Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT)

Guide Training Immersion 4-Days

USA, Colorado – Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center – October, 2025

An opportunity to connect with other guides from other cohorts and learn from the shared experiences.

If you have completed at least module 4 and submitted the corresponding assignments, of the six-month remote Forest Therapy Guide Training you’re eligible to apply. Completion of this immersion and the six-month training fulfills the requirements for full Certification. When space is available, ANFT-trained guides who have completed training in any past cohort can also participate. Please note that priority goes to students who need to take the immersion to get fully certified. Therefore, when you apply, you’ll be put on a waitlist until three weeks before the start of the immersion.

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.

About the Venue

Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center

1841 Overland Road, Ward, CO, USA

The Ecodharma Center is nestled on 180 acres of private river, meadow, and woodland, adjacent to the National Forest and just a few miles from the Indian Peaks Wilderness. The land is set aside as a nature preserve and is home to an abundance of wildlife, including deer, elk, moose, bear and beaver. There are aspen meadows, pine forests, fresh snow-melt rivers, and fields of wildflowers. The snow-capped Rocky Mountains are visible from the land and the lodge.

Lodging

All participants must stay on-site, no off-site lodging is possible

Prices below include 4 nights of lodging and all meals including dinner on 1st day and lunch on the last day. Please contact Darlene Rooney-Keller at darlroon@gmail.com to make arrangements for accommodations.
Lodging options are:
~Single Rooms: $690.00
~Double Rooms: $450.00 per person. PLEASE NOTE: This price is based on 2 separate people booking this room. There is a $200.00 upgrade fee if the other half is not booked.
~Mini Singles (no window) $575.00
~Glamping: $575.00 Tent with single bed and bedding, small rug, small table, lamp, space heater, luggage stand.
~Space for your Personal Camper Van or RV: $480.00
~Camping (it will be cold at night and you need the right gear):$480.00

Meals

All meals starting with dinner on Wednesday and ending with lunch on Sunday are included in the price. The staff will accommodate gluten-free and vegan requests.

Transportation

The retreat center is at 8941 Overland Road, Ward, CO 80481.
It is 1-1/2 hours from Denver International Airport.
You can take a bus to Boulder from the airport for $10.00 https://app.rtd-denver.com/route/AB1/schedule?serviceType=3&direction=Eastbound&branch= then get an Uber to the venue.
We will provide a Ride Share Document so folks can carpool, rent a car together, or Uber together. Uber is not as reliable in getting you from the venue back to the airport as the venue is out of cell range.

Schedule Details

Arrival

October 8, 2025

Registration 4:00-5:30 PM
Dinner 6:00
Orientation circle 7:30.

Departure

October 12, 2025

After lunch at 1:00 pm, (2 pm latest).

General Notes

CANCELLATION POLICY (FOR VENUE) 

46 days or more before the start of the immersion, you may request a full refund for your accommodations and meals minus a $50.00 administration fee.
45 days or less to the start of the immersion, refunds are no longer possible unless your room reservation is filled. In this case, you may request a full refund minus a $75.00 administration fee.

WIFI and NETWORK

There is no cell service or public internet.

Tuition

The tuition for the four-day immersion is 495 (USD). 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 subject to change.

Training Team

Certification Pathway

STEP 1

6-Month Remote Training

You will start with a 6-month remote training, covering the content on live calls with the support of your trainers, fellow students, a very user friendly learning platform, many self exploration and nature connection activities that are done outside. After completing this training you get a provisional certification as a Certified Forest Therapy Guide. To view the available trainings scroll down

STEP 2

4-Day In-Person Immersion

After completing module 4 you can apply to attend a 4-day in-person immersion, for hands on forest therapy guiding experience with trainers and fellow students. You have two years time to complete this step.

To view the available immersions click HERE

STEP 3

Get Your Certification

After completing the 6-month remote training and the 4-day in- person immersion, you will receive your permanent certification as an ANFT Certified Forest Therapy Guide and be part of the largest Forest Therapy Guide Community Worldwide.

To view the Guide Directory, click HERE
IMPORTANT: Before you apply, please read our Payment, Refund and Transfer Policies.
 
Additional Questions? Check our FAQ section
Scroll to Top