Naturbaserede metoder til bedre trivsel

Tirsdag 23. november

Onsdag 24. november

Peter Mayfield and Nancy Minges will present the method they developed in California from decades of mountain guiding, teaching enviro-literacy programs with thousands of youth, and lessons learned from nature-based therapeutic work.

This method informs and inspires new frameworks relevant across service sectors: ranging from behavioral health - including substance use disorders - to school-based experiential learning, field science, eco-literacy, wellness and social and emotional learning (SEL).

This course will provide short presentations on the theoretical basis and experiential workshops in immersive, sensory flow-states in nature, with specific practices, activities and reflections for participants to take into their own work.

“During a peak experience the individual experiences an expansion of self, a sense of unity, and meaningfulness in life. The experience lingers in one’s consciousness and gives a sense of purpose, integration, self-determination and empathy.” Abraham Maslow

Dis-Connection is the cause of most of the challenges we face today. Through years of successes with thousands of youth, we’ve discovered four key principles for thriving. Our method is relational and holistic and identifies Four Roots for healing dis-connect. Mindfulness is the soil these roots grow in.

Root 1: Authentic Relationship

We invest heavily in building rapport and authentic relationship with everyone we serve. Our main goal is to build the container for growing self-awareness. Whether it’s used for personal healing, professional development, or for establishing scientific inquiries into the natural world, developing a strong sense of self-awareness supports all understanding.

Root 2: Nature

Nature immersions in both beauty and risk provide powerful opportunities to develop focused, grounded, and open states. Experiencing the many facets of the life force is healing, instructive, and provides insightful metaphors for re-writing self-narratives and future stories for our beautiful, big blue planet.

Root 3: Embodied Peak Experience

Our nervous system is informed by, vivid, impactful and present moment flow states, brought about by the intensity of physical, emotional, or perceptual sensations in nature. Growth and healing comes from getting good at “changing channels”: from the stimulation of challenge faced and met, from tightly focused attention to expansive awareness, stress and relaxation, and from activated flight or fight to soothe and settle.

Root 4: Helping Others

Research shows that people who thrive, including those who succeed in long-term recovery from traumatic events or substance use issues, are those who help others. Serving others, the community, or our environment develops empathy, compassion, and the empowered ability to make a difference. This is possibly the most important root for connection.

Peter Mayfield is the founder and Executive Director of Gateway Mountain Center, a youth development organization located in California, innovating how youth learn, heal and thrive. He has enjoyed a 40-year career guiding people in embodied peak experiences and mountain environments, and personally climbing at a world-class level. Today, Peter is passionate about applying nature as medicine towards improving the system of care for U.S. youth suffering from serious emotional disturbance and complex trauma.

Nancy Minges has been the Wellness Director and collaborator for Gateway Mountain Center for a decade. She has been a teacher and student of embodied awareness for 35 years, and holds a Master's Degree in Holistic Health Education – with emphasis in somatic, transpersonal and counseling psychology. She is certified in / informed by mindfulness, advanced trauma-informed care, Gestalt, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), yoga, and Forest Bathing. She teaches in the U.S. and abroad.

Johanne Christiani
24 81 80 48
jlc@ign.ku.dk 

Poul Hjulmann Seidler
51 48 93 42
phs@ign.ku.dk