MARCH 2021 NEWSLETTER

A year ago, I hosted a mountain retreat for a group of strong, courageous women. We went to a nearby state park where we hiked, and shared our intentions and insights. At that point, I didn’t have a name for coaching outdoors. Since then, I’ve developed a framework for outdoor coaching, which I call Nature RoamingTM.

What’s in a name? A month or so into COVID, my son discovered the woods behind our house. He started building forts and structures for woodland creatures. He came home one day and told me he’d been Nature Roaming. The term immediately clicked with me.

Over this past year, there were crazy ups and downs and lots of 'what’s the right thing to do now?' moments. I can say that I've loved being outdoors and hiking more. I feel that I’ve reconnected with a part of myself that was tucked away for awhile as I built my career and raised my children. My children are still growing and now I’m building my second career but I’m not neglecting that outdoor adventurer version of me anymore.

Is there a part of yourself that you want to reconnect with? What support do you need to do that?

NATURE ROAMINGTM: ROAM, CONNECT, GROW

During Nature Roaming, I take groups and individuals into the woods to roam (walk quietly, while pondering an intention that you have set, feeling nature around you); connect (journaling on how nature helped you connect thoughts or ideas and connecting outwardly by sharing with the group); and grow (thinking about what you have learned, steps you plan to take to continue growing, and ensuring that you take what you experienced with you). 

Also, there are metaphors to lean on when looking for the right way to express a feeling or a thought. A dead tree, a gushing stream, a beautiful flower can all have different meaning depending on what you are thinking about at the moment you see them. 

One client said that the woods made her feel like she could open up because it felt like a safe place. It gave her a broader lens from which to view her situation; it allowed for a different perspective. She noted that the trees have been around forever, they have deep roots, there is a spiritual aspect to being out there. And that helped her feel that she could make change in her life. 

NEW PODCAST ON OUTDOOR COACHING

This brand new podcast, Coaching Outdoors, with Anna-Marie Watson PCC and Alex Burn, addresses benefits of coaching in natural environments. Guests are practitioners who have coached outdoors and other specialists in related fields such as eco-psycology. The podcast is for coaches who want to take their coaching sessions outdoors; it's for coachees who are interested in learning more about outdoor coaching; and it's for those who are interested in learning more about the benefits of being outdoors and in nature.There are six episodes so far, including one with Professor Jonathan Passmore on the benefits of nature on mental health.

I’ll be a guest on the podcast later this year!

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