Creation

When the world stood still and people went into lockdown as a result of COVID-19, a seed was planted. At the same time things were in chaos around us, I was feeling a calling to return to school (you know, because why wouldn't a mom of 4 decide to home school and return to school herself all at once?). Also, as a result of COVID, many started recognizing the importance of nature in our lives, and access to the outdoors. I know I personally started to seek out natural spaces again.

I have always been deeply involved in the natural world, with a naturalist and ornithologist as a father and gardener as a mother, I spent hours of my childhood outside. As a teenager I spent my summers working at camp, and as a college student I frequently sought the mountains and rivers for weekend recreation and peace. But it took a pandemic to make me see that not everyone had that sort of access, but that everyone could really benefit from it.

So the seed sprouted into something bigger than I had planned. In addition to a Ph.D. in Education, I decided to get a second Masters, this one in Outdoor Education. And in addition to just returning to a normal counseling practice, I was encouraged to seek out nature-based and wilderness-based therapeutic trainings.

While this little plant is still quite small, the realization that it needed a framework and a structure to grow into has become very obvious. As a busy mom (whose kids have gone back to the traditional classroom), student, writer, and counselor, I know this plant will need extra time and energy to grow. My hope is to occasionally make time to keep up a blog- including amazing nature nuggets I find along the way, my own research, and hopefully the occasional inspiration from the natural world that helps inspire us all to better lives.

Thank you for joining me in this process.

-Jen