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?

No. People from all walks of life and professional backgrounds who are called to bring the healing power of nature into their lives and work participate in EBI trainings. Our students include therapists, educators, holistic healers, coaches, wellness practitioners, spiritual directors and many other professions. Our training will not qualify you to practice psychotherapy or to be a counselor, but it will give you healing tools that you can integrate with your current skills.

What is the difference between "certificate" and "certification" for Ecotherapy?

If you complete our Level 1 or Level 2 training, you will receive a certificate. If you complete Levels 1-3 you will receive an Ecotherapy certification, which is the highest level of qualification we convey. Certifications are widely viewed as a more significant level of achievement than certificates.

What’s the difference between Levels 1 through 3 Ecotherapy trainings?

Level 1 Professional Online Ecotherapy Certificate Course is a dynamic, interactive forum that provides foundational concepts, skills and practice in the field of Ecotherapy. You will learn clinical, Earth-based practices to enrich your professional work with individuals and groups with the support of an Earth-honoring cohort. 

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?

At this time, there are no national or international boards of certification in Ecotherapy, but our 100-hour certification program is consistent with the standards of the field in terms of both hours and content. We are accredited to offer Continued Education by the American Psychological Association, and some Europeans have been able to receive CE’s for participation in our trainings. You can scroll to the end of our Online Ecotherapy page for more information.

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. We do offer an Equity and Support payment tier to take into account positionality and need.

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.

Do you offer work study scholarships?

While Earthbody previously offered work study scholarships, we no longer offer them at this time. We would however encourage you to consider our tiered payment system. The Equity and Support tier takes into account identity (LGBTQI2S+ and BIPOC individuals), and/or need. This tier is $400 off of the standard rate. Students can sign up for Equity and support rates through all three levels of the program. We also offer payment plans to make it more accessible, and can make a custom payment plan if you need to spread out the payments. There are typically a limited number of Equity and Support placements we offer, per class. So the earlier you enroll the better.

Is there a scholarship for all three Ecotherapy levels or for the entire Ecotherapy Certification process?

While we don’t offer scholarships any longer, we do have a tiered payment system, and the Equity and Support tier takes into account identity (LGBTQI2S+ and BIPOC individuals), and/or need. This tier is $400 off of the standard rate. Students can sign up for Equity and support rates through all three levels of the program. We also offer payment plans to make it more accessible, and can make a custom payment plan if you need to spread out the payments. There are typically a limited number of Equity and Support placements we offer, per class. So the earlier you enroll the better.

How many hours a week is the commitment for the Level 1 training?

The amount of hours for the Level 1 training depends on your self-pacing and how much time you take with readings and assignments. However, estimate spending 6-8 hours per week: the live class (2 hours), recorded materials (1 hour), reading and commenting on materials (2-3 hours), nature practices and assignments (1-2 hours), and buddy-time (1 hour).

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 policy around Covid precautions for in-person trainings?

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 ask that people that have tested positive for Covid, or are having symptoms stay home.