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Nature Roaming™ & Nature-based coaching

Nature Roaming is about partnering with nature in coaching conversations and taking clients outdoors for coaching. Movement is part of NR. There are three parts to NR: Roam, Connect, Grow

Nature Roaming™ is one-on-one or group coaching — outdoors in nature following the Roam. Connect. Grow™ method

What is Nature Roaming? It’s what I call coaching in nature. It gives you the time to slow down and think. It’s a different type of nature walk. You might consider it a type of meditation followed by reflection, sharing and goal setting.

Nature Roaming™ combines the power of nature with guided coaching to lead to expanded self-awareness and self-compassion. Through inner reflection (roaming), connection (with nature, yourself and others), and forging a path forward (growth), the keystones of Nature Roaming™, you can shift your perspective, see new possibilities, learn about yourself and your leadership capabilities. You will leave feeling rejuvenated and with a plan to move forward.

When you sign up for a coaching package with me, you can choose Nature Roaming™ for one or more of your coaching sessions. We can also have coaching sessions in nature without following the Nature Roaming™ format. If you have a group interested in Nature Roaming™, please contact me to discuss the size, location and needs of your group.

I enjoy nature-based coaching in person or over the phone. In the case of the latter, you would walk in your outdoor space and I would walk in mine - together, over the phone. It works really well!

WHAT TO BRING

  • Good walking shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty 

  • Clothes for the weather. Consider layers

  • A small pack or backpack

  • Snack

  • Water

  • Journal and pen/pencil

  • Bugspray, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses and anything else that would make the walk comfortable for you

  • Cellphone

TOPICS FOR NATURE COACHING SESSIONS

  • Nature coaching can cover the same topics as regular coaching sessions. Some topics I’ve coached clients on include:

    • Better communication with teams and supervisors

    • Better understanding of the client’s view of an uncomfortable situation and assumptions around it

    • Addressing the feeling of overwhelm and uncertainty

    • Identifying a fulfilling, meaningful career

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What will you learn on your Nature Roam™?


I booked an outdoor nature session with Jennifer because I was feeling anxious and stressed. The process was easy. I went to a nearby trail and with Jennifer on the other line, I walked and talked. I know it sounds cliché, but the outdoor session with Jennifer and in nature was life-changing! As I talked to Jennifer about my fears and anxiety, I also told her what I was observing in my surroundings. Without missing a beat, Jennifer incorporated my surroundings into her very insightful follow-up questions. It is truly a gift she has! Our session helped me shift my perspective on several issues that were causing me anxiety. More importantly, I learned tools to cope with my anxiety in the future. I would not have acquired these tools without Jennifer’s powerful questions or the assistance of mother nature. Immediately after our call, I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. With answers and a fresh perspective, I felt less anxious. I had renewed energy to walk into my purpose despite the fear and uncertainty. Thank you, Jennifer, for unlocking the answers I had in me all along with your fearless and compassionate line of questioning. It was a sheer magical experience I will carry for life.
— Yohanna R., Founder of Bar Exam Coaching by Yohanna

Outdoor coaching provides the ideal scenery for mental clarity and self-evaluation, and is overall a peaceful and rewarding experience. Jennifer is the ideal outdoor coach- her love and appreciation for nature are matched by her robust hiking experience and talents as a coach. The combination of outdoor setting with Jennifer’s prompts and guidance provide for an experience that allows distractions to fall away while you gain insight and discover new realizations on a calm and refreshing hike. I recommend outdoor coaching for those struggling to slow down and connect inward, going through life transitions, and anyone interested in investing in their mental health.
— Elise Spontarelli, Executive Director, Vector Space
Jennifer is an amazing coach who used her systems thinking, combined with her background in biology and clear comfort with the outdoors, to get me to see challenges at work and home in new ways. Our virtual calls on the woody trails by our own houses (during the pandemic) were inspiring (I was a bit hesitant at first since I’m not a big outdoor person and she helped me overcome that). However I came to notice that the outdoors presented unique metaphors. Bluebirds and trail heads were metaphors for things like hope and thinking about taking things in new directions. These metaphors helped me more fully explain my issues during coaching and reach new understanding about myself.
— Betsy Q-M, Deputy Director of Executive Leadership Development, U.S. Government
Jennifer is a fabulous coach in the great outdoors! She possesses an inspiring communion with nature, and you experience this when you’re in the woods with her. She encourages the use of all of the senses to take in your surroundings and leads a deep conversational reflection on the metaphors that nature holds. I have enjoyed the two retreat walks I’ve been on with her. They both unlocked important self-awareness and drew me closer to my fellow leaders I was able to experience this with.
— Megan Huffman, Executive Director, SHARE Greater Lynchburg

*Nature Roaming and Roam, Connect, Grow are trademarks of J. Wills Career Coaching, LLC.