Portland State University
CEU online: Continuing Education Graduate School of Education

Graduate Level Professional Development

CEU Courses Online

for Teachers and Counselors

Practical, Flexible and Easy to Use

Subsidized: Only $110 for 10 Contact Hours
(or 1 Graduate Credit, your choice)

- Learn at Your Leisure
- Earn CEU hours/Graduate Credits
- Save Time and Money
- On-line Courses Let You Earn CEU Hours at Your Convenience
- Build Your Professional Skills
- Learn Useful, Hands-on Classroom Techniques

For information contact:
Stacey Mallory

EMAIL:<Stacey@connect2nature.org>
479-677-3328

COURSE NAME

Counseling with Natural Attractions:

A Hands-on Natural Sensory Awareness Trail for Substance Abusers 

1 graduate credit or 10 contact hours 

Announcing an on-line CEU class designed to meet continuing professional training requirements for Chemical Dependency Professionals working with recovering substance abusers (adults and teens). This flexible, affordable program is easy to use on-line (no travel) and offers 10 contact hours (or 1 graduate credit) for $110.

COURSE CONTENT:

Savy Chemical Dependency Professionals search for substance abuse alternatives that are acceptable, attractive and attainable for their clients. A major difficulty in overcoming substance abuse is finding positive 'tools' to replace the client's dependency on chemicals. Using the natural environment as a therapeutic tool helps recovering addicts reconfigure their attitude toward a behavior or thought process, and replace destructive activities with positive, beneficial ones.

Drugs have been used throughout history to alter consciousness and open avenues to issues, conflicts and awareness that may not be readily available to a substance abuser in ordinary reality.

Drug use is a passive activity. It is easier to take a pill, smoke a joint or shoot a drug than to actively find ways to alter consciousness and relax or problem-solve. Drug use is an easy, fast way to bring about an optimal state of well-being and yet those who work in the recovery field know that drug use is a one-way road to self destruction. If the recovering substance abuser does not develop new skills to bring about a state of well-being they are doomed to the dark spiral of abuse. Learning how to enjoy activities, social interactions and personal interest without the use of chemical substances is the goal of every recovering addict. 

Using thoughtful, shared sensory connections with the natural environment is an alternative therapy that works. Nature is the teacher. There is no dogma, set of beliefs or rules to follow. The client's own experience guides them to an awareness that is deeply felt on a non-language, intuitive level. This connecting process is accomplished by 'attractions' in Nature. The tension/relax mechanism is activated, and by learning to relax and do a series of simple activities, clients can usually realign themselves with the harmonious flow of the environment and return to a state of contentment and well-being.

The Counseling with Natural Attractions: A Hands-on Natural Sensory Awareness Trail is an active, positive approach that helps those in recovery learn valuable coping skills. Happily, the natural environment is readily available to be used when ever necessary as a positive substitute for destructive behavior.

To register for this class, please fill out this registration form
To Register: application/registration form

1 Graduate credit or 10 contact hours. Fee: $110

(This low cost class can be taken for 2 credits. After completing the course, the student can then repeat the course as a mentor to another student for the second credit. Cost for two credits is $170). To Register: application/registration form

For information contact:
Stacey Mallory

EMAIL:<Stacey@connect2nature.org>
479-677-3328

COURSE NAME

Explore Nature's Wisdom:
Create Moments That Let Earth Teach:

Using nature, poetry and art as a gateway to discovering creative sensory-awareness in nature. 

1 graduate credit or 10 contact hours

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  

Current research indicates that direct exposure to nature "is essential for healthy childhood development" (Louv, 2005).

Environment-based education improves standardized test scores and creativity is stimulated by being outdoors. At the same time, government studies indicate that we spend, on the average, 90% of our time indoors (Cohen, 1989). Child advocacy expert Richard Louv emphasizes this statement in his recent book Last Child in the Woods (Louv, 2005). Louv calls our indoor-bound mentality 'nature-deficit disorder.' He backs his statements with research that indicates children are inside too much. This points to some disturbing childhood trends such as obesity, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and depression. 

This class addresses "nature-deficit disorder" and provides a gateway for teachers and environmental educators to explore an educational and creative experience in nature via the web-of-life paradigm, art, poetry and natural sensory awareness.

By the end of this course participants will be able to use and teach elementary school students the benefits of interactions with nature that enhances their appreciation for nature, their sense of well-being, as well as understand the organic interconnection of all life (i.e. Web-of-Life paradigm) in an artistic and poetic way. 

1 Graduate credit or 10 contact hours. Fee: $120

For information contact:
Stacey Mallory

EMAIL:<Stacey@connect2nature.org>
479-677-3328

Reference
Louv, Richard (2005). Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. North Carolina: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill

ADDITIONAL ONLINE CEU AND DEGREE COURSES

Select here to learn about six additional Educating, Counseling and Healing With Nature CEU courses that are available through Project NatureConnect in cooperation with Portland State University.