SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
Eco Somatic & Rites of Passage Guide
Connect with the healing power of nature and feel the earth rise up to meet you
Step onto the trail,
take a deep breath, and open your senses to the wild.
This is an invitation to discover your inner landscapes as you reawaken your relationship to the natural world.
WHY THIS WORK MATTERS
Your nervous system longs to rest
We live in a time of deep disconnection from the natural world and its rhythms. Screens and fast-paced communication blur our sense of self and make it difficult to feel grounded in who we are.
If you’re feeling a sense of anxiety, depression, longing for purpose, and desire for belonging - these are signs that your body is asking you to slow down and listen.
Nature invites us into step away from the trance of doing to a way of being, where our nervous system can find rest and renewal.
Explore my nature centred offerings
Through eco-somatic practices, rites of passage, and nature-centered healing, I offer spaces to slow down and reconnect with yourself in the wild landscapes of the Bay Area.
One on One Eco Somatic Sessions
Like the seasons, our lives move through periods of growth, change, release, death, and rebirth. Engaging with the wisdom the natural world offers a unique opportunity to meet life’s challenges and transitions with nature’s enormous capacity to hold all that is alive within us.
Are you seeking…
to deepen your connection to the natural world with support?
to quiet your mind and bring your system into a state of calm?
to bring your life’s questions to receive insight and reflection?
to mark a life transition in a meaningful way?
These unique sessions can incorporate somatic psychotherapeutic practices, mindfulness, movement, song, Earth-based ritual, and integrative art practices. Sessions take place in person, outdoors, on the lands of the greater San Francisco Bay Area. I welcome inquiries from areas beyond, as well as opportunities to support you via video conference.
I invite you to set up a complementary discovery call below to learn more.
Bespoke Rites of Passage Ceremonies
Marking the major turning points in life, known as a rite of passage, is an ancient tradition that brings deeper meaning to life’s milestone moments. Together, we collaborate to create a highly personalized ritual in nature honoring this pivotal transition.
These ceremonies are for individuals, couples, families, or any group seeking to co-create an unforgettable ritual experience connecting with the earth.
Is there a new chapter in your life that you wish to celebrate?
Are you seeking a unique way to welcome a baby into your family?
Is your life at a turning point, and you need guidance and clarity?
Do you longer for a safe container to hold your loss and grief?
This bespoke offering takes place outdoors on the lands of the San Francisco Bay Area and welcomes inquiries for locations beyond.
Book a discovery call with me below to share your vision and learn more.
Healing Nature Day in Community
Healing nature days are an invitation for you to step away from the hectic rhythms of your life and the chaos of the world to discover the slower, quieter rhythms of the land.
Together, we will hike short distances, engage in mindfulness, movement, and song to connect to ourselves and one another. As a group we will share by way of council, which creates a safe place for you to speak any question or challenge from your heart and be held by those that witness you with respect and loving kindness. There will also be time for you to wander with intentionality in nature and create your own sacred ritual, known as solo time.
The arc of nature daylong reflects that if a traditional wilderness rites of passage ceremony, which is an ancient and pan-global practice of initiating youth into adulthood and seeking wisdom. Nature daylongs are a wonderful time to honor a transition in your life, to seek insight or support with specific questions or challenges, and to reflect on what gifts you are integrating from the current season of your life.
Click below to learn more about this seasonal offering and register.
All programs welcome participants of any gender identity, culture, race, religion, sexual orientation, and economic circumstance. I acknowledge that these offerings take place on the unceded lands of Lisjan Ohlone people. I honor with gratitude the land itself, and all of its ancestors: ancient, present, and yet to be. To learn more, click here.
“My time under Erin’s guidance was spiritually rejuvenating. It was also a stunning reminder of how important it is to balance the demands of daily life with opportunities to take time out to focus solely on yourself without distractions in nature. Erin created a safe environment in which I was able to address ingrained emotional and mental patterns in myself and press reset.”
- Margaret Tappan, Certified GYROTONIC®, GYROKINESIS® and Pilates Instructor
My Path: From dancing to the wilds
Hi, I’m Erin, growing up in Virginia, I had the gift of spending time by the Chesapeake Bay, and among the woods of the Appalachian Mountains, where my Grandmother taught me respect for native plants and elusive wildlife. My time in nature was full of wonder and curiosity, and these moments sank deep into my bones.
Early in life, I was given the opportunity to explore self-expression through dance, and pursued the path to become a professional classical ballet dancer.
At the height of my career, I suffered a severe injury and arrived at a crisis of identity and purpose.
Slowly, I recreated my relationship to dance and my body, embracing new forms of movement through Body Mind Centering® & Authentic Movement, and rehabilitating with the powerful methods of Pilates & GYROTONIC®.
The ending of a dream opened a doorway to growth, healing, and possibility.
In 2019, I completed the Somatic Ecopsychology and Wilderness Quest Apprentice Program with Amy Biesemeyer, MFT and Dave Talamo, MFT, of TerraSoma Ecopsychology Training Institute.
In my continuing education, I study Earth based ceremonial practices, holistic coaching, Hakomi, Internal Family Systems, and other mindfulness-centered somatic therapeutic skills.
Through the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), I am a certified Wilderness First Responder, and am Certified California Naturalist through University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR). A lover of song and music, I joyfully bring my flute and my voice along to share.
My dedication is to humbly walk beside others on their healing path as they seek to understand their inner wilderness by building trust in their relationship with their bodies, the land, the waters, and all beings.
“It may be that when we no longer know what to do,
we have come to our real work, and when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey.”
~ Wendell Berry