Become an FTHub Certified
Forest Bathing Guide
From curious to certified
The FTHub Forest Bathing Guide program is FTHub’s signature certification. Over 12 weeks of training (with 24 weeks of full access), you develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to design and facilitate professional Forest Bathing sessions and workshops, grounded in science, refined through practice, and recognized worldwide.
This is not an introductory course. It is a comprehensive professional training that prepares you to work with individuals and groups in diverse natural settings, manage risk, and build a sustainable practice.
1.460 €
Payment in 3 installments available
- In English
- 12-weeks training · 24-weeks access
- 12 hours of video + 70 on-demand videos
- Live online classes, mentoring & walks
- Hub Seedlings Pro Annual membership included
- No prerequisites
- EUR 100 | USD 110 discount for FTHub Nature Connection Specialist graduates
Watch
Program Overview
FTHub Certified Forest Bathing Guide
Who Is This For?
Who is this training for?
No prior experience needed. Open to all backgrounds and professions.
Aspiring Forest Bathing Guides ready for professional certification.
Educators and facilitators seeking structured nature-based skills.
Health professionals (psychologists, therapists, nurses, physicians) integrating nature into their practice.
Nature Connection Specialist graduates advancing to the next level
Level 1 FTHub Nature Connection Specialist training is optional; you can enroll in the Level 2 FTHub Forest Bathing Guide training directly.
Environmental and ecotourism professionals expanding their services.
Career changers building a new professional identity.
Curriculum
What you will learn
Six core areas of professional competence.
Session Design & Facilitation
How to design complete Forest Bathing sessions with a clear arc: opening, sensory activities, solo time, sharing, and closing. You learn to adapt sessions to different environments, group sizes, and participant needs.
Sensory Activities
The core facilitation technique of Forest Bathing. You develop a repertoire of guided prompts that engage all senses and deepen participants’ connection with nature.
The Science of Nature and Health
The physiological, psychological, and neurological evidence behind Forest Bathing. You learn what the research shows, how to communicate it to participants and stakeholders, and how to position your practice as evidence-based.
Group Facilitation & Psychological Safety
How to create safe, inclusive spaces for diverse groups. Group dynamics, trauma-informed practice, managing difficult situations, and the ethics of holding space for others’ experiences in nature.
Risk Assessment & Safety
Comprehensive frameworks for physical risk assessment, environmental hazards, weather protocols, first aid considerations, and liability. Safety is not an afterthought; it is woven into every module.
The FTHub Method and the LIM
The evidence-based methodology that underpins all FTHub certifications. You learn the FTHub Method, the Liquid Interactions Model (LIM), and how to apply them in your own context, designing sessions grounded in the Walk Activities Sequence and Nature Connection Activities.
PROGRAM Outline
Full program outline
The FTHub Forest Bathing Guide program is structured in modules that combine self-paced learning, live online sessions, and practical assignments.
Click the tab below for the complete program structure.
Modules 1 – 10 | Full content outline
Module 1 – FTHub Conceptual Framework
- Principles of health and their practical application.
- Planetary Health: principles of health and its contributing factors.
Module 2 – Knowledge to Design Nature Experiences
- Path selection criteria in diverse natural environments, such as marine environments, rivers, forests, deserts, and urban parks.
- Risk analysis to create a safe environment for the participants.
Module 3 – Skills and Techniques to Guide Nature Experiences
- Group management techniques and facilitation of dynamics that support the experience of the participants.
- Methods and skills to communicate effectively with the participants.
Module 4 – Relation Between Nature and Humans
- Somatic components of connection.
- Practical skills for an optimal bodily experience of connection with the environment.
Module 5 – FTHub Method: Sequences
- Theoretical framework of the FTHub Walk Activities Sequences.
- FTHub Walk Activities Sequences.
Module 6 – FTHub Method: Liquid Interactions Model
- The Liquid Interactions Model: theoretical inspiration.
- The Liquid Interactions Model: structure, science, and themes to design nature connection activities.
- From theory and science to practice: how to apply the theoretical foundations to the design of nature-based activities.
Module 7 – Nature-Based Well-being Plan, Social Prescribing and Green Prescription
- Conceptualize and design Nature-Based Well-being Plans.
- Integrate health and well-being practices under social prescribing and nature prescription.
Module 8 – Theories, Science, and Scientific Research
- Fundamentals of Forest Medicine: practical integration of the main benefits of nature in human health.
- Scientific foundations and techniques to enhance your nature connectedness and support that of your participants.
Module 9 – Expressive Arts in Nature and Skills to Integrate Nature-Based Well-being Practices into Professional Contexts
- Expressive arts: practical application in Forest Bathing.
- Fundamental elements of organizational and emotional well-being nature-based experiences.
Module 10 – Skills for Selecting Healthy Spaces: urban parks, green and aquatic environments
- Knowledge about ecosystems and diversity, and their impact on well-being.
Schedule
Start when you’re ready. Shape your own calendar.
There are no fixed start or end dates. Each month, a new cycle of live classes begins.
You design your own training calendar. Just select the days and times for live online classes and group dynamics with trainers that suit your availability. You can access the full course content for 24 weeks from your start date.
This means you can enroll today and begin on the date of your choice, fitting professional training around your life, not the other way around.
The same content is offered 2 to 3 times per week at different times. The group dynamics are always different. You can attend the same content session several times, with different trainers with specific backgrounds, enriching your training.
Click on each tab to view the complete schedules.
LIVE ONLINE CLASSES with international trainers and experts
Sessions last 30 minutes.
3 weekly reference schedules are available: Tuesdays at 4 pm PT, Wednesdays at 10 am ET, and Thursdays at 6 pm CET. You can attend any session on any schedule.
During the 24 weeks of access, you can attend up to 6 times per session with different trainers.
See below how the 3 available reference schedules play out in a selection of different time zones.
Schedules in other time zones may vary slightly throughout the year due to Daylight Saving Time adjustments. You can convert the reference schedule to your time zone for any given date using an online time zone converter.
MENTORING SESSIONS with group dynamics and live online discussions with trainers
Sessions last 30 minutes.
6 weekly reference schedules are available: Mondays and Tuesdays at 2 pm CET; Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 4 pm PT; and Saturdays at 2 pm CET. You can attend any session on any schedule.
We recommend attending at least 8 sessions.
See below how the 6 available reference schedules play out in a selection of different time zones.
Schedules in other time zones may vary slightly throughout the year due to Daylight Saving Time adjustments. You can convert the reference schedule to your time zone for any given date using an online time zone converter.
FOREST BATHING WALKS live online guided by FTHub trainers
Sessions last 90 minutes: a 1-hour Forest Bathing Walk followed by a 30-minute mentoring session.
4 reference schedules are available: every Saturday at 10 am CST, 9 am CET, 10 am ET, and 9 am PT. You can attend any session on any schedule.
We recommend participating in at least 3 walks.
See below how the 4 available reference schedules play out in a selection of different time zones.
Schedules in other time zones may vary slightly throughout the year due to Daylight Saving Time adjustments. You can convert the reference schedule to your time zone for any given date using an online time zone converter.
PROGRAM DETAILS
What to expect
Format
100% live online with guided modules, live online classes, mentoring sessions, and supervised practice
Duration
12 weeks, estimated to complete the training
Access period
24 weeks of full access to the learning platform, including all live sessions, content, and downloads
Certificate
FTHub Certified Forest Bathing Guide
Included
Hub Seedlings Pro Annual membership
Directory listing, professional tools, network, and priority FTI Lab access
Prerequisites
None: open to all backgrounds
Prior Level 1 training as an FTHub Nature Connection Specialist is optional
In-person format also available
Check FTHub Spring School locations here.
Lab Connection
Priority consideration for FTI Lab research projects and early access to findings
Price
1.460 €
+ Flexible payment plans available
+ FTHub Nature Connection Specialist graduates receive a EUR 100 | USD 110 discount
Next Step
Level 3: FTHub Forest Therapy Practitioner.
Advance by just paying the difference between programs
What's Included
What you receive
Everything is included in your enrollment from day one.
- Training Modules
- 10 training modules of 4 units each, combining theoretical content with practical experiences
- Video Content
- 12 hours of pre-recorded training videos by trainers and experts + 70 on-demand videos
- Live Online Classes
- 12 sessions of live online classes with international trainers and experts (30 min each)
- 3 weekly schedules available (Tue, Wed, Thu)
- During the 24 weeks of access, attend up to 6 times per session with different trainers
- Mentoring Sessions
- 48 mentoring sessions with group dynamics and live online discussions with trainers (30 min each)
- 6 weekly schedules available (Mon–Sat)
- Recommended minimum: 8 sessions
- Forest Bathing Walks
- 12 Forest Bathing Walks live online guided by FTHub trainers (90 min each: 1-hour walk + 30-min mentoring)
- Saturday schedules available
- Recommended minimum: 3 sessions
- Expert Lectures
- Access to lectures led by renowned international experts on specific topics related to nature, health, and well-being
- Chat with Trainers
- Direct chat access with trainers throughout the program
- Practice & Exercises
- Self-guided practical exercises and tasks that serve as learning assessments and for integration into professional practice and reflective professional development
- Downloadable Materials
- Comprehensive downloadable materials, including intervention program templates and examples, safety checklists, facilitation guides, and factsheets for activities with children, adolescents, adults, and specific populations
- Scientific References
- A bibliography with more than 300 references and scientific articles on which the training is based
- 📜 Certification Requirements
- Complete the practice assessment exercises
- Guide two Forest Bathing Walks
- Design a Nature-Based Well-being Plan
- Additional Requirements
- Certification in “First Aid” (or “Wilderness First Aid”)
- Certification in “Mental Health First Aid”
- These certifications are not provided by the FTHub and are not included in the training fee. They can be completed during the program.
The Team
Trainers & Experts
Bring out your best with an interdisciplinary and multicultural team of the most experienced trainers and leading international experts in specific areas of knowledge.
Erika DiPasquale
Hub Seedlings Director
USA
Jessica Kanya
Trainer
USA
Susan Andrien
Trainer
USA
Nevin Harper
PhD | RCC | Nature-based Therapist
Canada
Betty Fang
Capacity Building & Content Manager
Singapore/China
Inga Dreimane
Project Manager
Latvia
Marta Grabowska
Trainer
Poland
Alex Gesse
Executive Director
Spain
Rocío Ferraro
Trainer
Argentina
Pedro Trindade
Trainer
Portugal
Manuela Renzi
Training and Capacity Building Director
Italy
Pietro Ostano
Trainer
Italy
Alice Zambon
Trainer
Austria
Rita Nunes da Ponte
B.A. ChemE | Art-Psychotherapist
Portugal
Lecturers
Access exclusive masterclasses led by renowned international experts covering nature, health, and well-being.
Dr Kirsten McEwan
PhD Psych | Research Psychologist, Univ. of Derby
United Kingdom
Nevin Harper
PhD | RCC | Nature-based Therapist
Canada
Lis Leão
PhD | Senior Researcher | Full Prof. Health Sci. | Hosp. Israelita A. Einstein
Brazil
Carlos A. Faerron
Assoc. Dir. Planetary Health Alliance
Costa Rica
Changed
your mind?
Switch to an FTHub Spring School or FTHub Forest Therapy Practitioner training at any time.
Already enrolled in the FTHub Forest Bathing Guide online program and want to switch to a fully immersive in-person FTHub Spring School training? You can transfer at any time by paying a reduced fee. Or are you ready to advance directly to the Level 3 FTHub Forest Therapy Practitioner training? You can upgrade at any time just by paying the difference.
After Certification
What happens after certification?
Upon completing the FTHub Forest Bathing Guide program, you become an FTHub Certified Forest Bathing Guide, equipped to design, deliver, and market your own sessions. But certification is not the end. It is the beginning of your professional life inside the FTHub ecosystem:
Global Directory Listing
Your enhanced listing appears in the Hub Seedlings Global Network directory, searchable by location, specialization, and certification level
Professional Tools
You gain access to professional tools: session templates, checklists, marketing materials, and evaluation forms
Monthly Peer Supervision
You join monthly live peer supervision with fellow guides and FTHub trainers
FTI Lab Access
You are eligible for FTI Lab research projects and fieldwork
Advance to Level 3
You can progress to the FTHub Level 3 Forest Therapy Practitioner program for advanced practice, just by paying the difference.
WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY
Real practitioners. Real outcomes.
Reviews from FTHub Certified Forest Bathing Guides worldwide.
Kate Fung
Social worker with experience in working with children, youth, and their families • Shenzhen (China)
Mary Beth Lardizabal
Psychiatrist. Board-certified in adult psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, and addiction psychiatry, and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association • Minnetonka (USA)
Julie Fox
Founder of FeelMoreConnected.com • UK
Trees de Bruyne
FTHub Certified Forest Bathing Guide • Belgium
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to become an FTHub Forest Bathing Guide?
FTHub’s Forest Bathing Guide program consists of 12 weeks of training with 24 weeks of full access. There are no fixed start dates. You can enroll and begin at any time. It is available 100% online or through immersive, intensive in-person FTHub Spring Schools. The program covers Forest Bathing session design, sensory invitations, nature-health science, group facilitation, risk assessment, and the FTHub Method. Upon completion, graduates receive a certificate and a free membership to Hub Seedlings Pro Annual.
What can I do with an FTHub Forest Bathing Guide certification?
FTHub Certified Forest Bathing Guides lead Forest Bathing sessions for individuals and groups in diverse settings: public sessions, corporate well-being programs, healthcare contexts, educational environments, and ecotourism. Graduates are listed in the FTHub Global Directory and gain access to professional tools, peer supervision, and research opportunities through the FTHub ecosystem.
