ONLINE TRAINING COURSE FOR THERAPISTS AND CLINICS
Ecotherapy Through
An Indigenous Lens
Integrating Indigenous Wisdom into Nature-Based Therapy
Deepen your therapeutic skills and offer culturally responsive, healing therapies by integrating Indigenous perspectives and land-based healing practices. Enhance your practice, support reconciliation, and provide clients with a holistic approach to healing through nature.
Why Integrate Indigenous Perspectives into Nature-Based Therapy?
As therapists, we know nature's profound impact on mental health and emotional well-being. True healing however often requires a deeper connection to the land, culture, and Indigenous perspectives that many modern therapeutic practices overlook. Learning from Indigenous wisdom and integrating key themes and perspectives into your practice allows you to bridge the gap between contemporary eco-therapy and Indigenous peoples' rich, restorative teachings.
In Canada, the movement toward decolonization and reconciliation is growing, and as therapists, we play an essential role in this process. By grounding your therapeutic practice through prioritizing Indigenous knowledge and perspectives, you align yourself with this crucial work—fostering healing, respect, and cultural sensitivity for all clients. This course empowers you to deepen your understanding of traditional Indigenous healing practices, integrate land-based interventions into your eco-therapy sessions, and promote holistic healing grounded in both nature and cultural respect.
Ecotherapy Through An Indigenous Lens was developed and is led by Indigenous therapist Amy Commanda, offering authentic insights and perspectives. It is designed to benefit all therapists, providing valuable tools and knowledge to support both Indigenous and non-Indigenous clients in their healing journeys. Learn more about the Course Instructor below!
What is Indigenous Wisdom?
Indigenous wisdom represents a profound, time-honored system of knowledge that integrates cultural, spiritual, and ecological understanding. Emerging from generations of direct environmental interaction, this approach views humans as part of, not separate from, natural systems. It prioritizes interconnectedness and relational ways of knowing, offering sustainable, adaptive strategies for living in harmony with nature.
What is Nature-based Therapy?
Nature-based therapy is an innovative therapeutic approach that utilizes natural environments as a primary healing context. By supporting mental, emotional, and physical well-being through ecological engagement, this method provides experiential, sensory-rich interventions. It helps clients reconnect with themselves and their environment, offering alternative pathways to traditional clinical interventions.
Both approaches share a fundamental belief: Our healing is intrinsically linked to our relationship with the natural world.
1. Culturally Sensitive Healing Approaches
Learn how to respectfully incorporate Indigenous worldviews and perspectives into your eco-therapy practice. You'll gain a deep understanding of how modern ecotherapy aligns with traditional Indigenous healing methods, creating a more culturally inclusive therapeutic experience for your clients.
2. The Healing Power of the Land
Discover how to integrate perspectives about the land, plants, and natural cycles into your therapeutic sessions. This knowledge enhances your eco-therapy practice by fostering a stronger connection between clients and the natural world.
4. Ethical and Culturally Competent Practices
Master ethical guidelines for incorporating Indigenous practices into your therapy sessions. You'll gain a deep understanding of cultural protocols, learn respectful engagement strategies, and develop safety measures to ensure your practice is ethical, culturally sensitive, and client-centred. This knowledge will empower you to create a therapeutic environment that honours Indigenous wisdom while maintaining professional standards.
3. Addressing Historical Trauma and Decolonization
Understand the impacts of colonization and how to incorporate land-based healing strategies that address historical trauma. You’ll develop tools to support Indigenous clients and others who may benefit from a culturally informed approach to healing.
5. Support Reconciliation and Healing
Play an active role in the truth and reconciliation process by incorporating decolonization and anti-oppressive practices into your therapeutic work. This course helps you contribute to the healing and empowerment of Indigenous communities.
6. Professional Development and Recognition
Earn a Certificate of Completion and a special eco-badge to display your commitment to cultural competency and nature-based healing on your website and marketing materials.
What You’ll Receive When You Invest in This Course
Ecotherapy Through an Indigenous Lens will provide you with concrete tools, knowledge, and the confidence you need to offer culturally sensitive, nature-based healing. This comprehensive course equips you with the skills to integrate Indigenous wisdom into your therapeutic approach. You’ll complete the course with a Certificate of Completion, CEUs, and practical resources for immediate implementation in your practice.
The Transformation: How This Course Will Change You as a Practitioner
When you integrate Indigenous perspectives into your nature-based therapy practice, you’ll experience profound personal and professional growth:
Stronger Cultural Competency: This course will transform your approach to therapy, fostering cultural sensitivity, understanding, and respect for Indigenous knowledge. With a facilitator who holds Indigenous identity, you’ll learn directly from someone deeply rooted in these traditions, ensuring the teachings are authentic and respectful. You'll be equipped to support clients from all backgrounds while promoting decolonization and reconciliation.
Holistic, Culturally Responsive Care: Your therapy practice will be enriched with Indigenous perspectives, allowing you to offer more effective, inclusive, and holistic care to clients seeking connection to the land, their culture, and healing traditions. This course is specifically designed for non-Indigenous therapists, helping you approach the material with cultural sensitivity, so you can feel confident in your practice without appropriating sacred teachings.
A More Inclusive Practice: By integrating Indigenous practices, you’ll enhance your ability to work with diverse clients—whether they are Indigenous or not—while contributing to the larger movement of truth and reconciliation. This course is open to anyone, but it’s specifically designed to help non-Indigenous therapists build cultural competence and confidence, ensuring your integration of Indigenous practices is respectful and authentic.
Expanded Therapeutic Tools: You’ll walk away with an expanded toolkit of nature-based healing techniques, land-based interventions, and cultural sensitivity practices that you can immediately apply to your work. Whether you're working with Indigenous clients or others seeking a deeper connection with nature, these tools will enhance your therapeutic offerings.
Increased Professional Confidence: By deepening your cultural competency and learning how to ethically incorporate Indigenous perspectives into your eco-therapy practice, you’ll feel more confident in offering a therapeutic experience that truly honours the relationship between people and the land. This course will empower you to work with greater cultural humility, ensuring your practice aligns with the values of respect and inclusivity.
What’s Included in the Course
When you register, you’ll receive all the tools and support needed to integrate Indigenous perspectives into your therapeutic practice:
On-Demand Video Lessons: Learn asynchronously on your schedule and go back and review as necessary.
Course Workbook: A practical guide that accompanies the video lessons to help you apply your learning and track your progress.
Discussion Forum: Connect with a community of like-minded therapists to exchange insights, challenges, and solutions.
Live Q&A Sessions: Seasonal opportunities for real-time guidance and support.
Certificate of Completion: Recognize and proudly display your commitment to cultural competency and eco-therapy.
Continuing Education Credits (CECs): Earn 8 CECs approved by the Ontario Association of Mental Health Professionals (OAMHP) to support your professional development.
Invest in your professional development with a complete trauma-informed care toolkit to elevate your clinical practice.
The Benefits for Your Clients: Why They’ll Love Ecotherapy Through an Indigenous Lens
Incorporating Indigenous wisdom into ecotherapy benefits your clients in profound ways:
Deeper Connection to the Land
Clients gain a more meaningful connection to nature, which fosters healing, emotional resilience, and mental clarity.
Empowerment and Healing Through Incorporating Indigenous Wisdom
By learning from Indigenous perspectives, clients are empowered to heal not only their emotional wounds but also their spiritual connection to the land and culture.
Holistic Healing
This approach promotes a holistic healing process that supports emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. Clients feel more balanced, grounded, and connected.
What Sets This Course Apart: Grounded in Cultural Competency and Ethical Practice
This course is unique in its integration of Indigenous knowledge with ecotherapy principles. Here’s how we stand out from the crowd:
A Culturally Grounded Approach
You’ll be guided through culturally sensitive practices, offering clients a safe and respectful space for healing while supporting decolonization and reconciliation efforts.
Ethical and Practical Framework
With comprehensive ethical guidelines and culturally appropriate tools, this course ensures that you can integrate Indigenous practices responsibly and effectively.
Support for Reconciliation
By learning how to incorporate land-based healing practices into your therapy sessions, you’re not only expanding your skills but also contributing to the ongoing process of reconciliation and healing within Indigenous communities.
Who This Course Is For
Amy Commanda
Course Instructor and Associate Therapist
Deepening Your Cultural Competency
This course is designed for any therapist who wants to deepen their cultural competency and integrate Indigenous wisdom into their practice. What you learn in this training can be applied to support clients of all backgrounds, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike. By exploring Indigenous perspectives on healing and wellness, you'll gain valuable insights that can enhance your therapeutic approach and broaden your understanding of diverse worldviews. This knowledge will not only enrich your practice but also contribute to more inclusive and culturally responsive mental health care.
Developed and Led by an Indigenous Therapist
As a practicing Walk and Talk therapist and First Nations (Anishinaabe) woman from Nipissing First Nation in Ontario, Amy brings a diverse range of experiences to her work and weaves the knowledge of her cultural background into her therapeutic practice. She brings her Indigenous worldview and deep connection to nature into her work as a Walk and Talk therapist and Ecotherapist. Rooted in evidenced-based research and her personal journey, Amy’s expertise in ecotherapy and walk-and-talk counselling models empowers her clients to reconnect with themselves and the natural world.
Amy also offers individual clinical consultation for therapists seeking to enhance their skills in ecotherapy and in working with Indigenous clients. Drawing from her unique blend of cultural wisdom and professional experience, she provides guidance on integrating nature-based approaches and culturally sensitive practices into therapeutic work.
Join Us Today & Transform Your Practice
Ready to enhance your ecotherapy practice with Indigenous perspectives? This course offers a unique opportunity to deepen your therapeutic skills while contributing to the truth and reconciliation process in Canada.
Register Now for only $649 $449 during our winter promotion and gain 6 months of on-demand access to all course materials, plus seasonal Live Q&A support.
Start integrating Indigenous knowledge and nature-based healing into your practice today.
Ready to Make a Meaningful Impact?
By enrolling in Ecotherapy Through an Indigenous Lens, you’ll be taking an important step toward becoming a more culturally competent, inclusive, and effective therapist. Start offering your clients a holistic, empowering healing experience at each session and feel the profound impact of doing this work.
Let’s contribute to the healing and reconciliation journey together, while enhancing your therapeutic practice.
Bundle & Save!
Take advantage of our Eco-Bundles and save when you purchase multiple courses:
Double Course Eco-Bundle: Save 10% when you purchase Walk and Talk Ecotherapy and Ecotherapy Through An Indigenous Lens courses together.
Triple Course Eco-Bundle: Save 20% when you purchase Walk and Talk Ecotherapy, Ecotherapy Through an Indigenous Lens, and Reclaiming Resilience courses together.