[susanfronckowiak]

Maria,
When I read about your vision that involves working with Hispanic women I was reminded of the coaching session we shared in which you lead me through a nature-connected awareness walk in Spanish. No matter what language you are speaking, your authentic and loving desire to help people connect with nature and themselves in palpable.

To answer your question about my experience working with vulnerable population and grants and scholarships… Many of the organizations DO have scholarships they offer for rite of passage participants. I am not sure about grants, but I do know that year round fundraising occurs- and for one specific organization, no one is ever turned away for scholarships and/or financial assistance. I love the idea of working with organizations and individuals/families interested in supporting this line of work through grants and philanthropic trusts 🙂

[susanfronckowiak]

I also find myself grateful for this ‘pause’ and time to ‘breathe’ in the world right now. Not every breath I take is slow and steady. Some breaths are deep and others are shallow. What I do know is that I am filled with a deep awareness of how and what I am feeling amidst all that is happening. I hope that when I work with clients in nature I will help others feel a deeper awareness and connection to their inner nature and also to the natural world. When I reflect on my different experiences working in nature with people, I can now see how all I’ve done has led me to EBI. It feels like a golden thread has been woven between all of my personal and professional adventures. The times where I felt lost along my path now make sense- and I realize that the inner voice that was a quiet whisper is now a loud and vigorous “yes”. I hope to help those I work with also feel a desire to say “yes” to their lives as well. At EBI, we have all connected as a community of colleagues and have also connected as friends. Knowing that I have all of you to connect with during these wild times is so comforting. Thank you.

My mind has also been reflecting on my ideal client and I realize that I do not have an ideal client, but a desire to connect with all people really. There are many ideal clients out there! If I dig deep, I realize a gift I have is to bring people together in community. Daniel asked me to create a list of life changing events/experiences and I’ve realized that my experiences are vast. I am excited to work alongside nature to help my clients move towards and achieve their goals and their vision. One reason I am so called to working in circles is because of the diversity that comes with working in groups. There is always a collective goal and intention when people show up together and also when individual work is going on within the circles. It is empowering in many ways- for participants and guides- collectively and individually.

In June I am scheduled to be a part of a vision-fast support team in Colorado and have been really looking forward to supporting vision fasters and to weaving my new skills learned in EBI into with wilderness work. Unfortunately, I just learned that the fast may be cancelled due to the pandemic. I feel sadness at the thought of things changing on the calendar AND at the same time feel a trust in the Universe that things are unfolding exactly as they are meant to be.

Truth is, that we are living a rite of passage today. We have a huge opportunity for growth and humanity is perhaps in some ways more awake than ever before. We are being pushed to the edges of comfort in many ways (for some it’s financial, emotional, relational, etc.) What is absolutely clear to me is that our work is desperately needed right now, and I’m honored to be on this path with you all.

[susanfronckowiak]

Leslie,
I hope you’re feeling better with each passing day.

I loved reading, “Diversity is something incredibly important to me.” I can absolutely relate. I often think about the opportunities people have to spend time outside. I know that many different populations have different wilderness access challenges and/or opportunities than others. I’d love to hear more about what working with diversity might look like for you. I’ve had a strong pull to work with low income youth-at-risk populations and also the LGBTQ+ community and families. No matter who you chose to work with, those who work with you will feel your strong and loving presence and also your genuine desire to help people transform their perspectives, develop their vision, and change their lives for the better! So blessed to know you Leslie.

[susanfronckowiak]

David,
When you talked about how you’ve been “fortunate to be influential in many individuals’ first time connecting outdoors”, I think of the pictures you have shared with me of you and Gabby being outside. Whether it’s roller skating down your street, hiking, or exploring decaying leaves found on the ground, it’s clear that your professional work with EBI and your passion for nature is directly impacting Gabby’s life. You are living it and walking the talk. What a gift that she is experiencing time in nature with intention at her young age and that she’s learning from you that she IS nature!

James,
Loved reading, “I want to serve those who have a similar struggle and experience as I have had. People who have been beat up by the modern world/culture and are looking for guidance on how to do/be/live differently.” This makes me think about the major shifts and changes occuring in the world and how many people today ARE looking for guidance. There is such a deep need for groundedness, centeredness, and connection during this pandemic- and honestly, we as a society have needed it for a long time! There are young adults right NOW who are isolated from their peers and from their social circles. I can totally see you working with this population to mentor, guide, and lead young people into lives of wholeness and empowerment. And, those you work with will see your genuine compassion and desire to help them. So excited to see your work evolve!

Deanna,
I’m inspired by the deep connections you make and can absolutely see you leading the retreats you envision. Your videos on facebook and seeing you ‘move’ in the world as you dance are proof of your connectedness to yourself and to others. Anyone who crosses paths with you will definitely feel your compassion, authenticity, and inspiring energy. You asked me about what my few hour coaching sessions may look like… I personally would like to build in creative art workshops with my clients and would like to work with multiple people in council. When I participated in Cascadia Quest’s ‘Art of Mirroring’ training and the SOLB training- I witnessed the power of reflecting stories. The transformations of people before and after their wilderness experiences… wow! I also love helping bring people together and love to help build community where people are invited to explore topics of personal growth together over a certain period of time (i.e. meet in a group each week for a series of months). The possibilities are endless and it excites me to brainstorm ideas. Perhaps someday you and I will work together!

[susanfronckowiak]

Some of the organizations that I find myself working with are both Cascadia Quest (located in Eugene, Oregon) and also School of Lost Borders (located in Big Pine, California).

Cascadia Quest is dedicated to rite of passage work and to initiating the youth of our planet. It is the belief of the organization that if youth do not have proper initiations that support them entering into adulthood, that the youth will find ways to initiate themselves. Their website states, “At Cascadia Quest we place high value on the sacredness of Nature, involvement of Community, recognition of Spirit, and engagement of all generations particularly youth and elders. Our programs are modern yet speak to a deep, ancient knowing in our bones. Cascadia Quest offers wilderness rites of passage, and other nature immersed personal growth and educational experiences.”

I’ve had the opportunity to participate in a weeklong communication training through C.Q. and have been invited to help work with their staff to support work they do with youth and adult vision fast programs. When I think about Nature-Connected Coaching and the mission and work of C.Q., I can see how their work with ‘mirroring’ is much like we do when we reflect our client’s words back to them. The container is set for council meetings and rite of passage work and many of their staff have completed School of Lost Borders trainings as well.

School of Lost Borders is also an organization dedicated to rite of passage work and is often seen as the mother-ship for this line of work. Those who work with ‘the school’ are passionate about helping others to reach deeper within and to find connection to truth, awareness, and connection. This organization also works with youth ages 17-28 on ceremonial marking of the passage from youth to adulthood. The school and its Elders and Guides see this passage into adulthood as an “integral part of human development… Culturally-specific rituals are now re-emerging and evolving so that adolescents may be appropriately met, challenged, inspired, and mentored into adulthood. The intentional marking of these transitions is not only significant for the young initiate, but equally so for the family and for the entire community or school.”

When I think of all I have personally experienced and have witnessed within C.Q. and S.O.L.B., I know how powerful ceremony/intentional rite of passage work is. What excites me now is how I can tie in all my training with both organizations to my work with EBI. There are so many connections, common threads, and goals that all organizations share… and I am excited to continue to build connections, relationships, and vision with those I meet as my clients and as colleagues. Thank you all for inspiring me!

[susanfronckowiak]

For some reason I cannot get my post to fully show up here. Thinking it’s too long?

[susanfronckowiak]

When I think about coaching and guiding others I am immediately pulled to working with a variety of populations in the outdoor setting. In my twenties. I spent a large chunk of time guiding youth-at-risk in the wilderness (facilitating personal growth through rock climbing, white water rafting, backpacking, etc.) I worked in North Carolina seasonally and then spent six months traveling out west with a group of teenage boys, educating them and also helping to build their self esteem and self reliance. Later, I decided I was ready to settle down a bit versus always sleeping in my bivy sac or tent, and left the outdoor education setting and moved into the classroom setting. One of my ideas was always to design a program for middle school aged girls. The program’s goal would be to help empower young women and to teach them wilderness skills and to also have a travel portion of our studies built in (such as a three month wilderness adventure in the southwestern United States.) One of my good friends is also a coach and works with youth as a rite of passage guide. We have spoken of working together in the future and I find myself excited for the many possibilities that exist. We have shared vision and it’s super exciting to think about combining our passion and love of sharing nature together with designing a new program or workshop! Another population I am drawn to working with are mothers. I know there are many needs that Moms have. I am a mom and know what it’s like to be ‘in the trenches’ of motherhood- it is the hardest and the most rewarding job I have ever experienced in my life. Some of the biggest needs of mothers are; self-care, feeling a part of a community, connection, feeling heard, inspiration, quiet time, etc. I imagine leading women’s circles, weekend retreats, and multiple rite of passage ceremonies- all with the intention of helping to identify the deeper needs of participants and to help empower them to ‘thrive’ versus survive.

When I think about all I’ve learned during these Foundation Modules, I have come to realize that I most enjoy working with clients in-person versus on the phone or video. Though it’s absolutely possible to work with clients in all settings, for me I would love to work on the land with people. I want to see, hear, feel, and observe energy shifts, while also sharing the same physical environment with others. I also know that I want to work with people over a few hours and also over a few intentional days.

When I think about the common categories of goals I foresee clients working towards, I immediately imagine helping people fully step into their lives by claiming their voice, communicating their needs, and expressing their true selves. I also envision collaborating with nature through multi-day wilderness vision fasts, outdoor councils, workshops at a local retreat center near my home, and also in various wilderness areas as I travel with clients (youth). There are so many incredible wilderness areas across the country that I know would be powerful settings for working with clients. There are a variety of environments that can help facilitate awareness, growth, and success in those I work with. It’s exciting to think about how even the type of setting we take clients into can have a profound impact on their experience (desert, mountain, river valley, etc.) Bottom line is- that no matter where we are or take our clients, Nature is the co-guide and will show the way.

[susanfronckowiak]

When I reflect on Foundation 3, I’m immediately brought to thinking about honoring Nature- honoring nature within us, honoring nature around us, and honoring the sacredness of Nature as a whole. I also think about wholeness and energy in the greater world. There is such a deep awareness that is required of us as coaches. We need to be aware of our client, the environments we coach in and the client’s environment. We also need to pay attention to/watch for subtle and not so subtle shifts in voice changes, pauses, tone, body language, and overall energy… and honor our client as a whole person. I think about being a coach and how I feel like I’m a combination of a radar and a mirror. I’m a radar in the sense that I am sending out waves of support and loving energy as I help guide my guide clients through the coaching process. My intention is to help clients discover their gifts and needs. I help facilitate growth and at the same time I am receiving information in return. I’m also a mirror in the sense that, along with Nature, I provide the reflection needed for the deeper awareness and internalization to occur. I know that it is a need of everyone to be simply ‘seen’ and ‘heard’.

I also reflect on learning about how we move clients through Severance to to Threshold and into Incorporation. As coaches, we have the gift of being able to connect with others and the land. As we lead with intention we also dance with surrender and trust. We are dancing with Nature, listening and letting it co-guide with us and are constantly practicing tuning in. We track the energy of clients and are gifted the opportunity to witness our clients step into having their deeper needs identified and ultimately met.

Again, I think back to my personal experience being guided by others in our group… and specifically how the energy of my guides helped me to keep my momentum in moving into Threshold with purpose and energy. The mirroring by all of you- and your deep commitment to helping me to identify my needs- was mind blowing. It is so much about simply being present, being aware, trusting the process, letting go, and just being present with our co-guide (Nature), client, and self. You are all gifted!

There is such a need in the World for our work right now and this is our time to continue to move forward- and this is truly our time as Michael said, “to anchor into vision.” I am grateful for all of you. You are my chosen/EBI family and the connection we have brings me a sense of feeling more grounded and peaceful. You all give me hope and inspiration… thank you!

[susanfronckowiak]

Maria,

Loved reading your writing and reflection on the subject of TRUST. You said, “I continue to find that TRUST is the area of greatest growth for me… I need to root into humility and trust– trust that what needs to be said and what needs to be experienced will spring forth from the container formed between the client, myself, and the Land.”

This reminds me of the essentiality of taking time with the clients, ourselves and the land to create a sacred container of safety, trust, connection, and space… for the growth and intention to develop in. I can think back to so many different times when I was working with a professional on personal growth and a container was not set. I know that from my experience being guided by you that your gift of connecting with people will most definitely make your clients feel supported and at ease.

[susanfronckowiak]

David- you reflected about the threshold and wrote, “It can be difficult to remember a lot of the details because I feel like I’m in another dimension when I’m in threshold.”

This is something I have experienced as well. I know the two of us shared with each other our recent vision fast experiences and the details of our times out on the land. Even though we each spent days out on our fasts it IS hard to remember many of the details. Time does seem to shift and the inner work going on seems to take over the concept of time. What this makes me think about more deeply is how we as coaches will witness transformation with our clients but the transformation that our clients are feeling goes way beyond what we actually see and that it continues into incorporation as well. There’s sacredness in the unspoken and in the experience that cannot ever be fully explained but only experienced.

And, to answer your question… “what qualities of yours as a coach will elicit this same type of dropping in from your clients when they arrive that day with the inhibitions you felt?” I feel that my honesty, wide-open heart, and ability to see my clients as whole when they arrive, will help me to create a container in which my clients will feel safe and loved. My passion for helping others fuels my work as a coach!

And to answer your other question,”in what ways are you saying “f*ck yeah to all parts of your life TODAY? 🙂” First, thank you for asking- and for encouraging me to live my best life friend. I’ve stepped up and have made my first video about coaching on facebook and have shared how I am offering free coachings to people in need right now. I’m also committing to absolutely crystal clear communication in all areas of my life and to asking for crystal clear clarification. It’s amazing how much of a difference these changes make. My life is opening up in so many ways due to this- personally and professionally.

I love how you and Gabby have been getting out on the land together and am so inspired by both of you! My question for you is, “has your coaching impacted the way you parent?”

[susanfronckowiak]

As I sit here, reflecting on my experiences as a client in “threshold”, I am immediately brought back to a few extremely powerful moments that have informed my coaching and that have changed me. One time, I worked with a coach with whom I hadn’t really spent much time with before. As a client, I found myself a bit hesitant to fully expose myself to get to my deeper need. The person coaching me did an incredible job inviting me to fully step in by creating a safe container and one where I felt absolutely seen, supported, and witnessed. The solid eye contact he made with me and the energy he put out (I value you, I value me) shifted how I was feeling. He looked in my eyes and I felt vulnerable and safe at the safe time. I went from a place of hesitation to a place of empowerment within minutes. The session we shared was one of the most powerful experiences I have ever had in my life. What I experienced reminds me of how we as coaches set the tone, bring supportive energy, co-create a container with nature, and make the invitation for our clients. We may do all of these things and our clients are the ones who ultimately choose whether or not to show up and step in to growth, deep self awareness, and learning. When I was being coached, I was invited to explore the land and to practice what it would feel and look like to fully step in to saying (excuse the language) the phrase “ “F*ck yeah!” to all areas of my life without hesitation. My coach led me through the process of exploring my desires and ultimately my deeper need and then walked the land with me. Nature presented wind just as I yelled those words and the land held me and my intention. At first I felt funny yelling into the wind, but then felt supported and held- by my coach. He put the pause in our work together and we shared silence and space. It was absolutely powerful. Not only did I experience deep connection with myself and the absolute inner knowing I often talk about, but also with my coach and the Earth. He established trust and intimacy with me as his client, and also followed through with me as I checked back in during incorporation. This experience of stepping into the “threshold” as his practice client was powerful for me. I was invited to step into a place of the unknown with a container and also a specific and clear intention. Personally, I feel the specific core competencies that are essential for me to continue to practice and build on are the areas of: Planning & Goal Setting and Designing Actions. I find it comes naturally for me to genuinely connect and to be present with people in my life, both personally and professionally. In my coaching, I am looking forward to developing long term relationships with clients where we can work together to identify goals, targets, and celebrate their successes and growth opportunities.

Another threshold experience I would like to share about is my October 2019 Vision Fast. It is hard for me to even begin to put my experience into words but I feel it’s important for me to share a little because in my wilderness rite of passage work I will also be bringing in my coaching. When I first decided last spring to reenter wilderness work and specifically to train to be a rite of passage guide, I had to get crystal clear about my reasons for doing so. I knew the time had arrived for me to step in and to answer the call that had been knocking for 20 plus years. I wrote a long letter of intention about why I was training and also was invited to identify personal intentions that would help me grow as a guide in all areas of my life. In Jenny Rogers’ book Coaching Skills, she writes, “Whatever issues a client brings to the coach, there will be a sequence of necessary stages, through which the coach and client must pass. 1. Where, who, and what am I now – in my life, my work, my relationships, and my skills. 2. Where, who and what would I like to be ideally? 3. Given those answers, what goals do I need to set for myself? 4. How can I achieve and sustain those goals?” I worked with guides (wilderness coaches) who helped me identify my ‘deeper need’. I can see how what they did for me in Council mirrored what we are doing for our clients as Nature-Connected Coaches… intentional rite of passage work. When I literally stepped over the doorway into the spirit world for my vision fast, I had a clear intention I stated out loud. While I was out in the desert, I carried the intention in my heart. I was Nature, in Nature, and was held by the land and also in a container that the guides created for participants. It’s hard to fully explain all that was a part of my training without going on and on. What is clear to me is that whether I am guiding clients with one hour coaching sessions or five day wilderness rite of passage experiences, as a Nature-Connected Coach I have an incredible opportunity to weave these together with Nature to help facilitate powerful transformations for my clients.

[susanfronckowiak]

I am taking away a great amount of learning and personal insight from the module and our training together this far. I’ve been reflecting a lot of the idea of ‘wholeness’ and how clients come to us whole and how the Earth is whole. By listening to the land and by embracing our gifts of self awareness, sensitivity, and connection, we as coaches are given incredible opportunities to help guide others through what can be very powerful experiences. Just yesterday I was thinking about the exercises we have practiced (i.e. I value you, and I value me) and how using intentional language is powerful. As we work with our clients, our goals are to deeply listen and to guide our clients through Severance, Threshold, and Incorporation. Our clients experience a change, gain perspective, and are invited to step in to living their lives in a new way. They have a rite of passage. The container that we create along with nature, is in my opinion where the magic happens! Intention is everything! Also, I’ve enjoyed learning more about ecopsychology and how we can help ourselves and clients live sustainable lives of wellness. Another thing I am loving is that the work and learning I’m doing with EBI is rippling into all areas of my life. As a coach, I will be working with a variety of people and will be continually assessing not only where my clients are but also where I am. And I know that my commitment to community and giving back are what drive me and light me on fire, and I hope that the clients I work with also experience soul-directed experiences that drive them to live their best lives as well. It is so inspiring to be on this journey with you all!

[susanfronckowiak]

Maria 🙂

“I think the most important skills we need to cultivate as NCC are the art of listening to Nature and developing trust that Nature has all it needs to restore itself.” What you wrote really hits home for me in many ways. I’ve been thinking about ‘trust’ a lot lately- what it means to fully surrender and what it looks like to live and practice trust. And when I read your words, “As Nature Connected Coaches, we are participating in the healing of the whole”… I want to scream YES! When we are able to see that we are part of the whole and how connected we are to each other, the Earth, and everything, the collective healing has already begun. And the art of listening you mentioned… also reminds me of the value and necessity of choosing to live each day with intention and awareness. It also reminds me of how we discussed when we hit the deeper need with our clients how the energy behind it will come naturally. This is inspiring to think about!

[susanfronckowiak]

Leslie,

You wrote, “I think that if we want to truly heal the human psyche, a connection to nature must be a part of our practice and this is not typically a standard in coaching. It’s a tool, not the norm. The skills that we use as coaches to facilitate healing and change are the same as within nature connection – curiosity, humility, the ability to find meaning, deep listening, trust. I wonder if the blend of nature connection and coaching can help to bring about true, full healing likely quicker and more effectively than traditional coaching can.” I’m curious as to what you’ve experienced with your coaching back in Florida now that you have started the program at EBI. You obviously come to the table with lots of knowledge, skills, and awareness & I would love to hear if you’re feeling a shift within your work back home.

🙂

[susanfronckowiak]

“Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but a thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.”
– Chief Seattle

When I think of Ecopsychology and Coaching coming together, I imagine an expanding connection and a web. Ecopsychology is the idea that everything is connected in nature and that we come from the earth and that we are nature. It is believed that the manner in which we treat nature affects all of us. The Gaia Principle proposes that Earth and all its inhabitants are more than the sum of its parts, but a whole system in and of itself. When the Earth suffers, we suffer… and when we suffer, the Earth suffers. Because we are a part of the whole and interconnected to everything, what’s going on within us and around us matters. “The goal of ecopsychology is to awaken the inherent sense of environmental reciprocity that lies with the ecological unconscious. Other therapies seek to heal the alienation between person and person, person and family, person and society. Ecopsychology seeks to heal the more fundamental alienation between the person and the natural environment.” (The Voice of the Earth: An Exploration of Ecopsychology. Roszak, T., 2001. 2nd Edition.)

In coaching, we strive to help clients also ‘awaken’ and to reconnect to the natural world and ultimately themselves. We recognize that we are not separate from nature, and instead connect to the reality of who we are and honor Earth and self. I aim to help guide my clients to have nature experiences where they make meaning, seek knowledge, and ultimately make changes from within to live their best lives- and to go out and have a positive impact in the world. The end of one coaching session is just the beginning of another session, another aim, and another goal. The cyclical pattern of coaching is much like the cyclical patterns of nature.

Ecopsychology tells us that we are wired to be in connection and that when we are in a state of awareness, we can feel the connection deep in our bones. As a coach, I need to have the skills to help facilitate my clients through exercises that will help them realize that nature is like having a drugstore when you need medicine. We can go out on the land, or even just outside to feel the fresh air and can have profound moments of connection. “There is more to know about the self, or rather more self to know, than our personal history reveals…. salt remnants of ancient oceans flow through our veins, ashes of expired stars rekindle in our genetic chemistry”. (The Voice of the Earth: An Exploration of Ecopsychology. Roszak, T., 2001. 2nd Edition.) Simply closing our eyes and listening to the sounds around us, or feeling the sun, rain, or wind on our skin, can teach us much. Often times, people in life view nature as an added extra thing to have in their life versus realizing that they are nature. It’s not a resource to be exploited or a backdrop to our lives, but is our life and is deeply embedded in us. It is primal.

We as coaches know that when we see the natural world as a central part of our lives we treat it better and are also filled with a greater sense of place, a sense of deeper connection, belonging, and a feeling of community. It is my desire to help my clients realize that we humans are a part of the natural landscape and that the deep bond between humans and nature is reciprocal. We are not separate but are already whole and connected to all. “People are intimately connected with, embedded in, and inseparable from the rest of nature.” (Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind. Buzzell, L., Chalquist, C. 2009.)

As a Nature-Connected Coach, I know it is important for me to have my daily practice and also important for me to continue to seek opportunities that will not only help my clients grow, but also help me to grow.