Overview

Guided Wilderness Connections offers a way to work with internal blocks to happiness, security and love by re-connecting with the healing powers of Nature.  We believe animals including humans have always healed their psychological wounds in just this way, Nature’s way.  However, at some point in time, we lost this natural ability,  blocked by distractions, avoidance of feelings, a “drive to get things done;” and loss of healing communities or tribes.  By developing a regular practice of Wilderness Meditation, practitioners can better heal from trauma wounds, grow more psychological resilience and avoid struggling with common societal problems of depression, anxiety and PTSD.   Our guides are teaching this process in three steps. 

3 steps:

Wilderness Meditation,

Internal Guide Development

 Group Witnessing

Wilderness Meditation, the ABC process we use to guide our teaching

The core of our program is built around Wilderness Meditation, the tool used to access and work with the “Inner Wilderness.”  Like most new experiences, at first there is fear and doubt; but after many trips, as we remain mindful of each path taken, what was unfamiliar and doubtful begins to feel like home.   Once at home with the process, you are now ready to work with the many important and interesting characters that live there, the various aspects or “parts” of our Selves.   Working in this way with our inner world of parts has been well documented as an effective treatment in psychotherapy.  The Center for Self Leadership (IFS) details this process, and we feel it is helpful to view our work through this lens.  But, we don’t want you to stop there, we want you to live there.  Guided Wilderness Connections is also a community of other Wilderness folks witnessing and reinforcing each others daily efforts at living this way.  Our Monday evening workshops give us a chance to share our practicers.  Ask for an invite by sending in a contact form.  

Overview of the Wilderness Meditation — ABC

A — Arrival

Accessing your highest self

B — Befriending

Checking inside, identifying who is here and seeks your attention; performing a role call of who you know may need some attention.

C — Connecting

Going deeper inside and focusing on one part of yourself.

What do you mean by guided?

Ultimately we mean, Self guided; based on the belief that within each of us exists a wise and loving, Curious and Connecting core, Calmly guiding us through our lives with Confidence and Clarity, towards being Confident, Creative and Compassionate beings.   So, what’s the problem?  Well that core Self can be eclipsed by many different and often conflicting thoughts, feelings and sensations which like to be in charge. Sounds like some committees you’ve served on?  Well that’s a good analogy; and your job will be to become a better manager by listening to the needs of your committee members and compassionately guiding them to serve your “higher” needs. That’s where we can help. The job of our guides is to help your guides take over so you become Self led.  Guides take the form of an individual coach, an IFS therapist or an IFS group. IFS stands for Internal Family Systems, developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz  Center for Self Leadership Website.

What is group witnessing?

Using IFS (Internal Family Systems Group Therapy), members practice speaking for parts rather than as parts. You can imagine how much easier and safer it feels to hear about someones anger rather than from that angry person.  This means practicing a state of mind where you can feel calm, compassionate and connected toward group members as they share their challenges with their own internal family.  This is what we mean by group witnessing, and it feels awesome, like “finally someone’s getting me.” 

Who is this program for?

Anyone looking for more “inner harmony” and happiness by working with their “inner world” to become a better Self leader.  We believe that by becoming a better inner manager, you become a better manager.  This program is designed for you if you lead a work group, chair a large organization; are a principal, coach or teacher; a mom or dad or other guardian of our future.  It’s also a natural for those who already turn to nature for healing, for combat veterans and first responders letting go of trauma, or victims trying to get re-grounded, or families who have trouble talking around the dinner table.