The Wild Minds Podcast

It’s good to be back for a new season and notice autumn arriving! Isn’t it incredibly difficult to get away from screens and allow time for play, reflection, rest and social connection. 

On a recent walk, I saw swallows, who will soon be leaving us for southern Africa, and I did some research on Atlantic Mackerel as I saw all these people fishing – turn out they are leaving too and going north – life is always on the move! 

In this episode I highlight the increase in special educational needs and disabilities in schools as well as social, emotional, mental health challenges for young people. I continue to reflect on embodied practice, for me this means our capacity to notice sensations and feelings in our bodies, which is not easy and how this can help us to be in relationship with each other.

I will be exploring some of my own (and maybe your) blind spots so that we can begin to address privilege and power and afford others more dignity and respect.

In this Episode Marina discusses:

• Becoming more awareness of lots of power dynamics and privilege
• Learning to be softer on myself and harder on the system
• Noting the rise in June 2024 Data for Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) and Social, Emotional, Mental health (SEMH):
• Exploring how power influences our lives and addressing our blind spots
• Recognising that what feels safe to me may not feel the same for others
• How can we be more regulated as adults and increase our bandwidth for expression of emotion before we tip into fight, freeze or dissociative behaviour.
• How empowered SEN schools can provide opportunities to engage in vocational learning involving practical embodied experiences that facilitate social interactions and bodies that move!
• Understanding how stress narrows our window of tolerance (Linked to Podcast: Behaviour is Communication).
• Welcoming multi-modes of working in a complex world.
• Practicing staying with the discomfort and trouble (Donna Haraway’s).
• Valuing diverse life experiences through a metabolic paradigm– everything is alive in its own way.
• Shifting from a screen-based childhoods to more play-based learning opportunities.

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-42-embodied-practice-in-our-special-education-needs-world/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com

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Welcome back to Season 6! My guest today is David Cowell, Managing Director of ALP Schools, which runs special educational needs independent schools, funded by the local authority.

These five schools are for young people between the ages of 6-19 and 25 who have diagnosed special educational needs.

• The potential link between criminal behavior and the kind of educational opportunities we provide for young people.
• What the purpose of education is.
• Providing other learning opportunities for young people who find traditional education challenging.
• How and why, David opened ALP The Lodge.
• The benefits and impact of vocational learning and outdoor learning for those with special educational needs.
• Creating outdoor curriculums.
• PSHE in the outdoors.
• A special focus on our new Paddleboard Project.
• The Rise in SEN figures in England.

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-41-david-cowell-alp-schools/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show!

This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. 

Mentioned in this episode:

The Advanced Certificate in Forest School and Outdoor Learning

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/certificate/

This is the final episode of Season 5 until we meet again on September 23rd around the Autumn Equinox!

I find myself once again in July, re-committing to taking time to slow down and make sure I spend time in natural spaces. I think in order to walk my talk, particularly with regard to listening deeply to the natural world and the wisdom that might arise from this encounter, I know it’s necessary to slow down, to facilitate for deep body-based listening.

This episode pulls together some of the threads from this season, I discuss spirituality and acknowledge that I want my own experience of the spiritual to remain somewhat private – something that I cultivate largely on my own, or with close friends, in order to avoid too many people’s opinions.

In this Episode Marina discusses:

• How our own health and well-being is linked to the health of the planet.
• The importance of interacting with the world through our imagination and body intelligence.
• Why is it so awkward to talk about spirituality?
• The importance of boundaries and choosing when to keep things private or public.
• What is real anyway? Who has consciousness? How might we experiment stretching our own consciousness?
• Children’s capacity to apply their imagination through story, role-play, being another animal – their ability to place themselves as ‘the other.’
• Ourselves as wild animals with a wild heart!
• How we might explore listening to our dreams and body and notice what may occur.
• That communication is much more than words.
• Coming into balance – to be well, we need to balance demands and resources.
• Being open to other intelligences.
• Avoiding burnout and the Personal Responsibility Vortex (PRV) as described by Alex Eisenberg: https://www.protectthackerpass.org/the-personal-responsibility-vortex/
• What we can learn from trees.

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-40-wild-hearts-wise-bodies/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

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I’m thrilled to introduce my guest, Rebecca Wildbear. Rebecca is the author of Wild Yoga, a book that guides us to inhabit our bodies and listen to the animate natural world. She tracks dreams, invites us to embrace vulnerability, listening deeply to nature, and to be open to what arises.

Rebecca holds an M.S. in Counseling from Johns Hopkins University and spent fifteen years working as a Wilderness Therapist. She’s also a professional river guide, having captained boats through pristine, fish-filled rivers.

With over 20 years of experience working with dreams, Rebecca has been a soul guide at Animas Valley Institute since 2006, where she now serves as a Senior Guide.

In this episode, we dive into:

• What does it mean to say the natural world is alive?
• Revisiting an animated view of the natural world and delving into direct experiences with living, animate species.
• Exploring the potential for consciousness in plants and rocks and acknowledging the challenge this poses to our modern egos.
• What is a Soul Guide?
• Rebecca's book: 'Wild Yoga'.
• What is wholeness for a human? How can we apprentice to other natural beings to support this wholeness and remember our natural capacities?
• Exploring visualisation, deep imagination, and dreaming, and how to cultivate an intimate relationship with a tree and listen to what happens next.
• Inviting listeners to turn off their minds, avoiding the impulse to figure things out, and instead practice open-ended listening.
• Highlighting how the way we see the world influences how we participate in it. We discuss the 'Personal Responsibility Vortex (PRV) by Alex Eisenburg.

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-39-listening-to-the-wild-world-rebecca-wildbear/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show!

This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. 

Mentioned in this episode:

The Advanced Certificate in Forest School and Outdoor Learning

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/certificate/

Welcome to Episode 38! Today, I'm delving into the transformative power of nature in education and health. I'll be sharing the backstory of Circle of Life Rediscovery, my community interest company, and our journey in offering nature-based programmes and green interventions with the National Health Service and various teams over the past 20 years.

In this Episode Marina discusses:

• Celebrating the nettle seeds from the female nettle plant (Urtica dioica). They have separate female and male plants, full of nutrients, proteins, omega 3 oils.
• How we can begin to apply our imagination and vision, reflecting on the role of power and participation.
• Marina shares her journey on how we can participate and create systems that nurture both ourselves and the natural world.
• Marina delves into how individuals and collective actions can drive system change and discusses strategies to influence and transform existing systems.
• Circle of Life Rediscovery CIC and an introduction to the Rediscovery Model, which kick-started the delivery of nature-based programmes.
• Early Days of Eco-Therapy defined by MIND, focusing on a model that listens to young people and provides space, time, safety, and choice around participation. This model listens to young people, offering space and time, safety and choice around participation – If you would like to know more about our green interventions projects please do get in touch.
• The development of the Certificate in Nature-based Practice as the primary training to offer the tools and practices to enable NHS, health and social workers to take individuals and groups outdoors. Our training Certificate in Nature-based Practice runs twice every year, in the Autumn and Springtime.
• Marina shares exciting news about Natural England funding for 20 NHS practitioners in mental health and public, primary, and community health services. If you want to fund an NHS practitioner to take part in our Certificate it costs £1000.00 per practitioner. Please contact us on [email protected]
• To receive and share the latest research report on the impact of nature-based training on practitioners in mental health and public, primary, and community health services. Please follow this link:  download the full report here : Exploring the impact of nature-based training on practitioners in mental health and public, primary, and community health services by Dr Max Hope. Please feel free to share this link with the wider community stakeholders.
• Be sure to follow Circle of Life Rediscovery CIC on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or via our email newsletter,

“It’s been more enjoyable than I could have imagined. I joined to learn how to bring nature connection to those I work with, but finished feeling supported, new friends, and with a renewed vigour for my own nature connection practice.” 

2023 Certificate in Nature-Based Practice Training Attendee

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-38-transforming-education-and-health-through-nature/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

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In this episode, I’m so excited to speak with Dylan Walker, who describes himself as part entrepreneur, part ecologist, and part educator.

Dylan uses innovative techniques to spark our imaginations, inspiring visions of a wilder world where humans play a central and positive role. He passionately believes that cultivating a deep cultural connection with nature is the only way to safeguard our precious wildlife for the future. This enlightening conversation left me feeling optimistic and deeply contemplative about the urgent need to revolutionize how we teach and learn about our climate and our vital role as a keystone species.

We dive into:     

• What is Rewilding?
• How can we encourage natural processes to restore ecosystems?
• Discussion on the UK as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. Read the UK State of Nature Report 'HERE'
• The impact of land being owned by a small percentage of people. 
• The potential benefits of more citizens managing natural spaces.
• The contrast between ownership and indigenous perspectives on land stewardship.
• How to motivate people to understand and care about local nature and the challenges of connecting with nature when access is restricted and often requires payment.
• The importance of connecting with nature in our immediate surroundings.
• Elitism in Nature Conservation.
• The potential benefits of involving educators and artists in conservation efforts.
• Research showing higher biodiversity in areas with local indigenous populations compared to those without.
• The possibility of re-imagining and dreaming big with community involvement.

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-37-rewilding-our-imagination/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show!

This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. 

Mentioned in this episode:

The Advanced Certificate in Forest School and Outdoor Learning

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/certificate/

Today, I'm beginning to delve into the fascinating world of biomimicry and nature's patterns, exploring how these principles can help us become net contributors in our communities and beyond and of course other interesting ideas!

I'll talk about how we could develop these natural blueprints to foster participation, learning, and positive change.

I believe it's crucial for everyone to feel empowered in their learning and community engagement, realizing that we can make a positive impact together.

In this Episode Marina discusses:

• What’s happening in the land in July?
• What does net-positive rather than net-zero mean?
• What is nature and biomimicry?
• Learning from life’s ability to create the conditions for life to thrive!
• How can we learn from all of nature’s Unifying Patterns – could this be a template for all our decisions?
• How we move from an individual mindset towards a community-relational mindset.

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/beyond-net-zero-transforming-learning-through-natures-patterns/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. 

My guest today is Dr Deborah Benham. In addition to her academic career as a biologist, Deborah is a biomimicry educator, a Gaia Education and Transition Towns trainer, and has huge experience in how we can draw on living systems to support solutions to societal challenges. 

I am very inspired to share this episode with you! We can actually be net-contributors as humans rather than always extracting and taking. It’s so easy to speak about all the problems and seemingly hard to find solutions to planetary and personal health, but today we get to glimpse into an emerging set of principles that just may be the foundation to how we run our systems and our lives in the future.

We dive into:

• What does it mean to be wild?
• You don’t need a wild place to be wild!
• What a deep nature connection practices facilitate a felt-sense of interconnection – a foundational experience leading to feeling connected to multiple relationships.
• How we can create positively to the health of the planet as net contributors.
• Biomimicry and Living Principles to help us do this!
• Learning to use templates that support living affirming products, processes and systems.
• Exploring how these frameworks guide us to be a good citizen that supports life to thrive.
• The imagination – creativity happens best within a set a parameters.
• What do we need to change? From the personal to the policy level.
• A deeper understanding that life creates the conditions for life to thrive, so we need to learn from the greatest teacher – the living wild biosphere!

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-35-biomimicry-and-living-system-solutions/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show!

This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. 

Mentioned in this episode:

The Advanced Certificate in Forest School and Outdoor Learning

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/certificate/

In episode 34, Marina defines outdoor learning and shares practical examples of its implementation in schools. Additionally, she explores the broader social and economic context we live in and questions if our education system should provide more opportunities for young people to understand political and economic processes, especially with the backdrop of the upcoming UK General elections.

It seems remiss to spend 14-16 years in education without grasping basic democracy and economics, and giving young people a platform to voice their ideas. As we develop a practical climate curriculum, addressing these wider systems is crucial.

In this Episode Marina discusses:

• The significance of outdoor learning and nature-based education within a broader social and economic context.
• Balancing respect for boundaries with personal growth and environmental sustainability is essential.
• Outdoor learning supports children's healthy development, attachment, and self-regulation, and should integrate the best educational research.
• Valuing diversity and sustainability in outdoor learning, along with co-creating outcomes with children, is vital.
• Education and society must urgently adapt to climate change and environmental degradation.
• Outdoor learning, experiential education, and community involvement are key to addressing these challenges.

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/the-what-and-why-of-outdoor-learning/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. 

We're kicking off Season 5 with an inspiring interview featuring Linda Dupret, a former headteacher with extensive experience leading an urban-based primary school.

Linda's passion for the outdoors drove her to integrate nature into mainstream education. I believe it’s crucial to provide young people with as many opportunities as possible to connect with nature. Outdoor learning, including approaches like Forest School, not only boosts wellbeing but also creates engaging educational experiences.

In this episode, Linda shares how she incorporates elements like fire and tools into teaching and normalizes outdoor learning in everyday curriculum.

This conversation is packed with examples of offering a broad curriculum, enhancing emotional health, and fostering a sense of belonging through outdoor learning.

We dive into:

• Reasons why teachers may be hesitant to take their classes outdoors for learning.
• Whether a lot of green space is necessary to offer Forest School skills or outdoor learning.
• How teachers can provide evidence of outdoor learning and its importance for Ofsted inspections.
• The benefits of incorporating crafts, den-building, and fires into school activities.
• How outdoor learning engages children, supporting multiple learning environments beyond the classroom.
• The importance of teacher confidence in conducting outdoor activities safely and effectively.
• Suggestions on how schools can fund equipment and basic resources needed for outdoor learning.

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-33-bringing-the-outdoors-into-mainstream-education/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show!

This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out.