What to Expect & FAQs

Wellness Classes & Workshops

What to Expect, How to Prepare, and FAQs

Are you ready to join us for a unique wellness experience in the great outdoors?

Fantastic! We can’t wait to meet you!

Here are some helpful FAQs about what to expect during our classes, workshops and Shinrin-yoku experiences.

If you have any other questions, feel free to Contact Us!

FAQ: Preparing for Class & What to Bring

What do I wear for forest bathing experiences? Pick clothing that you feel comfortable relaxing and moving in, and dress appropriately for the weather. Keep in mind that the forest is usually a few degrees cooler than the forecasted temperature, so dressing in layers is always a good idea. For winter programs, we suggest that you dress MUCH warmer than you think you need to! The warmer you dress, the more enjoyable your experience will be. Winter in the forest can be absolutely incredible when you’re prepared for it. Wear a warm hat and a scarf to cover the back of your neck to stay warm. Snow pants are fantastic, too, so if you have them, wear them! You’ll be in good company – happy and warm is our fashion of choice.

What to bring: No special outdoor gear is necessary to participate in any of our classes. For foraging classes or mushroom identification classes, we cover a lot of details and you may like to have a notepad to take notes. For forest bathing experiences, bring along anything that helps you feel comfortable, like cold water in the summer or a thermos of hot tea in the winter.

What we’ll have for you: For all forest bathing experiences, we will have an insulated sit pad and blanket for you. During our summer programming, we have DEET and DEET free mosquito repellent available (all programs), along with high quality essential oils for relaxation (forest bathing). During our winter programming, we often offer premium cold weather comforts like hot stone handwarmers, depending on the class length. Check individual class posting for details.

A note on cell phones: Tech detox is at the heart of nature-based wellness. Even a short amount of time away can help to counter the stress of always being on and connected. If you are comfortable and able to leave your phone behind, we encourage a phone free experience (or use of airplane mode in class). If you need your phone that’s just fine, but we ask that you put your phone on vibrate so that others can be enjoy time away from notificaiton sounds.

FAQ: Arrivals & Where to Meet for Classes

When to arrive: Please try to arrive 10 minutes early for classes, at the indicated check-in time in the class welcome details. We are unable to wait for late arrivals, both in respect of those who arrived on time and due to the set length of our programs. If you know you’ll be later than 10-minutes, please Contact Us before the class start time and we’ll do our best to accommodate you and tell you where to meet us.

Where to meet us: Our group will gather in a visible spot near the parking lot before class starts and walk into the forest together. Look for our guides Katie and/or Luke, who will be waiting for check-in in an easy to spot area.

Restroom facilities: We aim to host all classes at locations with restroom facilities, but some locations do not have restrooms or porta-potties available. If there are no restrooms, we will clearly state it in the class details on our registration page and offer a suggestion for where you can stop to use the restroom before class.

FAQ: Registration, Dogs, Waivers, Discounts, Photography:

Can I show up and pay at the park? We handle all registrations for our classes in advance and do not exchange money or payment on-site during events. This is a strict policy that we hold to, to comply with park regulations and manage class sizes for minimal environmental impact. To join our classes and workshops (even if you have a class package), don’t forget to sign up. Early registration is recommended and appreciated!

Can I bring my dog with me to class? While we love dogs and have one in our family too, we ask that you do not bring your dog along when attending a class with us (with the exception of service animals). Our top priority is ensuring that all participants feel welcome and comfortable, and not all people are comfortable around unfamiliar dogs, however well-trained or small the animal is. We appreciate your understanding of this policy and helping us create a space that feels safe for all the people who choose to join us. Thank you!

Participant Waiver: All participants must read and sign our Participant Agreement, Release and Assumption of Risk prior to participation in a class or workshop. You’ll be guided through this requirement during the online registration process and it will also be linked in your welcome email.

Coupon Codes & Special Discounts: We occasionally share special class discounts via social media, for newsletter subscribers, or for those who have a class package. If you have a coupon code, you can enter it at check-out when you register for a class via our class calendar (the option will be offered right before you confirm your class reservation with payment on ClassFit). Discount codes and special offers cannot be used for events in partnership with Blandford Nature Center, the City of Grand Rapids Parks & Recreation Department, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, Gathered Botanicals, or other external partners. Thank you for your understanding!

Photography during classes: Providing space for you to have a relaxing experience in nature is our TOP PRIORITY. During our forest bathing programs, we do not take up-close photos of individuals during meditation or relaxation. We do take candid photos at foraging and wild tending classes, mushroom identification classes, and other wild food workshops. If you prefer not to be included in photographs or videos taken during our classes or programs, please indicate this on your class waiver and feel free to step aside when we gather to take a class photo. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us to discuss.

Can 5 or 10 class packages be shared for multiple participants? Our class packages are structured to offer one participant the opportunity to enjoy a variety of classes in the forest at a reduced class rate. Class packages are not meant to be split among multiple people and cannot be shared. If you have any questions, please let us know.

FAQ: Weather Related Cancellations

Hazardous Weather Cancellations: Classes may be cancelled due to high winds, thunder and lightning, heavy rain, unsafe winter driving conditions, extreme cold, or other environmental hazards. If a class is cancelled due to weather, you’ll be notified by email either the day before or the day of class. Light rain in reasonably warm temperatures generally won’t stop us! Cold temperatures in otherwise safe conditions generally won’t, either. If a community class is cancelled due to hazardous weather, you’ll receive a full refund, either as a financial refund for single-class registrations or a returned class credit for punch card registrations. For special events and workshops, we’ll communicate your refund options, which may include a full financial refund or the option to transfer your registration to a rescheduled date.

FAQ: Refund Policies & How to Cancel, If Needed

Refunds for community classes: We are proud to offer an extremely flexible cancellation policy for our community classes, with a goal of encouraging folks to sign up and commit to enjoying more time outside. For most of our community classes, we offer a full refund for cancellations received up to 24-hours before class. To learn about the specific cancellation policy for a class, review the description when you register on our Booking Calendar. To learn about how to cancel a class for a refund, see the following bullet.

How to receive a refund if you need to cancel your class registration: If you’ve registered for a community class and would like to receive a refund for your cancellation, log into your ClassFit account to withdraw from class in the registration system (within the cancellation window) to ensure you are refunded. As a small business with a growing community, we are proud to have a registration system that enables you to manage your class commitments and personal needs for a cancellation. We do not have the capacity to manage cancellation requests individually via email or text, and we cannot guarantee that you will receive a refund if you do not manage it directly through your student profile in ClassFit. If you have issues with this process, please Contact Us and we can teach you how to withdraw from class in the system, so that you know how to do it in the future!

Refund format for community classes: If you purchased a single class and follow the cancellation process above, you’ll receive a 100% financial refund of your registration fee. If you registered using a class package, the class credit will be returned to your package for future use.

Refunds for the purchase of class packages, workshops and special events: The purchase of class packages, workshops, special events, and series registrations are non-refundable. If you have an emergency and would like to request a possible exception to this policy, please Contact Us to discuss the situation.

Early cancellations are appreciated! If you’ve had a change of plans and you know you won’t be able to join, we appreciate early notice of your cancellation. Many of our community classes fill early, which means we turn students away when spots are filled. Early cancellation helps us to keep our flexible cancellation policy in place and ensures that those who want to join will have an opportunity to come out. Thank you in advance!

Late dropouts and no-shows: Due to our limited class schedule and class sizes that are structured to maximize learning and community experience (versus maximizing attendance numbers), we are unable to issue refunds for late dropouts or no-shows. If you have an emergency and would like to request a refund or transfer for a late dropout, please Contact Us to discuss the situation.

Cancellations Due to Low Registration

We do our best to host programs during dates/times that will work for those who want to join us. On the occasion that we don’t reach our minimum attendee number within 24-hrs of a class, it is our general policy to cancel the class or workshop. If a class is cancelled due to low registration, you will be informed via email and refunded in full (with either a financial refund for single class registrations or a class credit returning to your account for class pack registrations). Thanks for your understanding of this policy!

Still have a question? Contact us today! We’d be happy to help you.