Center For Nature Informed Therapy

03/03/2026

Therapists working with grief… this one is for you.

This grief doesn’t live only in the mind.
It lives in the body.
It lives in relationship.
It lives in the land.

So why are we still earning most of our CEs inside buildings?

This June, we’re stepping outside.

Trails of Healing: Grief-Informed Backpacking Training is a 6-day immersive professional training in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia for grief-informed helping professionals.

🌲 Backpacking 5–7 miles each morning & afternoon learning in nature
🔥 Learning backcountry skills and confidence
🌿 Exploring grief as ecological, relational, and embodied
🧠 Understanding how nature regulates the nervous system and builds capacity for sorrow
🎓 CE credits earned under open sky

No gear or backpacking experience needed!

This training builds that capacity.

June 14–19, 2026
Allegheny Mountains, WV

If you’re ready to stop sitting in fluorescent light and start learning with the mountains:

🔗 https://www.natureinformedtherapy.org/backpacking-grief-training

03/02/2026

Mary Sue McCarthy and I facilitated a deep dive into attachment theory and relational trauma through a Nature-Informed lens. 🌿

One moment that stayed with me: we explored a case of a woman grieving the loss of her mother — and how, over time, she began turning to the natural world for a sense of mothering. The steadiness of trees. The rhythmic holding of the ocean. The quiet reliability of seasons returning.

We reflected on how nature carries qualities of a secure attachment figure — consistency, non-judgment, presence, co-regulation. And how somatic experiencing in nature — feeling the ground, leaning against a tree, tracking breath with the wind — can gently repair what was ruptured in relationship.
Attachment wounds are relational.

So is healing.

Sometimes the secure base is waiting just outside the door. 🌲

02/28/2026

02/26/2026

Last night I spoke at Church of the Redeemer about the rewilding of the human psyche.
Over 100 people showed up. That alone felt meaningful.
We began simply.

As people walked in, they picked up a nature item — a stone, a leaf, a pinecone — and introduced themselves through it.

“If this item could speak for you, what would it say?”
It’s amazing how quickly a room shifts when you do that.

We explored what rewilding means in a culture that pushes speed, comfort, and constant productivity.

Rewilding as: – taking wise risks
– living more simply
– staying with discomfort instead of numbing it
– slowing down
– listening to nature’s rhythm instead of the clock.

And we ended the night singing an acoustic version of Wildflowers by Tom Petty. Just voices together.
“You belong somewhere you feel free.”

It felt like remembering something we already know.
Grateful for this community.

02/26/2026

This Black History Month, we’re holding a simple truth: nature isn’t automatically soothing for everyone. Culture, history, safety, access, and past experiences shape how our nervous system responds.

Nature-Informed Therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all. It can begin indoors, locally, and gently—with choice and pacing leading the way.

We’re also reserving more scholarship seats and low-barrier options this season.

If you’re open to sharing: what helps you feel safe enough to exhale outside (or near nature)? We’re listening.

02/18/2026

Why Climbing + Therapy Works?
Nature-based movement activates the same neural pathways targeted in CBT and mindfulness—now super-charged by vertical challenge.
Reduces cortisol by up to 26 %*, Reframes fear into curiosity, ​and Builds trust through belay partnership.

Scholarships are available!

Reserve Your Harness Now at Gunpowder Falls State Park, MD

Follow link for more info: https://www.natureinformedtherapy.org/retreats/outdoor-rock-climbing-therapy

02/14/2026

Most couples don’t struggle because they don’t love each other.
They struggle because life gets loud — and connection gets quiet.

At CNIT, we see it all the time: when couples step into nature together, something shifts.
The distractions drop. The nervous system settles. Conversations get clearer. Even silence becomes restorative instead of awkward.

And here’s the surprising part:
In nature, couples often don’t argue more — they argue more honestly.
Because when you’re tired, cold, or uncertain on a trail, the real truth shows up:
“I need you.”
“I’m overwhelmed.”
“I don’t want to do this alone.”

We wrote a short blog on why a simple adventure might be one of the best “gifts” you can give your relationship — especially around Valentine’s Day.
👉 Read it here: https://www.natureinformedtherapy.org/post/valentines-day-adventure-gift-for-couples

If you’d like support getting outside together, CNIT also offers experiences like:
🌲 Intro to Backpacking for Mental Health & Wellbeing
🧗 Roots & Rocks (Outdoor Climbing + Resilience)

02/03/2026

👉Meet and Greet is Optional at 6:30👈
**Free Event**
Please Join Us to understand how to reconnect and listen to our natural sense of belonging in this world
One that brings us peace and happiness
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01/31/2026

A highlight from our recent training with Sinai Hospital mental health professionals 🌱

Watching providers connect the dots between nature, healing, and burnout prevention—not just in theory, but in their own lives and clinical work.

At CNIT, we believe caring for the caregiver is part of ethical, effective mental health care.

01/26/2026

Winter literally rewires your nervous system,

Your body reacts to winter like a workout

So why do we avoid it?

In this Washington Post Podcast clip, we break down cold exposure and winter time outdoors and why it matters!


To listen to the FULL Podcast please visit: https://www.washingtonpost.com/podcasts/post-reports/why-going-outside-is-good-for-you-even-when-its-freezing/

01/25/2026

Snowstorm got you stuck inside? ❄️
Here’s your permission slip to do the smallest thing that helps: go outside for 10 minutes—even if it’s freezing.

The Washington Post’s Post Reports just featured a conversation with CNIT founder Dr. Heidi Schreiber-Pan and CNIT graduate Dr. Jessica Magidson (clinical psychologist + UMD professor) on why time outdoors can support mood, focus, and stress regulation—yes, even in winter.

One of our favorite takeaways:
🧣 Layer up for a short outdoor “micro-dose.”
🕯️ Then come back in and enjoy your earned “hygge” moment (tea, blanket, candle, cozy corner).

Listen here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/podcasts/post-reports/why-going-outside-is-good-for-you-even-when-its-freezing/

Tag a friend who needs a gentle nudge to step outside today. 🌲