Business Details
Guided experiences of renewal and belonging with Dr. Heather Burns. Portland, Oregon, USA
Dr. Heather Burns (she/her) has been a scholar and facilitator of eco-spiritual learning for over 20+ years as a university professor and through her business, Alderroot Healing & Renewal. She holds space for transformative learning and healing rooted in relationships and interbeing. She has extensive experience teaching others how to design and facilitate eco-spiritual and sustainability learning, and she is an experienced designer and facilitator of participatory, experiential, contemplative, and transformative learning experiences. Over the years, she has deepened her intuitive facilitation skills through guiding retreats, forest therapy experiences, courses in spirituality and deep ecology, and coaching.
Heather holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership in Sustainability, an MA in Women Studies and Adult Education, and a BA in Psychology. She was the director of the Leadership for Sustainability Education graduate program for many years and has published numerous articles on transformative and eco-spiritual learning. She is the author of the book Transformative Sustainability Pedagogy: Designing and Facilitating Eco-Spiritual Learning.
Heather is also a certified forest therapy guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, a Reiki master, and a certified permaculture designer. Heather believes that we all need mindful support and inclusive spaces of gentle care and guidance as we struggle in these times of climate crisis and crumbling social systems. She knows healing is supported by remembering our connection to the living earth and by truly feeling our sense of belonging in this wise beautiful world. She supports finding renewal and joy in learning to listen to our bodies, and in direct re-connection to our spirits, the more than human world, and each other.
Heather calls Portland, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest her home. She finds joy in her daily contemplative practices, tending her large polyculture garden, forest wandering, and ocean and river swimming. She is also an avid reader, writer, and creative designer of eco-spiritual experiences.
Eco-Spiritual Facilitation Training
Eco-Spiritual Facilitation Training (Virtual+In-person Retreat)
Starts in November 2025! Save your spot.
A five month training for people on a spiritual journey who feel called to guide others. You’ll grow your confidence as a facilitator while exploring your own spirituality and deepening your connection to earth. In today’s world of increasing anxiety and disconnection, we need wise guides who can support healing and well-being on behalf of Life.
This is for you if you want to gain confidence and more tools to pursue your passion as a forest therapy guide (also good for coaches, and other nature-based guides and teachers)
In this training you will gain:
- more capacity to trust yourself and live from your values so that you can guide from a more authentic and confident place
- a toolkit of earth-based practices and rituals that strengthen your connection to earth and spirit and support your personal journey
- and more confidence, clarity, and ease in yourself and in your facilitation style so that you can design and guide meaningful workshops, retreats, and other sacred group experiences.
The Eco-Spiritual Facilitation Training will expand your capacity to trust yourself and to hold space for others with skill and confidence. This training also offers space for your personal well-being through eco-spiritual practices and by being in a supportive community with others who are also exploring their eco-spiritual paths (November 2025- March 2026).
Each month we focus on a specific theme with content that aligns with the season and guides us into deeper knowing and ability in our eco-spiritual facilitation practice. Every month you will receive new facilitation tools, resources, and reflective and contemplative practices to support your learning and add to your toolkit.
Monthly themes include:
Nov: Rooting in relationship and opening to trust
Dec: Cultivating intuition & wisdom
Jan: Discovering confidence & authenticity
Feb: Holding spaciousness & invitation
March: Integrating imagination & reflection- moving forward with intention
Questions? Contact me at heather@alderroothealing.com
