What you will be able to do

What this course guides you to be able to do confidently

  • Prepare participants and yourself for a walk in the cold

  • Tend a fire and work with warmth as part of the experience

  • Offer winter invitations across all three phases of the Forest Therapy Journey

  • Bring nature into your own work with somatics with a clear understanding

Price

Secure checkout. Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal accepted, in USD.

Instructor

Mentor, Trainer

Stana Luxford Oddie

Stana is an ANFT-certified Guide (2016) and Trainer (2018) based in Canada, now in her twenty-third year as Senior Conservation Educator for Cataraqui Conservation—the first conservation authority in Ontario to offer Forest Therapy. Inspired by Earth Education, Coyote's Guide to Nature Connection, and the Forest Schools movement, she facilitates nature connection experiences touching head, heart, and hands for all ages, including elementary and secondary students, both in-person and remotely. Stana holds a BA from the University of Waterloo (Honours in History, English and Geography) and a Bachelor of Education from Queen's University's Outdoor and Experiential Education Program. A certified OCT teacher, she spends much of her time on the land with her dog, son, partner, mother, and friends, deepening her mindfulness and embodiment practices.
  • Woman in a snow covered forest in winter
  • Person walking down a trail on a sunny day

What to Expect

What taking this course will actually be like

  • Four Modules, Self-Paced

    A preparatory module followed by the three phases of the ANFT Forest Therapy Journey, each through a cold weather lens. No cohorts, no live sessions, no set start date.

  • Filmed Outside, in Winter

    Short videos of real invitations offered in real cold — fire, lanterns, snow, warm rocks, tea in the dark — alongside Hot Tips for Cold Weather in every module.

  • Estimated Time Investment

    Around two hours per module, more or less. That depends on your learning style and how much cold weather guiding you've already done — stretch it or shorten it as serves you.

Course Curriculum

What you will learn as you move through the course

Module 1 — Preparations for Guiding in Winter & Cold Weather

You'll start with what happens before anyone arrives: the logistics of having a fire, a preparatory communications template for participants with accompanying videos, and safety and guide gear considerations. Opens with Stana's welcome and an orientation to how the course works.

Module 2 — Threshold of Connection

You'll see how to open a walk in the cold. Includes Pleasures of Presence lying down, by the fire, and with fire, plus What's in Motion with lanterns at night and by the fire.

Module 3 — Liminality

The heart of the winter practice: a collection of winter invitations, with videos for the warm rock invitation, wandering or sit spot with a lantern, being with the snow, and lanterns as the guide for a wander.

Module 4 — Threshold of Incorporation

You'll learn to close well in the cold — setting up tea when your hands are cold, tea at night, and closing with gratitude.


Every module includes Hot Tips for Cold Weather and Cold Weather Connections, the exploratory prompts that grow your own practice.

FAQ

  • Do I have to be a Forest Therapy Guide to take this course?

    Yes, this course is meant for Forest Therapy Guides who are interested in exploring guiding in winter and cold weather.

  • Why take this course?

    If you are curious about guiding Forest Therapy Walks in cold and winter weather then this course offers you the insights and best practices from a certified ANFT Guide and Trainer who has been guiding Forest Therapy walks for all ages since 2016 and facilitating nature connection opportunities and teaching for over 25 years in cold and winter weather.

  • How much time should I expect to put in to this experience?

    You are welcome to explore the modules at whatever pace and amount of time feels best to you. The course is set up to follow a four module exploration. You might spend around 2 hours more or less per module. However you might either want to shorten or extend the learning journey for each module. It all depends on your learning style and what serves you best in your guiding practice. It also depends on how much prior experience you have with guiding in cold weather. It is important to note that this is a stand alone course where there are no cohorts or live sessions.