June 2nd to June 6th, 2023


This Immersion welcomes and is open to all trained Forest Therapy Guides as well as Forest Therapy enthusiasts. It is a unique opportunity for experienced guides to deepen their practice and renew their inspiration about this work and for newly trained guides to consolidate their skills and learn from other guides. For Forest Therapy enthusiasts it is an opportunity to immerse yourselves in this practice and the philosophy it offers. 


Are you looking to spend time in nature with a group of like-minded and like-hearted human beings immersing yourself in the practice of Forest Therapy? Then, this Professional Development Immersion is for you!





A welcome from Liz Dawes and a sneak peek of Broughton Sanctuary


A welcome from Geeta Stilwell and a sneak peek of the content of the gathering

This Professional Development Immersion is inspired and mirrors the journey of a Forest Therapy Walk experience and philosophy. Our intention is to create a space for sensory connection, slowing down, and deepening our relationships with ourselves, each other, and the More than Human World.

This program is designed to take trained guides deeper into their practice, skills, and techniques. For enthusiasts, this will be an inspirational window into the world of Forest Therapy and into themselves, learning skills for their everyday life. This program will be a unique opportunity for restorative time in nature for both trained guides and enthusiasts.  

We will be exploring Embodiment as a resource for presence, spontaneity, and authentic communication and a fundamental skill for building a safe container for both guide and participants. We will deepen our understanding of the Way of the Guide by working through our edges through honest inquiry, mirroring, and a more profound understanding of our own archetypal journeys. We will deepen our understanding of the nuances of the Language of Invitation and the skill of catching and crafting invitations. We will have a Business Development Session where we will all learn from each other based on our experiences and challenges in setting up our businesses. Adding to this professional and personal development element of our program we will have time for woodland saunas, nature wild swimming, a foraging walk, and a fire ceremony.


Program

 

Forest Therapy Walks with ANFT Trainers

Embodiment: Cultivating Presence and Authenticity

Way of the Guide: A Journey into Ourselves

Language of Invitation: Its Nuances and Opportunities

Deep Listening: To ourselves, each other, and the More than Human World

Business Aspects of Forest Therapy

Fire Ceremony 

Woodland Sauna*

Foraging Walk*

Wild Swimming in Nature

Celebration Dinner

  • Subject to group booking at an extra cost

Detailed Schedule

Geeta and Liz will create and hold a space in partnership with the land so that we can take a deep dive into our hearts in a gentle and light-hearted way. There will be experiential sessions, learning workshops, lots of fun and celebration, and ample time in nature. Our unique nature and the nature of the More than Human world. 


About Broughton Hall Sanctuary

Broughton Sanctuary is situated in the very center 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 the custodianship of the Tempest family which has been established in the area for close to 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.


Where to Stay?

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://broughtonsanctuary.co.uk/holiday-home/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 a twin room

Yellison:  https://broughtonsanctuary.co.uk/holiday-home/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 a twin room

Stable Cottage: https://broughtonsanctuary.co.uk/holiday-home/stable-cottage/

‍Tucked within a corner of the old stables courtyard, this light and airy three-bedroom cottage is a welcome retreat within the heart of the Sanctuary.- 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 2nd June 2023 and ending with lunch on 6th  June 2023. 

Accommodation is reserved directly with Geeta Stilwell and Liz Dawes by email: broughtonimmersion@gmail.com

MEALS
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, transportation to Higher Scarcliffe or Yellison can be arranged.




Facilitators

Mentor, Trainer

Geeta Stilwell

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.

apprentice trainer / extension coach

Liz Dawes

Liz Dawes is the in-house Forest Therapy Guide at Avalon Wellbeing, Broughton Sanctuary, UK where she offers a range of experiences which encourage greater intimacy between humans and the natural world. From forest bathing walks, heat and ice experiences and rewilding tours to nature-based retreats for corporate, public and private groups, Liz is strongly of the belief that now is the time to reinvent how we live on Earth and with each other. As a former corporate lawyer, Liz changed track in 2012 and after a significant period of self-investigation and adventure in India, her passion now lays in supporting people to reclaim and embody their original wholeness and inherent kinship with nature, all its species and all its inhabitants.

FAQ

  • Do I have to be certified by the ANFT in order to attend this gathering?

    No, we welcome any certified forest therapy guide, certified by the ANFT or any other school.

  • Can I participate in this Immersion if I am not a trained Forest Therapy Guide?

    Yes. This immersion is open to trained Forest Therapy guides and to Forest therapy enthusiasts.

  • Does attending this gathering replace the required 4-day in-person immersion to become fully certified as a guide?

    No, this is not a certification immersion. This annual event welcomes forest therapy guides for a 4-day adventure of exploration, learning, and community building. Perfect for seasoned guides looking to renew their inspiration or recent graduates looking to deepen their practice.

  • What can I expect from this gathering?

    This gathering is a combination of learning, fun, relaxing time and lots of connection with humans and more than humans

  • Am I required to stay onsite?

    Yes. The container for this work is stronger if we all stay together and don't have people coming and going.

  • Is this event catered?

    Yes. The price of the accommodation includes all meals starting with dinner on the 2nd of June, breakfast, lunch and dinner from the 3rd to the 5th of June and ending with lunch on the 6th of June.

Pricing options