First Session: Human development and the natural environment

• Human development from the era of earth communities living in reciprocity with nature to the present era –and the implications on human, social and environmental health.

• The effects and consequences of the sense of separation from nature, as the starting point for healing and developing treatment methods and education through nature connection.

• The principles of nature as informing us on the principles of life.

• The qualities of nature as a unique setting supporting health, development and growth

• Selecting the natural setting and creating a safe container.

 

Guest facilitator – Maayan Fuchs, experiential educator and play who will offer a workshop on the significance of playing and learning through experience as a way for creating connections with self, others and the setting to acquainted with each other as a supportive system.

 

 

Second Session: Working with nature (the mystery) as an unpredicted co

• The model of working with nature will provide us with a conceptual framework for deepening our understanding of how nature is a source of knowledge and guidance.

• Understanding the language of nature - practice understanding signs metaphors and situations in nature as relative to the people we are working with.

• Selecting the natural environment best suited to the therapeutic goals and needs of the group.

• Working with uncontrollable and unpredictable settings and situations while deriving and relating personal meaning to the participants.

• Experimenting with facilitating in dyads

 

Guest facilitator – anthropologist Dr. Danny Nave. The workshop will delve into human development through shamanic worldviews, rituals, and the virtues of the natural world.

 

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Third session: Nature Based Therapies - Theories and practice

This session will address different approaches to leading developmental processes in nature: adventure therapy, wilderness therapy and Eco psychology, delineating the characteristics and methods of the various approaches.

• Theories and models related to working in nature as a basis for intervention: experiential learning, challenge, beyond the comfort zone, heroes journey, the psych-ecological developmental wheel.  

• The unique qualities in nature

• Goals and settings

• Experimenting with facilitating in dyads

 

Guest facilitator - Einat Lombroso Movement Workshop "Body in Motion as a portal to the nature of the soul"

 

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Fourth session: Group dynamics and facilitation in nature

• Group developmental stages in nature based on scientific research - the characteristics of each stage and the knowledge required by the facilitator to lead a process in a professional way while granting independence to the participants and to nature.

• We will explore the role of facilitator, nature, and the group in each stage.

• Working with resistance, diversity, and difficulty as resources

• Intervention process in nature –stages of the process and the tools for intervention at each stage

 

Guest facilitator - Lital Rothschild experiential workshop on group dynamics through cooking in nature.

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Fifth session: Creating a sacred space for remembering

 Through a forgotten language, we will be reminded of our direct connection to the world as a home.

• Tracking – Tom Brown

• Ancient skills

• Working with energy and the senses

• Working with the elements, specifically fire

 

Guest facilitator - Ofer Israeli, founder of the worldwide organization - "Guardians of the Garden". Teaching ancient ways of knowing internal and external nature through energy fields in nature and senses so we can experience a relationship of trust and intimacy with nature. 

 

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​Sixth session: The mechanisms of change in nature-based methods: Models of personal development and transformation

 What are the unique mechanisms related to healing and change in nature based interventions

• Models of change and transformation (William Bridges, Jack Meizrow, etc,.). 

• Uniting and creating a beneficial change with life transitions.

• The characteristics of working with nature and facilitating change.

• Practicing the concrete interventions to generate the optimal circumstances for transformation.

• Experimenting with facilitating in dyads

 

Guest Lecturer - David Benjamin who will teach the Soul Collage in Life Transitions

 

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Seventh session: “Educate the child to his unique path”- Intervention in nature for a variety of populations

• Population characteristics

• Matching the therapeutic goal to the intervention in nature

• Working with children in nature - experiential workshop with a facilitator from “Shomreihagan”

• Working with people with disabilities in nature - meeting with a guest lecturer from “Etgarim-Challenges”

• Working with Women - Dr. Yakira Levy from “Dreamcatchers”

• Working with at-risk youth - meeting David the shepherd and the "Milestones" he developed

 

Guest lecturer - Naama Tel Zur- storytelling as a gateway to the heart

Meeting at Ein Yael Nature Therapy Center in Jerusalem

 

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​Eighth session: From the personal to the professional

• Personal qualities and skills as a unique gift

• From passion to action - the practical manifestation of my skills in the field

• Peer work - personal experiences and feedback

• Preparing for the final project

 

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​Ninth session: An end is just the beginning

• Final project - what I have planted as a seed will pass on as a fruit

• The art of ending and departing

• The professional self – the ability to define, mediate and present ourselves to the outside world in a professional manner.

 

Guest lecturer - Misha Fink: Seeds of Development - Ancient crafts workshop