Bee Calm Bee Well Facilitator Training

Therapeutic Beekeeping Facilitator Training to Support Veteran Mental Health

Bee Calm Bee Well is a groundbreaking evidence-based program that combines mindfulness practices with beekeeping to support positive mental health outcomes for military veterans.

Developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Heroes to Hives, Bee Wise Farms, Michigan Food and Farming Systems, and the University of New Hampshire, this unique training prepares facilitators to deliver therapeutic beekeeping programs across the nation.

We are grateful to the University of Missouri Extension and the University of Missouri's Jefferson Farm and Garden Extension and Education Center for their collaboration on this event.

Event Details *Space is limited to 20 participants*

Dates: Sept. 16-17, 2026

Time: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM (each day)

Location:

University of Missouri Jefferson Farm and Garden

4800 E New Haven Rd

Columbia, MO 65201

Registration Fee: $100

(Includes lunch both days)

Recommended Hotel:

Drury Hotel Columbia East (Has Federal rate option for Government employees)

3100 Interstate 70 Dr SE

Columbia, MO 65201

Local Airport:

Columbia Regional Airport (COU) is located 12.5 miles from the Drury Hotel.

Transportation:

COU has rental cars available through Enterprise and Uber and Lyft is available in the area.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

This training has been approved for CEUs through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) for 1.5 CEUs.

QPR Training Offered free September 15th from 3-5pm for attendees

For those arriving the day before the facilitator training, the University of Missouri Extension will be hosting a QPR training. QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) is a brief, evidence-based suicide prevention training that teaches participants how to recognize warning signs, ask direct questions, persuade someone to seek help, and connect them to appropriate resources. This training empowers individuals to confidently respond when someone may be at risk.

You must register for this training separately by clicking here or scanning the QR code below

This work is supported by the [North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center: Engaging Programs to Support Producer Wellbeing], project award no. [2024-70028-4352], from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and MFA Foundation.

What You Will Learn

Participants will learn how to use beekeeping as a therapeutic intervention to support mental health through mindfulness and nature-based practices we have developed. You can view the practices here.

Training includes:

·     Mindfulness and grounding techniques

·     Nature-based therapeutic practices

·     Facilitation techniques for therapeutic programs

·     Evaluation methods and data collection

·     Methods for improving veteran mental health outcomes

Participants will interact directly with bee hives and equipment, and all attendees will be required to wear protective beekeeping gear (you are welcome to bring your own veil and we will have veils for those who don't).

View the training agenda here

Prepare for the Training

Participants must complete three ~1hr online trainings prior to registering for this event. The prerequisites can be found by clicking this link.

Participants are also recommended to read our research publication on these practices and their benefit for veteran mental health by clicking this link.

Can’t Make the Training

You can also take the Bee Calm Bee Well facilitator training program online through VHA TRAIN by following the instructions below:

For those OUTSIDE of the VA follow these instructions:

1. Go to www.train.org/VHA
2. Create a new account
3. Once you can log in click the “Courses” tab
4. Search term “Bee Calm Bee Well”
5. Five courses will be shown. Four ~1hr courses should be viewed first followed by the ~5hr facilitator training video.

For those WITHIN the VA

1. Login to TMS with your VA account
2. Once you can log in click the “View My Learning” tab
3. Search term “Bee Calm Bee Well”
4. Five courses will be shown. Four ~1hr courses should be viewed first followed by the ~5hr facilitator training video.

Questions regarding this training can be sent to Dr. Adam Ingrao at Adam@MIFFS.org

*This training is funded by a US Dept. of Agriculture grant and is only available to clinicians and educators based in the United States.*


This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement number 2023-38640-39573 through the North Central Region SARE program under project number ENC23-229. USDA is an equal-opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.