Connect. Heal. Thrive.

This journey began in an old-growth forest of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains—an outdoor gathering space known as Magic Tree Sanctuary. It is a place where the stillness of the Earth offers profound healing, clarity, and connection.

From this sacred origin, the vision expanded. Today, that deep connection to nature's innate power has blossomed into Heartwood Forest Medicine. It is no longer just a physical retreat space, but a gateway to experiences that nurture your heart and soul, wherever you are.

With nature’s wisdom and Julie’s guidance, you’ll remember your bond with the Earth, restore a sense of wholeness, and step onto the path you’re meant to walk. Every moment here is an invitation to receive the forest's inherent medicine.

Why Heartwood

The Earth is a powerful ally and a source of transformative medicine in your journey to healing and self-discovery. Through our offerings, you’ll find the space to:

Reconnect with yourself and the natural world.

Restore balance by releasing what no longer serves you.

Embrace your essence with confidence and clarity.

This is your healing ground—a place to listen, receive, and emerge into your fullest expression.

My Path

I know firsthand the healing, growth, and transformation that’s possible through cultivating a relationship with the Earth.

As a little girl, I was drawn to the natural world. Many childhood hours were spent playing in the woods behind my house, and most were in the company of a giant beech tree whose leaves were larger than my hand. Standing under the bending limbs that almost touched the ground, it felt like I was enveloped in a magical protective shield.

Unfortunately, the busyness of young adult life took me away from the forest for some time. During those years, and into adulthood, I shaved off pieces of myself trying to fit in. Adopting the roles others had for me, I worried more about what I “should do” than what I wanted to do. The result was no sense of myself which manifested as insecurity and caused a whole host of fears and anxiety.

Into adulthood, I lost sight of who I really was as I shaved off pieces of myself trying to fit in.

Thankfully, in 2012, I became the owner of a little cabin nestled in 13 acres of old-growth forest in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. It was the reset that I desperately needed. The more time I spent with the land, the more healed I felt. The trees saw, knew, and welcomed me while reflecting back my true essence. With the forest as my guide, I began to weave the scattered pieces of myself back into wholeness, and for the first time since childhood, I’ve stepped into the power that comes from embracing one’s true self. 

The more time I spent with the land, the more healed I felt. The trees saw, knew, and welcomed me while reflecting back my true essence.

I believe deeply in the healing that comes from remembering and nurturing our relationship with the natural world. Mother Earth’s medicine opens a portal through which we are able to re-center, feel our emotions, discover our deepest desires, and listen to our soul’s wisdom. She gives us permission to bloom into the fullest expression of ourselves and then accepts us in our fullness.

About Julie Sczerbinski

Julie Sczerbinski is a guide, retreat facilitator, and steward of a 42-acre forest in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

Since 2016, she has been guiding individuals and groups on journeys of deep nature connection. Her approach blends nature immersion, mindfulness, and earth-based spirituality, grounded in the belief that nature is our wisest teacher.

As former co-founder of The Forest Therapy School, Julie played a key role in shaping its early vision and guide certification program. During her time at the school, she trained hundreds of aspiring forest therapy guides in the art of forest bathing as part of a movement to bring people back home to nature. Her greatest joy is witnessing the transformation that happens when people slow down, reconnect, and listen to the wisdom of the land.

In addition to her work, Julie is a member of Friends of the Blue Ridge and a proud supporter of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. She splits her time between Davidson, North Carolina and Meadows of Dan, Virginia.

When she’s not wandering in the woods, talking to the trees, she loves spending time with her family and hiking with her dog, Ink.

Certifications & Training

  • Grief Care Professional Certificate with Megan Devine

  • Certified Grief Recovery Method Specialist - Grief Recovery Institute

  • Grief Ritual Leadership Training with Francis Weller

  • Level 1 Shamanic Practitioner Training - The Power Path

  • One Year Shamanic Studies Program - The Power Path

  • Core Shamanism: Shamanic Knowledge Series - The Foundation of Shamanic Studies

  • 4 years of shamanic studies and practice with a variety of teachers including Sandra Ingerman, Puma Fredy Quispe Singona, Jaime Meyer, Dr. Karen Ward and John Cantwell.

  • Certified Meditation & Mindfulness Instructor - McLean Meditation Institute

  • Certified Meditation Teacher in Mindfulness & Compassion - The Path

  • Certified Forest Therapy Guide - The Association of Nature & Forest Therapy

  • Certified Sound Meditation Practitioner - Auster Sound Method

  • Life Coach Training through Coach U

  • NOLS Wilderness First Aid & Heartsaver® First Aid CPR AED