion, are set against contemporary architecture making the location a truly unique experience.
Accommodation is reserved directly with Geeta Stilwell and Liz Dawes by email : broughtonimmersion@gmail.com
The accommodation options include shared and private bedrooms rooms with shared bathrooms/showers in beautiful holiday homes located around the Sanctuary.
WiFi is available in all accommodation options.
Higher Scarcliffe: https://www.broughtonhall.co.uk/holiday-cottages/higher-scarcliffe
Nestled discreetly into the edge of Yorkshire Moorland, this welcoming 3-bedroom holiday home is a 17th century farmhouse within a dramatic and secluded landscape.. -Shared occupancy only: single bed in twin room
Yellison: https://www.broughtonhall.co.uk/holiday-cottages/yellison
Sitting at the edge of an ancient woodland, this former goat farm has been lovingly refurbished into a joyous and friendly 4-bedroom holiday home in a truly enchanting setting.-Shared occupancy only: single bed in twin room
Stable Cottage: https://www.broughtonhall.co.uk/holiday-cottages/stablecottage
Tucked within a corner of the old stables courtyard, this light and airy three bedroom cottage is a welcome retreat within in the heart of the Sanctuary.- Shared (single bed in twin room) or Single occupancy available
Mill Cottage: https://www.broughtonhall.co.uk/holiday-cottages/millcottage
Set within a little courtyard of Estate buildings, Mill Cottage is a unique two bedroom home in a beautifully restored Watermill.- Shared (single bed in twin room) or Single occupancy available
Per Person Accommodation fee (includes lodging/meals)
Prices range from £445-£725 GBP depending on the cottage, single or shared occupancy and includes:
-4 nights’ accommodation: and - all meals starting with dinner on 29th May 2023 and ending with lunch on 2nd June 2023.
Accommodation is reserved directly with Geeta Stilwell and Liz Dawes by email : broughtonimmersion@gmail.com
All meals throughout the immersion are included in the accommodation price above.
A set vegetarian menu will be prepared by on-site chefs and delivered to either Higher Scarcliffe or Yellison for communal dining. For those staying in Stable Cottage or Mill Cottage, transportation to Higher Scarcliffe or Yellison can be arranged.
Arriving at Broughton Sanctuary:
By Air
Leeds Bradford Airport: 40 minutes (24 miles)
Manchester Airport: 1 hour (55 miles)
Liverpool: 1 hour 15 minutes (69 miles)
By Train
The nearest train station is Skipton, (a 5-minute drive).
Trains from London Kings Cross are about three hours (direct and with a single change at Leeds).
By Car
Driving from London takes between 4-5 hours (traffic dependent).
Broughton Sanctuary also offer a full transport concierge service (price on request).
Arrival
Check in is from 4pm to 6.30pm on 29th May 2023.
Dinner on the evening of 29th May is included in the price.
Program begins at 8.30am on 30th May. (Check-in on 30th May is not available)
All attendees are required to stay on-site and accept Broughton Sanctuary’s terms and conditions (made available at time of booking)
Departure
Program ends after lunch at 2pm on 2nd June 2023.
Check out of accommodation by 10am on 2nd June.
After check-out: Baggage will be stored in a secure location until 2pm on 2nd June
Cancellation Policy for Venue
Cancellations 45 days prior to the start date of the event: 50% refund.
Cancellations 30 days or less prior to the start date of the event: no refund.
COVID POLICY
Participants will need to have a negative COVID test before entering the venue premises, within 24 hours of the start of the event. This can be an at-home-test and needs to be sent to Geeta and Liz by email to: broughtonimmersion@gmail.com
The training team will be in touch the month before the immersion to let you know what the specific COVID protocol will be during the immersion. The policy will likely mirror whatever the local policy is at the time of the event. Much of the immersion will take place outside and everyone will have the option to wear a mask whenever they wish to do so. Please be in touch directly with the trainers for this immersion if you have any additional questions.
Accommodation is offered on a first come, first served basis. Last day for booking accommodation is 10th April 2023
The tuition for the four-day immersion is $495. Wait to pay until you are ready to register for a specific immersion. You will have two years from the completion of your core guide training to do the immersion.
Immersion tuition does not include transportation, lodging or camping fees and food. These expenses are separate from the program costs for the four-day immersion and are the responsibility of the trainee.
IMPORTANT: Please wait until you receive enrollment confirmation before booking travel and lodging.
Tuition figures are current as of January 1 2021 and are subject to change.
Geeta is a certified Forest Therapy Guide based in Portugal and the founder of the company Renature where she creates and facilitates restorative programs that promote wellbeing and health through Forest Therapy, nature connection practices, clean eating and self-care. She works all over the world with various populations that range from the general public, corporate senior and junior teams, schools, families, mental health populations and individuals recovering from situations of excess stress and resulting depression and anxiety. Her passion is to bring human beings back to nature and support the reconnection to the restorative potency of the natural world. She is trained in Forest Therapy, Embodied Mindfulness and Conscious Resting, Council and Active Meditation Techniques, and in the field of Healthcare as a Pharmacist. She holds a Masters in Business Management and is fluent in Portuguese, English, Spanish and French.
Leaving her career as a commercial real estate lawyer in 2012 was a huge leap of faith for Liz though one of the best decisions of her life; a career in law was just not for her. She left London and moved to Brighton where she trained to teach mindfulness. Teaching mindfulness courses to individuals and workplace groups was rewarding but she felt something was missing. So for the following 5 years, Liz went on a journey of self investigation, travelling in Nepal and India until a chance meeting with an ANFT Guide introduced her to the practice of forest therapy. During her initial guide training, Liz knew that finally, as a Forest Therapy Guide, she had found her calling. As a Certified Guide and an Apprentice Trainer, Liz guides forest therapy walks and experiences in and around Yorkshire, UK. The walks, nature connection retreats and team-building away-days that Liz offers bring participants into healthier relationship with themselves, with others and with the natural environment.
Dr, Qing Li (MD, PhD) graduated from Shanxi Medical University in China and got a PhD degree from Kagoshima University in Japan. He has studied at Stanford University School of Medicine.
He is a clinical professor at Nippon Medical School, President of the Japanese Society of ForestMedicine, Director of the Forest Therapy Society, Vice-President and Secretary General of International Society of Nature and Forest Medicine (INFOM) (https://www.infom.org).
Prof. Li is the world’s foremost expert in forest medicine and immunology. He has received Society ward from the Japanese Society for Hygiene in Forest Medicine in 2022 and University Award from Nippon Medical School in Forest Medicine in 2011 (https://researchmap.jp/read0045249?lang=en)
Some people study medicine. Some people study forest. Dr. Li studies forest medicine to find out all the ways in which walking in the forest can improve our well-being. He started the forest medicine research (Shinrin-yoku/Forest bathing/Forest therapy) from 2004 and has published many articles in scientific journals and books in forest medicine.
His book: Shinrin-yoku (https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/308285/shinrin-yoku/9780241984857.html) has been translated into 26 languages.
His book: Forest bathing (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/579709/forest-bathing-by-dr-qing-li/) was ranked in the bestseller list in the US in 2018.
Susan Abookire, BSEE, MD, MPH, FACP, is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School, a practicing Internist, and a senior executive with 20 years’ experience leading healthcare organizations. She has served as Chief Medical Officer, System Chief Quality Officer, and Chair of Quality and Patient Safety. Dr. Abookire began her career as an electrical engineer in aviation systems. She has taught nationally and internationally on patient safety, high reliability, systems design, and the health benefits of nature. Dr. Abookire also enjoys being a Forest Therapy guide and incorporates Forest Therapy into medical curricula.
Dr. Robert Zarr is a physician researcher and public health pediatrician based at Unity Health Care, Inc. and Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Canada. He has provided medical care to minority and immigrant populations for more than 20 years.
A longtime advocate for Medicare for All, Dr. Zarr served as PNHP president from 2015 through 2016. He founded and was the first medical director of Park Rx America, a community health initiative to prescribe nature to patients and families to prevent and treat chronic disease and promote wellness. A certified nature and forest therapy guide by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, Dr. Zarr previously served as the Park Rx Advisor to the National Park Service in his national advocacy to connect patients to parks.
Dr. Zarr earned his medical degree at Baylor University and his MPH at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, and completed residency in pediatrics at Texas Children’s Hospital/Baylor.
Summer , as a certified Nature and Forest Therapy guide, works in partnership with Nature to provide opportunities to help humans re-connect with the Earth and themselves. Born and raised in the cypress swamp of North Florida, Summer has navigated through various life experiences as a human being who happens to be deaf. After getting their degrees in Expressive Art Therapy and Deaf Cultural Studies, and certified in American Sign Language, Summer taught ASL, Spanish, and Deaf Culture in various high schools and colleges/universities for 15+ years. They also established a media consulting business, making educational films accessible to the sign language community.After they experienced some challenges with severe anxiety, Summer found Mother Nature calling them back home. Summer decided to study Nature and Forest Therapy through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy and eventually found a new purpose- assisting humans from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and languages to rediscover their connection with the Natural world through the healing practice of forest bathing.
Summer , as a certified Nature and Forest Therapy guide, works in partnership with Nature to provide opportunities to help humans re-connect with the Earth and themselves. Born and raised in the cypress swamp of North Florida, Summer has navigated through various life experiences as a human being who happens to be deaf. After getting their degrees in Expressive Art Therapy and Deaf Cultural Studies, and certified in American Sign Language, Summer taught ASL, Spanish, and Deaf Culture in various high schools and colleges/universities for 15+ years. They also established a media consulting business, making educational films accessible to the sign language community.After they experienced some challenges with severe anxiety, Summer found Mother Nature calling them back home. Summer decided to study Nature and Forest Therapy through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy and eventually found a new purpose- assisting humans from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and languages to rediscover their connection with the Natural world through the healing practice of forest bathing.
Summer , as a certified Nature and Forest Therapy guide, works in partnership with Nature to provide opportunities to help humans re-connect with the Earth and themselves.
Born and raised in the cypress swamp of North Florida, Summer has navigated through various life experiences as a human being who happens to be deaf. After getting their degrees in Expressive Art Therapy and Deaf Cultural Studies, and certified in American Sign Language, Summer taught ASL, Spanish, and Deaf Culture in various high schools and colleges/universities for 15+ years. They also established a media consulting business, making educational films accessible to the sign language community.
After they experienced some challenges with severe anxiety, Summer found Mother Nature calling them back home. Summer decided to study Nature and Forest Therapy through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy and eventually found a new purpose- assisting humans from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and languages to rediscover their connection with the Natural world through the healing practice of forest bathing.
Tamberly Kerr - Conway - PhD
Tamberly serves as an ANFT Certified Guide and ANFT Certified Forest Therapy Trail Consultant. Tamberly holds an MS and PhD in Forestry, with a focus upon Human Dimensions in Natural Resources, focusing upon diversity engagement, health and nature connections, forest health/human health relationships, and community empowerment in conservation.
Tahia Devischer - PhD
Tahia is a research and teaching fellow at the University of British Columbia. She holds a PhD in ecosystems science from the University of Oxford, and is a certified forest therapy guide with ANFT. She works at the nexus of urban forests, human well-being and climate resilience.
Tamberly Kerr - Conway - PhD
Tamberly serves as an ANFT Certified Guide and ANFT Certified Forest Therapy Trail Consultant. Tamberly holds an MS and PhD in Forestry, with a focus upon Human Dimensions in Natural Resources, focusing upon diversity engagement, health and nature connections, forest health/human health relationships, and community empowerment in conservation.
Tahia Devischer - PhD
Tahia is a research and teaching fellow at the University of British Columbia. She holds a PhD in ecosystems science from the University of Oxford, and is a certified forest therapy guide with ANFT. She works at the nexus of urban forests, human well-being and climate resilience.
Tamberly Kerr - Conway - PhD
Tamberly serves as an ANFT Certified Guide and ANFT Certified Forest Therapy Trail Consultant. Tamberly holds an MS and PhD in Forestry, with a focus upon Human Dimensions in Natural Resources, focusing upon diversity engagement, health and nature connections, forest health/human health relationships, and community empowerment in conservation.
Tahia Devischer - PhD
Tahia is a research and teaching fellow at the University of British Columbia. She holds a PhD in ecosystems science from the University of Oxford, and is a certified forest therapy guide with ANFT. She works at the nexus of urban forests, human well-being and climate resilience.
Tamberly Kerr - Conway - PhD
Tamberly serves as an ANFT Certified Guide and ANFT Certified Forest Therapy Trail Consultant. Tamberly holds an MS and PhD in Forestry, with a focus upon Human Dimensions in Natural Resources, focusing upon diversity engagement, health and nature connections, forest health/human health relationships, and community empowerment in conservation.
Tahia Devischer - PhD
Tahia is a research and teaching fellow at the University of British Columbia. She holds a PhD in ecosystems science from the University of Oxford, and is a certified forest therapy guide with ANFT. She works at the nexus of urban forests, human well-being and climate resilience.
Our Mission: Support planetary health by nurturing heart-centered relationships between all peoples and the More-Than-Human World of Nature.
