Integrating Nature into Your Programs

With spring on the doorstep (or even having arrived) for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it is a wonderful time of year to start thinking about how you can integrate nature into your programs. Whether you are running in person programs, or even phone based programs, consider how you can get group members engaged with the outdoors.

Here are some quick ideas about how you may wish to incorporate nature/the outdoors into your next workshop, retreat, group coaching program:

1. Build time in during the program for participants to actually go outside. You may have them journal on a specific question related to the topic you are working on, or have them walk around and really be "present" or notice the envionment they are surrounded with. If you are undertaking a phone based program be specific on how much time people have "offline" and get them to set an alarm as a reminder to call back in.
2. As part of your closure, have participants undertake a silent walk through their surroundings, taking note of the lessons they have learned throughout the program. You may also wish to have them "bring back" a natural item which represents their learning or Who they have become.
3. As Pre-work or home/field work - Create a structured exercise, or a reflective exercise, for participants to take outdoors.

Consider how much time you have actually spent experiencing the outdoors. This can be a wonderful exercise for us as facilitators to undertake as well. You may wish to use the quiet time to reflect on your learning and how you are finding the program.

What steps will you take in the coming weeks to integrate nature more into your programs?

Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton, MES, PCC, CHRP
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
Next Group Coaching Essentials programs start on May 10 (Tues 7-8:15 pm ET) and May 19 (Thursdays 12 - 1:15 pm ET) - 6.75 CCEs with the ICF. Spaces are still avaiable: http://bit.ly/9Q7oSc