- Understand the relationship between anxiety and the brain’s stress response, and how nature can influence emotional regulation
- Understand the neurological and physiological benefits of nature-based interventions for reducing anxiety
- Implement nature-informed techniques, such as mindful walking and sensory grounding, in therapeutic sessions to help clients manage anxiety
- Implement practical strategies for integrating nature-based practices into both traditional therapy settings and outdoor environments
Nature based intervention for reducing anxiety
Dr. Heidi Schreiber-Pan, Psychologist
Discover evidence-based nature therapy techniques to expand your anxiety treatment toolkit with neurologically-grounded outdoor interventions
Excerpt:
- 2h30 of continuing education
- 20 lessons that last from 5 to 15 minutes each
- 1 certificate of achievement
- 1 PowerPoint
- 1 bibliography
- 1 course evaluation
- 7-day money back guarantee
- Unlimited access
- 97% of participants who completed the satisfaction survey declare they would recommend this course to a colleague
Overview
Recent research suggests that individuals who feel connected to nature show notably lower anxiety levels and higher resilience skills.
In this course, you will explore how nature-based interventions can enhance your anxiety treatment protocols. You will learn to integrate evidence-based nature-informed techniques into your existing therapeutic framework, whether you practice in traditional office settings, outdoor environments, or via telehealth.
Dr. Heidi Schreiber-Pan will guide you through the neurological foundations of nature's impact on the stress response system. You will discover how natural environments influence cortisol levels, heart rate variability, and neural pathway restructuring. The course grounds these mechanisms in Attention Restoration Theory, neuroplasticity research, and the Biophilia Hypothesis.
You will learn to assess clients' ecological identity and identify barriers to nature connection. You will explore practical interventions that can be implemented immediately, including:
- Awe walks for cultivating wonder and reducing rumination
- Sensory grounding exercises using natural elements
- Distress tolerance building through "human rewilding" principles
- Gratitude practices that counter negativity bias
- Attention restoration techniques for mental fatigue recovery
The course will demonstrate how to adapt nature-informed interventions across multiple formats. You will see applications for walk-and-talk therapy, seated outdoor sessions, office-based nature integration, and telehealth delivery. You will learn to balance distress tolerance development with self-compassion practices in natural contexts.
You will examine the concept of eco-separation and its three dimensions: species loneliness, place blindness, and sensory amnesia. This framework will help you understand how modern disconnection from nature contributes to anxiety symptomatology in your client population.
The training emphasizes reciprocity between humans and the natural world. You will develop strategies that not only reduce client anxiety but also foster environmental engagement and ecological consciousness. This approach aligns with contemporary needs for conservation involvement while addressing individual mental health concerns.
By the end of this course, you will have expanded your anxiety treatment repertoire with nature-informed tools. You will be able to implement these interventions immediately, adapting them to your specific practice context and client needs. These evidence-based techniques will complement your existing therapeutic approaches, offering clients additional pathways to emotional regulation and psychological resilience.
Accreditation
Ordre des Psychologues du Québec
Canadian Psychological Association
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association
Collège des médecins du Québec
For physicians who practice psychotherapy, training recognized by the Ordre des psychologues du Québec is automatically considered as activities adopted by the Collège des médecins, in accordance with Article 3 of the Regulation.
For physicians who do not practice psychotherapy, the College evaluates each recognition request based on the following criteria:
- the relevance of the activity to the practice of the profession
- the skills and experience of the trainer
- the quality of the content and its adequacy with the physician's practice
- the pedagogical framework of the activity
- the quality of the documentation provided
- compliance with the training objectives set out in the regulation
- the presence of a certificate of participation or an evaluation
About the expert
Dr. Heidi Schreiber-Pan is a licensed psychologist and professional counselor with a doctorate in counseling psychology. She is the founder of Chesapeake Mental Health Collaborative in Maryland and serves as executive director of the Center for Nature-Informed Therapy, where she advances the integration of ecopsychology principles into clinical practice.
Dr. Schreiber-Pan is internationally recognized for her specialized expertise in nature-based mental health interventions, particularly in treating anxiety and stress-related disorders. Her clinical approach integrates attention restoration theory, neuroplasticity research, and the biophilia hypothesis into evidence-based therapeutic frameworks.
She collaborates with multiple universities on research examining the efficacy of eco-centered therapeutic interventions. Her clinical career began in hospice settings, where she specialized in death and bereavement counseling, experience that informs her holistic approach to psychological resilience and human connection to the natural world.
Dr. Schreiber-Pan has developed practical protocols for implementing nature-informed interventions across diverse therapeutic contexts, including traditional office settings, walk-and-talk therapy, outdoor sessions, and telehealth delivery.
Learning objectives
Learning material
A theoretical course illustrated with clinical examples. This course is composed of videos of 5 to 15 minutes each. The PowerPoint of the course to download.
Syllabus
- PowerPoint
- 1. Introduction
-
Understanding Mental Health and Nature’s Role
- 2. Land Orientation & Acknowledgment
- 3. The State of Mental Health in the U.S
- 4. Why Integrate Nature
- 5. What does Nature Informed Therapy (NIT) look like
- 6. The Anxiety Experience
- 7. What is Happening
- 8. Neuroplasticity
- 9. Why Is Anxiety on the Rise
-
Reconnecting with Nature to Address Anxiety
- 10. The Consequences of Eco Separation
- 11. The Domestication Process and Human Rewilding
- 12. Distress Tolerance and Anxiety
- 13. Two Forces Working Together
- 14. Attention Restoration Theory (ART)
-
Therapy tools
- 15. Positive Neuroplasticity
- 16. The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
- 17. Negativity Bias & Gratitude Practice
- 18. The Effects of Awe
- 19. Sit Spot Practice
- 20. Conclusion
- Bibliography
CE Credits
Download a certificate of successful completion.
Audience
This course is intended for mental health professionals.
Your comments
"I have been a therapist for over 25 years and am delighted to have taken this course. I have recently started to integrate more nature informed practices in my work and this training provided me what a wealth of new techniques and perspectives to explore. Thank you!" (automatically translated)
A psychologist
"Well organized, great presenter, wonderful additions to my toolbox,and helped me as much personally as professionally!"
A psychologist (Canada)
Registration
Ask a question
Do you have a question? Then email us at contact@asadis.net
Frequently asked questions
-
Is there an evaluation at the end of the course?
To validate the achievement of the learning objectives, a final evaluation in the form of true/false questions is required. It must be completed in order to obtain the certificate of completion.
In addition, an optional self-assessment is offered at the beginning and end of the course, allowing you to measure your progress on the targeted skills.
These evaluations are not graded and are intended primarily to support your professional reflection.
-
I have a disability. Can I receive specific support?
Yes! This training is offered as a pre-recorded video format, without subtitles. If you have a disability, we can provide an adapted alternative (technical assistance for viewing or individual supervision). For any request, please contact our disability coordinator at the following address: contact@asadis.net
-
How long do I have access to the course?
After your registration, the course is accessible anytime and from anywhere with unlimited access.
-
When does the course start?
That is entirely up to you! When you buy a course, you'll receive an access link that you can activate when you want.
-
Is there a student rate?
Yes there is! To learn more, email us at contact@asadis.net.
You may also be interested in:
Legal notice
The courses offered by ASADIS are accredited by different professional organisations. In addition, ASADIS is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. ASADIS maintains responsibility for the program.
The CPA’s approval of an individual, group, or organization as a CE Sponsor or Provider is restricted to the activities described in the approved application or annual report form. The CPA’s approval does not extend to any other CE activity the Sponsor or Provider might offer. In granting its approval, the CPA assumes no legal or financial obligations to Sponsors, Providers, or to those individuals who might participate in a Sponsor or Provider’s CE activities or programs. Further, responsibility for the content, provision, and delivery of any CE activity approved by the CPA remains that of the CE Sponsor or Provider. The CPA disclaims all legal liability associated with the content, provision, and delivery of the approved CE activity.