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	Titre	Date	Durée
	Reimagining Inclusion - Forest School, Autism & the Power of Relationship	28 Sep 2026	01:20:43
In this 100th episode of The Wild Minds Podcast, I'm in discussion with Michael James and Stefania Donzelli. We explore what Forest School and autism can teach us about difference, belonging, relationship and the ways we create environments where people can genuinely be themselves. We discuss: Why autism is far more than a diagnostic category, and what changes when we listen to autistic people’s own experiences and perspectives. Moving beyond the deficit model and questioning the assumptions of neuro-normativity. Forest School as a micro-community where relationships, trust, autonomy and belonging can create different possibilities. The triangle of trust between practitioner, participant and environment and why all three matter. The social model of disability and how barriers can sometimes sit in our environments, communication and expectations rather than in the individual. Sensory differences and the outdoor environment, including why nature itself may need to be adapted rather than treated as something fixed and untouchable. The importance of flexibility, communication and listening - recognising that the participant may be the greatest expert in their own experience. Power and authority in Forest School, and what happens when we create spaces where people can question, negotiate and do things differently. Intersectionality and Universal Design for Learning, and the value of anticipating different ways of participating, communicating and expressing ourselves. Nature as an active participant, including a beautiful story about a non-speaking child, a wisteria and the possibility of seeing behaviour differently. The importance of place, repeated encounters and embodied experience, and what the woods can offer beyond a prescribed programme of activities. Curiosity, disagreement and connection in a polarised world, and why sometimes the answer might be to go to the woods, light a fire, have a cuppa and talk. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-100-forest-school-and-autism/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	What Needs Pruning?	21 Sep 2026	00:33:15
Welcome to episode 99 which was recorded in the middle of a sleepless night. A quiet, unscripted reflection on gratitude, grief, wildness and the autumn question of what needs pruning and what is ready to be harvested. In this episode: Begins with a gratitude practice for the stillness of the night, for time, and for simply being present. Reads Mary Oliver’s Wild Geese and reflects on letting “the soft animal of your body love what it loves.” Marina sits with grief and unease about the climate crisis, noticing dry ground, stressed trees and early leaf-drop in the woods. Explores the autumn equinox as a moment of balance between light and dark, and what that might mirror in our own lives. Shares a simple woodland practice using rowan berries to notice where life feels in balance and where it does not. Reflects on grounding through the senses, including getting to know the soil while imagining a future forest garden. Uses the image of pruning an apple tree to ask what habits, patterns or inherited ways of being may need cutting back. Considers wildness not as chaos, but as something that can liberate us while still asking for care, attention and tending. Looks ahead to Episode 100, a conversation with Michael and Stefania on inclusion, neurodivergence and autism in Forest School practice. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-99-what-needs-pruning/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	What if Nature is Part of Medicine?	14 Sep 2026	01:12:32
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Ralph Mortimer-Roome, a GP based in Brighton and Chair of the Kent, Surrey and Sussex regional group of Greener Practice. We discuss what changes when we stop seeing health as something that sits only inside the individual body, and begin to include climate, community, relationship and the living world in how we understand healing. In this episode, we explore: Why the climate crisis is also a health crisis — and why solutions for planetary health can also support human health. What older medical traditions can teach us about health as balance, rather than simply the absence of disease. The idea that illness has not only biological causes, but also social, political and environmental dimensions. The tension between the transactional and relational sides of medicine — treating illness while also helping people feel heard and understood. David Abram’s influence on Ralph’s thinking, particularly the idea of the healer as an intermediary between the human and more-than-human world. Why mental distress can be understood through multiple lenses — biomedical, psychological, social, trauma-informed and spiritual. How loneliness and social isolation can contribute to ill health, and whether nature disconnection may operate in a similar way. Why doctors may need to recognise their own relationship with nature before they can notice nature disconnection in others. What a green prescription can actually look like — from signposting and access to green spaces, to walking groups and supported outdoor care. Why simply moving healthcare outdoors is not enough — and the difference between being outside and developing a relationship with nature. What a more embedded nature-based care pathway in Sussex could look like, including outdoor consultations, local sites, social prescribing and primary care. Ralph’s closing idea of nature as a gift rather than something to consume — rooted in reciprocity, care and the possibility of healing. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-98-what-if-nature-is-part-of-medicine/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	The Music of Trees	07 Sep 2026	01:17:32
For this episode, I’m joined by my husband Geoff Robb - musician, composer and co-director of The Outdoor Teacher, to explore his lifelong relationship with music and nature, and the story behind The Music of Trees. We discuss.... Geoff’s journey from classical guitar and years of busking to becoming a professional musician, composer and creator of The Music of Trees. How his early experiences with Reiki and healing opened questions about music, creativity and where inspiration might come from. Geoff’s lifelong relationship with the outdoors, from Forest School Camps as a teenager to the deeper nature-connection practices we later explored together. What it means to listen to nature, ask permission and build a relationship with individual trees - without needing to claim certainty about what is happening. How the willow became a turning point in Geoff’s composing, and how music sometimes seems to arrive unexpectedly rather than being consciously created. The story behind The Music of Trees - combining original guitar music with folklore, ecology, storytelling and the remarkable lives of trees. Ancient yews, tree protectors, Julia Butterfly Hill and the people who have stood up for trees when trees cannot speak for themselves. How COVID brought Geoff’s work as a musician almost to a standstill, but also gave him time in the woods to write more music than he had written in the previous several years - much of which became Music of Trees. How that period also brought Geoff into The Outdoor Teacher, combining his technical and business experience with our shared commitment to helping more people access nature. The changing reality of being a musician in the age of Spotify, streaming and AI and why supporting live music and independent artists matters more than ever. Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/97-the-music-of-trees 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	The Medicine of Belonging	29 Jun 2026	00:42:27
As I record this onthe Summer Solstice - a moment when nature stands in its fullest expression, it feels like the perfect time to reflect on a season of conversations that, in different ways, have all pointed towards one essential human need: belonging. At the Summer Solstice, when the light reaches its fullest expression, we are invited to pause and ask what has ripened in us, what is ready to bear fruit, and what kind of power we wish to carry into the darker half of the year. The shift from Oak King to Holly King reminds us that true strength is not domination but stewardship - how can the warrior within us create the conditions for feeling, tenderness and relationship? Belonging begins with safety. Before we can feel deeply, we need to feel held. Yet the natural world offers a remarkable invitation: trees, rivers, birds and plants ask nothing of us before we speak. Angela Hanscom reminded us that children belong through their bodies first. Movement, risk, balance, play and sensory experience are not extras; they are part of how we come to know ourselves and our place in the world. Children often meet the world as a community of living subjects rather than objects. Perhaps part of adulthood is remembering that capacity for relationship with the more-than-human world. Jessica Newberry Le Vay challenged the idea that climate anxiety is something to be fixed. Grief, worry, anger and sadness may be healthy responses to a world under pressure - evidence not of pathology, but of care. Emotional resilience does not come from avoiding difficult feelings but from learning how to hold them together, in community, with purpose and agency. Mo Wilde brought us back to ancient relationships between people, plants, food and seasons, reminding us that health has always been rooted in reciprocity with the living world. Many people arrive at the GP with symptoms that cannot be neatly explained or measured. Sometimes what hurts is not simply the body, but loneliness, grief, burnout, disconnection or the absence of belonging. Health may not exist solely within the individual. It may also live in relationships, communities, purpose, access to nature, and our connection to something larger than ourselves. Outdoor consultations, walking groups, community gardens, shared fires and time in nature are not soft alternatives to healthcare. They may be part of the medicine itself - helping people regulate, connect and remember they are not alone. This season has returned again and again to one simple truth: health is more than the absence of illness. It is connection. It is movement. It is meaning. It is relationship. It is belonging. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-96-the-medicine-of-belonging 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	What If Your GP Could Prescribe Nature?	22 Jun 2026	01:04:32
In this conversation, GP Dr Tim Rigg explores how nature, community and healthcare might come together to create a more humane, preventative and scalable model of wellbeing. Tim speaks from his experience as a GP, bringing together clinical practice, social prescribing, nature connection and a wider understanding of what helps people become well He explains that around 90–95% of healthcare contact happens in primary care, showing just how important GPs are in shaping the first conversation about health, care and prevention He suggests that a very large proportion of people coming to GPs are living with chronic disease, stress, anxiety, depression, isolation or other conditions shaped by the environments and systems they live within The conversation explores the strengths of Western medicine, especially in acute illness, trauma and emergency care, while also asking whether it is less equipped to address root causes, prevention and the conditions of a healthy life Tim shares how the pioneering social prescribing work in Frome helped reveal the importance of community, belonging and purpose in supporting people’s health One striking statistic from Frome was a reported 40% relative reduction in hospital admissions compared with a neighbouring area, suggesting that community-based approaches may have a significant role to play in reducing pressure on the system The episode looks at green prescribing not as simply telling people to “go for a walk”, but as a structured, supported and clinically credible pathway from the GP consultation room into nature-based wellbeing programmes A key part of the emerging model is making it easy and safe for GPs to signpost patients, while trained nature-based practitioners manage screening, safeguarding, delivery and ongoing support The conversation explores why nature-based work may help through regulation of the nervous system, sensory connection, beauty, awe, movement, stillness, meaning, community and relationship with the more-than-human world Tim’s work is also about collaboration, bringing together GPs, Primary Care Networks, nature-based practitioners, social prescribing link workers, universities, funders and local green providers At the heart of the episode is a hopeful question about scale - how do we move from inspiring local projects to a joined-up, evidence-informed, nationally accessible pathway that supports people, practitioners, communities and the NHS? Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-95-what-if-your-gp-could-prescribe-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! 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Getting to Know the Plants	15 Jun 2026	00:24:40
In this reflective solo episode, Marina explores how getting to know the plants around us can deepen our sense of connection, belonging and wonder. Drawing on a day spent teaching in the woods, she shares simple ways to slow down, engage the senses and discover the food, medicine, stories and lessons hidden within the plants we often overlook. Key Takeaways Why learning the names and qualities of individual plants changes how we relate to the natural world. How simple sensory activities can help us slow down and pay closer attention. The powerful "Meet a Tree" exercise and what it reveals about uniqueness and connection. Marina's woodland day of foraging, fire-lighting, whittling and plant-based practices. The medicinal and nutritional benefits of pine needles, including vitamin C and antioxidants. How to make an infused pine and elderflower tea and immunity-supporting syrup. The importance of safe foraging, correct identification and awareness of lookalike species. Ethical harvesting practices that ensure enough is left for wildlife and future growth. Insights from Mo Wilde's foraging work and the impact of wild foods on gut health and the microbiome. The remarkable benefits of common plants such as nettles, often dismissed as weeds. Creative ways to use plant study across science, geography, history, literacy and art. An invitation to choose just one local plant, observe it through the seasons, and discover the richness of relationship it can offer. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-94-getting-to-know-the-plants/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	The Wilderness Cure: What Happens When We Eat the Wild with Mo Wilde	08 Jun 2026	00:59:12
In this episode, I’m speaking with Mo Wilde - forager, research herbalist, ethnobotanist, author of The Wilderness Cure, and founder of the Wild Biome Project. Mo has spent decades learning from plants, fungi, seaweeds, medicine, soil and the seasons. Her relationship with the wild began in childhood, and has grown into a life’s work exploring not only what plants can offer us, but what happens when we remember ourselves as part of the living world. In 2020, Mo began an extraordinary experiment: for a whole year, she ate only wild food. No supermarket food, no farmed food, no quick stops for coffee and cake — just what could be foraged, gathered, hunted, exchanged, preserved, fermented or found within the landscape around her. But this conversation is not really about survivalism. It is not about going “backwards” or romanticising the past. It is about relationship. What happens when we begin to notice the green world in detail again? What happens when the body is nourished by wild plants, fungi and microbes? What happens to our gut, our sense of belonging, our imagination, our resilience — when food stops being just a product and becomes a relationship with place? Together, Mo and I explore foraging, wild food, food security, children’s ecological literacy, the intelligence of plants, the Wildbiome Project, and the deep shift from scarcity into abundance. This is a conversation about the wilderness cure — and the question at the heart of it is: what happens when we eat the wild? In this conversation with Mo Wilde, we explore wild food not simply as foraging, but as a way of remembering our place inside the living world. Mo begins with gratitude for plants, reminding us that through photosynthesis they transform sunlight into the energy that makes all life on Earth possible. She describes a wild plant as one that is not directly tended or controlled by humans, inviting us to think about wildness as relationship rather than separation. During her year of eating only wild food, Mo found far more abundance than she expected, with most of her food coming from within 15 miles of her home. Her wild diet included hundreds of plant species, seaweed, mushrooms, shellfish, game, and even wasp larvae, revealing the astonishing range of foods still present in the landscape. The experiment was not about survivalism or proving toughness, but about asking whether the land around her could truly feed her. Mo speaks beautifully about the practical intelligence of preservation, celebrating the jam jar as one of humanity’s great inventions for fermenting, storing, and carrying abundance forward. She challenges the idea that foraging requires some rare talent, suggesting that humans already can notice detail - we have simply trained that attention on brands, logos, and consumer culture instead of plants. The conversation touches on how children can naturally learn plants when they are shown them, and how much ecological literacy could return if this knowledge was woven through childhood. Mo reflects on food insecurity, Brexit, Covid, and her own teenage experience of feeding younger siblings in Malawi, all of which shaped her interest in resilience and local food. What begins as a question about food becomes something deeper: Mo describes moving from a mindset of scarcity to an experience of abundance, gratitude, fragility, and being held by the living world. As a herbalist, she reminds us that healing is not only something we seek when we are ill, but something that happens daily through nourishment, relationship, and the complex intelligence of plants. Through the Wild Biome Project, Mo is exploring how eating wild food changes the gut microbiome, opening up questions about whether health can be understood not by isolating one molecule, but by seeing the larger patterns between bodies, bacteria, plants, soil, and place. Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-93-the-wilderness-cure-with-mo-wilde/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Climate Anxiety Is Not the Problem	01 Jun 2026	00:55:06
In this week's episode I am discussing how climate anxiety is not the problem. I will explore how we educate, support and practice in a time of climate breakdown without overwhelming young people or asking them to numb themselves to reality. Topics include: Climate anxiety is not the problem; unsupported climate anxiety is. Climate education cannot just give young people facts - it has to help them emotionally metabolise what they know. Emotional literacy needs to include the body, not just naming feelings. Adults and teachers need to do their own emotional work, otherwise they may shut down young people’s grief, anger or fear. Climate anxiety can be a sign of care, intelligence and relationship with the world, not pathology. The “Goldilocks zone” is really useful: enough feeling to care and act, not so much that people collapse. A climate breakdown risk-benefit assessment feels like one of your most original contributions. The neutrality/politics section is one of the most interesting: teachers do not need to be party-political, but silence and false balance are not neutral. Resilience should be framed as community, belonging and collective capacity, not individual toughness. Nature connection is not just a well-being add-on; it is part of repairing the relationship that created the crisis. The ending around possible futures, imagination and agency is important because it offers hope without false reassurance. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-92-climate-anxiety-is-not-the-problem/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Can We Teach Climate Change Without Overwhelming Young People?	25 May 2026	00:53:35
Today I’m speaking with Jessica Newberry Le Vay, Senior Researcher in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford, and part of Climate Cares - a global initiative based at Oxford and Imperial College London, working to understand and respond to the links between climate change, mental health and wellbeing. Jessica leads the Compass Project, a research programme exploring how climate change education can be integrated with mental health and wellbeing, so that young people are better supported to live, work and thrive in a changing climate. Before joining Oxford, Jessica worked at Imperial College London as a Climate Change and Health Policy Fellow with Climate Cares, and previously led Cancer Research UK’s policy research programme on cancer prevention. In this episode: Jessica describes climate change and mental health as two deeply connected crises, because how we feel shapes how we respond. The conversation centres on the Compass Project, which looks at how students and educators experience climate education and climate emotions. Jessica shares that many young people feel anxiety, fear, anger, grief, hopelessness or betrayal in response to climate breakdown. She highlights research showing that 59% of young people surveyed globally were very or extremely worried about climate change. More than 45% of those young people said their climate feelings were affecting daily life, including sleep, eating, school and relationships. Jessica explains that climate anxiety is often a rational, healthy and caring response, rather than something to simply remove or fix. Marina and Jessica explore how unspoken emotions can affect mental health, especially when young people do not feel able to share what they are carrying. Teachers are also experiencing climate worry, while often feeling under-resourced, under-trained and unsure how to hold these conversations. The episode explores the need to help young people hold fear and hope together, rather than avoiding difficult truths. Jessica discusses how misinformation, social media and stigma can make it harder for young people to talk openly about climate change and action. The conversation questions whether climate education can ever be politically neutral, especially when climate impacts are shaped by injustice, power and systems. Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/teach-climate-change-without-overwhelming-young-people/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Beyond ‘Just Play’: Understanding What Children Need	18 May 2026	00:38:54
This episode explores the tension between “just play” and the deeper understanding of what children truly need to develop and thrive. Topics Include: Play is not a break from learning but the primary way children engage with and make sense of the world physically, socially, and emotionally True play is child-led, intrinsically motivated, and process-driven, and when these qualities are removed it becomes task or instruction rather than play Outdoor environments offer rich opportunities for sensory, physical, and exploratory play that support coordination, curiosity, and whole-body development Risky play - climbing, jumping, rough and tumble - is essential for building confidence, resilience, and an internal capacity to assess risk Social and imaginative play develop communication, empathy, identity, and emotional processing in ways that structured environments often limit The role of the adult is not to control outcomes but to hold space, observe, and introduce possibility without taking over Forest School brings a unique layer by introducing tools, fire, and cultural practices that deepen play and expand children’s worlds There is a constant dynamic of stepping in and stepping back, requiring skill, reflection, and responsiveness to each child’s needs Behaviour can often be reframed as a sensory or developmental need rather than something to be corrected or managed Each child has a unique sensory profile, meaning the same environment can regulate one child and overwhelm another Play may be the destination, but for some children it requires co-regulation, relationship, and careful support before it can emerge Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-88-beyond-just-play-understanding-what-children-need/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Restoring the Occupation of Childhood	11 May 2026	01:00:21
In this 1st episode of Season 12, Restoring the Occupation of Childhood, I’m joined by Angela Hanscom, a paediatric occupational therapist, Author of Balanced and Barefoot. She is also the founder of TimberNook that programmes designed to immerse children in sensory-rich, authentic play in nature and are found in over 51 locations in 4 countries! Angela’s work invites us to look again at the rising challenges we’re seeing in children today - anxiety, attention difficulties and disconnection, and to ask a different question. What if these aren’t problems within the child… but reflections of the environments we’ve created around them? In this episode, we explore what children truly need to flourish - and how outdoor play, movement, and freedom are not extras, but essential foundations for healthy development. Topics include: In this episode, we explore what children truly need to flourish - and how outdoor play, movement, and freedom are not extras, but essential foundations for healthy development. A “flourishing child” is not defined by academic success, but by their ability to adapt, regulate, take risks, and keep going when things are hard. The environments children spend most of their time in are shaping their development - often more than we realise. Outdoor environments offer rich, multi-sensory experiences that support brain organisation and sensory integration. Uneven ground, natural sounds, and changing conditions constantly challenge balance, awareness, and attention. Many modern children are significantly under-moving, with long periods of sitting impacting posture, attention, and overall development. Movement - especially spinning, climbing, and going upside down - is essential for developing the vestibular system and the ability to focus. When children are restricted from movement, they often appear fidgety or inattentive - but this may reflect unmet developmental needs rather than behavioural issues. Risky play helps children develop internal risk assessment, confidence, and safety awareness - overprotection can have the opposite effect. Play is the primary “occupation” of childhood and the most meaningful way children develop physically, socially, and emotionally. Child-led, unstructured play supports executive functioning, problem-solving, emotional regulation, and social skills. Outdoor play offers far greater therapeutic benefit than controlled indoor environments due to its complexity, freedom, and full-body engagement. A major barrier to children’s play is adult fear - often driven more by social perception than actual risk Reducing demands and giving children time and space outdoors can significantly support mental health and reduce anxiety. Restoring outdoor play is not just about individual children — it has the potential to shift culture, education, and how we understand development Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-89-restoring-the-occupation-of-childhood/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Ceremony, Science and the Sacred	16 Mar 2026	00:44:16
In this final episode of Season 11, Marina reflects on ceremony at a seasonal threshold, where science, spirituality and everyday life meet. As the light shifts toward spring in the North and autumn in the South, this episode explores what keeps us well - personally and collectively - and asks whether we are living as passengers or participants in our time. Topics include: Living at a threshold - Spring Equinox in the North, autumn descent in the South - renewal and death side by side. For most of human history, ceremony aligned us with cycles - watching the Pleiades (Seven Sisters) rise, noticing light, temperature, migration - remembering our place in the unfolding. Science is not naïve materialism - it studies what we cannot see - fields, probabilities, dark matter - but it asks different questions from spirituality. Science reduces suffering through medicine and understanding; ritual, myth, art and community help us face death, grief, forgiveness and meaning. The real tension is not science versus spirituality, but what happens when any system claims exclusive truth. Health requires biology, psychology, belonging and existential depth - mechanism alone is not enough, meaning alone is not enough. The language of “energy” and “spirit” carries different meanings - measurable in physics, experiential in lived reality - clarity matters. Ceremony as intention, beauty and invitation - not personal power, but participation Ritual as ordinary acts infused with meaning - gratitude before eating, how we begin the day, how we hold a room, how we tend a conversation Moving from I to We - rites of passage, maturation, community witnessing change At seasonal thresholds something must die - a habit, a story, a way of leading, a way of consuming In a time of climate emergency and confused leadership, we are invited not to be passengers but participants - small daily choices as a form of ceremony Leadership without domination - strength without humiliation - integrating science without losing reverence Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-88-ceremony-science-and-the-sacred/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Ceremony and Eldership	09 Mar 2026	01:21:04
Sitting by the fire with Annie Spencer, we explore ceremony as lived relationship - with spirit, story, blood, grief, and the long arc from initiation to eldership - and what it means to keep dreaming a life-affirming world in times that feel increasingly divided. Topics include: Sitting by the fire together becomes a doorway into relationship - gratitude not as a nicety, but as a way of remembering life is alive, and not guaranteed. Ceremony, for Annie, starts with intention and beauty - not “performing a ritual,” but making a space that might genuinely invite presence from beyond the purely human. Fire is treated as a being with its own kind of aliveness - honoured, spoken to, and offered things, as a practice of not taking life for granted. A simple daily practice can be enough: choose a time, choose a place, return again and again until something responds - an “altar” as an anchor for attention. This way of knowing doesn’t sit easily inside modern culture - it can feel like being pulled between realities, and that tension can be exhausting. Annie names both the fascination and the danger: exploring other realities without a well-trodden path can unground people - tradition can be a rope that helps you return. Stories shape what we believe is possible - we live inside the story we tell about our lives, and the same event becomes different “truths” depending on who is telling it. Dreaming isn’t escapism: in times of political fear and widening authoritarianism, Annie suggests we can either feed a reality by fighting it constantly, or step back and hold a different dream with strength. Birth and menstruation are framed as everyday ceremonies - women making “a rich nest for life” each month, and the radical possibility of honouring life-giving blood rather than normalising bloodshed. Rites of passage matter because adolescence is a “loose” time - when identity isn’t fixed yet - and a strong experience of belonging, mystery, and beauty can orient a young person for life. Eldership isn’t a label you earn at menopause - it can take decades of turning toward death, letting go of dominance, and learning humility, until you can truly hold community. The elder’s offering is presence, acceptance, and perspective - holding what others can’t bear alone, sharing stories with teachings (without “you should”), and making space for ceremony and healing. The conversation keeps circling back to one core truth: life is relationship and reciprocity - giving and being given to — and even death is framed as the final gift back into the living system. Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-87-ceremony-and-eldership 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Saving Lives and Cultivating Health	02 Mar 2026	00:32:20
In this episode, I step into what I’m calling the season of the amateur - asking big questions without claiming expertise. I explore how medicine is shaped by culture and worldview, what “evidence” really means, and how different systems - from biomedicine to Ayurveda - understand causation, illness and health. This isn’t a rejection of modern medicine - it’s an attempt to widen the lens. To ask what keeps us well, not only what makes us ill. And to consider whether we can hold scientific rigour and relational depth in the same conversation - without collapsing into superstition, and without dismissing mystery. Topics include: Gratitude for what keeps us well: walking, breathing, rest, friendship, safety, purpose and for the years of disciplined study that form a psychiatrist: medical school, clinical rotations, exams, and over six years of specialist training. What counts as knowledge in medicine - and who decides? Holding expertise and personal sovereignty in the same frame. Medicine across civilisations - Babylon, Egypt, Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, Greece - each emerging from a worldview, none “primitive,” all culturally shaped. The rise of the biomedical model - anatomy, cells, pathogens, biochemistry and its extraordinary success in acute care and life-saving intervention. Evidence-based medicine and the power of Randomised Controlled Trials - what they measure brilliantly and what they struggle to capture. Psychiatry’s measurement dilemma - symptom clusters, self-reported scales, and the question of whether symptom reduction equals flourishing. The placebo effect, expectation, relationship and meaning - what actually creates change? Ayurveda as the “science of life” - balance, prevention, daily rhythms, and cultivating health rather than only treating disease. Green prescriptions and nature-based practice - bridging biomedical legitimacy with relational, ecological models of wellbeing. Safeguarding, discernment and humility - widening causation without abandoning rigour, and asking what it truly means to be well. Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-86-saving-lives-and-cultivating-health/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	The Science of Life: What Ayurveda Can Teach Us	23 Feb 2026	01:17:45
In this episode I’m joined by Dr Kanchan, an Ayurvedic doctor trained in India, to explore a radically different way of understanding health, not only as something we fix when it breaks, but as a lifelong relationship between body, mind, senses, environment, and meaning. This is a conversation about prevention rather than crisis, and about what becomes possible when health is understood as a living, relational process rather than a purely medical one. Topics include: Ayurveda is described as a “science of life,” concerned with the whole arc of living - from conception to death - not just the treatment of disease Health is understood as balance within the body, the mind, and the environment, while illness is a sign that something has fallen out of sync Western allopathic medicine and Ayurveda are not in conflict; they serve different purposes, with acute medicine vital in emergencies and Ayurveda focused on prevention and long-term wellbeing The body is seen as intelligent, with healing emerging when the right conditions are restored rather than imposed from outside Ayurveda treats people as individuals, not categories, taking into account constitution, diet, climate, place, habits, and family patterns The five elements and three doshas are not rigid “types,” but ways of understanding movement, digestion, transformation, and stability within a person Ayurveda is framed as a life science rather than only a medical science, with protecting the health of the healthy as its first priority Humans are not placed above nature but understood as part of it, with personal health inseparable from the health of the living world The senses are described as powerful gateways shaping the mind, with overuse, underuse, or misuse contributing to imbalance and anxiety Daily and seasonal rhythms — how we eat, rest, move, and attend — are presented as foundations for mental steadiness and resilience Purpose and inner alignment matter, with illness sometimes arising when actions drift away from a person’s deeper values or moral compass The invitation is not to adopt another system wholesale, but to widen our understanding of health, hold multiple ways of knowing, and remember that care, balance, and relationship sit at the heart of wellbeing Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-85-what-ayurveda-can-teach-us/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Why Climate Education is a Health Issue	16 Feb 2026	00:38:23
In this episode, Marina explores why climate education is a health issue by looking at what actually keeps us well, and what happens when the systems we depend on begin to destabilise. This is a reflection on the living world, on physical reality, and on why informed climate education matters at a time of change. Key points: She begins in gratitude for the living world, and how amazing this biosphere really is! Health is not something we create alone; it arises from stable temperatures, clean water, fertile soils and a functioning atmosphere. Climate conversations often focus on ecology or policy, but beneath them sit physical laws that govern energy, heat and motion - Physics and Chemistry. Climate change is driven by an energy imbalance, not by opinion or belief. Chemistry explains what substances are, but physics explains what energy does in a system. Climate change is already a health issue, showing up in bodies, hospitals and food systems. Human health has always been intertwined with ecological health. What’s most at risk and the stability of ecosystems, food systems and social systems Denial persists not because the science is unclear, but we don’t assimilate it and come together - I would love to see Cross Party politics. Language matters with Net Zero and Real Zero, especially the difference between delaying harm and stopping it. Education is not an extra burden here; it’s one of the few tools we have for prevention. Staying human means staying in relationship - with each other and with the living world. Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-84-why-climate-education-is-a-health-issue/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Climate Change, Health and Survival with Professor Hugh Montgomery	09 Feb 2026	00:57:57
In this conversation, Professor Hugh Montgomery names climate change for what it is: A survival crisis driven by “radiation gain” and accelerating feedback loops. He cuts through denial, delay and mixed messaging with five simple moves anyone can make now - switch your power, move your money, change your food, shift your travel, and talk about it - then shows how asking seven others can cascade into mass action. We touch on real zero vs net zero, why money we can do now, and how unity across politics beats division. Here are the essentials: Hugh reframes climate change as “radiation gain,” explaining that greenhouse gases trap longwave heat and create positive feedback loops driving escalating warming. Humanity is emitting over 54 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually, and a fifth of what’s emitted today will still be heating the planet in 33,000 years. Natural systems like oceans and forests can no longer absorb enough carbon; atmospheric CO₂ now rises about four parts per million per year, reaching around 430.5 ppm. Feedback loops include methane release from permafrost (83 times more potent than CO₂), forests becoming net emitters, and loss of reflective ice - 9 trillion tonnes gone - accelerating heating. Hugh warns that the real threat is not only to health but to human survival within the next one or two decades, not centuries. He compares Earth’s situation to a patient long ignoring symptoms - what could have been minor surgery now needs radical, painful treatment to survive. Inaction stems from circular blame between individuals, business, and politicians - each claiming it’s someone else’s responsibility. Many in government and business remain ignorant of climate science or see it as a political issue; some even believe warming will benefit economies through resource access or growth from destruction. Human psychology also plays a role: people avoid short-term loss or pleasure deprivation even when long-term risk is high - similar to health behaviors like smoking or drinking. Fear-based climate messaging fails when it offers no agency; effective communication must link truth with action, empowering people to act immediately. Hugh outlines five tangible actions anyone can take: Switch to 100% renewable electricity Move personal banking away from fossil-fuel funders Shift to a largely plant-based diet (less meat, smaller portions) Reduce air and car travel where possible Talk about climate concerns openly to normalise action Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-83-climate-change-health-and-survival-with-professor-hugh-montgomery/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Together, We Can	02 Feb 2026	00:41:31
Episode 82 invites listeners to arrive into 2026 with honesty, care and a sense of shared responsibility - not as individuals carrying the world alone, but as part of a wider web of life. Drawing on reflections from Jane Goodall’s work, seasonal change and lived experience, this episode explores how we stay present without panic. It asks what it really means to act with courage, dignity and relationship in uncertain times. Here are some of her reflections: Opening the year with Jane Goodall’s reminder that what we do makes a difference - and that change begins with choosing the kind of difference we want to make, rather than acting from fear or urgency. Reflecting on the seasonal crossing between hemispheres, and how growth, decay and renewal are always happening somewhere, all the time - whether we notice or not. Sitting with Alder as a teacher: a tree that carries water and fire, masculine and feminine, strength and softness and how this mirrors our inner lives, our fragility, and our need for both boundaries and surrender. Honouring Jane Goodall’s long life of peaceful activism and her understanding that people can only carry what they can - that survival, dignity and stability matter before wider responsibility. Realising that while I never thought of my work as “democratic,” the erosion of democracy makes it clear how relational, sociocratic and consent-based outdoor learning really is. Sharing the moment from the interview that stayed with me most: Jane Goodall’s mother responding to her disappearance not with punishment, but with curiosity and listening - and how her spirit was not broken. Returning to regulation through breath, movement, sensory connection and time outdoors - remembering that responsibility was never meant to be an individual burden, but a collective one shared with the more-than-human world. Realising that healthy outdoor learning mirrors healthy systems: listening matters, power works best when shared, and sociocratic, relational ways of being together are deeply needed now. Closing with a reframing of “together we can” - not as fixing everything, but as listening more deeply, carrying only what is ours, acting where we are, staying in relationship, and choosing our difference with care. Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-82-together-we-can/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Jane Goodall’s Legacy: Roots & Shoots UK	26 Jan 2026	01:00:54
Today, I’m joined by Rosemary Reed, trustee of the Jane Goodall Institute UK, and Jasmina Georgovska, Director of Outreach for Roots & Shoots UK — the global youth programme Jane founded to support young people to take action for people, animals, and the planet. In this episode, we talk about what it means to raise changemakers without breaking spirits. About listening, really listening, to children, and to each other. About how environmental responsibility can only grow where people feel stable, respected, and supported. Hope is described as an active choice - a way of meeting difficult realities with belief, responsibility, and small, purposeful actions. True mentorship helps people remember what they’re capable of, shifting mindsets from limitation to possibility through education, trust, and belief. Jane Goodall’s power came not from force or argument, but from listening deeply, holding conviction with humility, and responding through story rather than confrontation. Information alone doesn’t move people - connection does. When an issue is felt, not just understood, action becomes possible. Jane’s early experiences with her mother model an ethic of learning that protects curiosity, encourages exploration, and listens before correcting. Care, kindness, hope, enthusiasm, determination, teamwork, and personal responsibility sit at the heart of this work - alongside the belief that every individual matters. Rather than being managed or directed, young people are invited into leadership, supported to identify what matters locally and respond meaningfully. Seeing a problem isn’t the same as registering responsibility. Change begins when awareness turns into even the smallest act. Roots & Shoots (www.rootsnshoots.org.uk): Hands-on projects and immersive experiences - including thoughtful use of technology - help young people feel their relationship with the living world and offer small, tangible acts that build confidence rather than overwhelm. TACARE (Take Care) is the Jane Goodall Institute's (JGI) community-led conservation program, started in Tanzania in 1994 shows that conservation only works when human dignity, stability, and community wellbeing are addressed first, because everything is connected. The invitation is to listen more deeply, act more kindly, and take responsibility in small, grounded ways - carrying hope without collapsing under its weight. Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-81-jane-goodall-legacy-roots-and-shoots-uk/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Tending the Embers	08 Dec 2025	00:20:50
As winter gathers and the days shorten, in this final episode of the season, Marina reflects on the Rowan tree, the act of wintering, and the hidden life beneath stillness. Here are some of her reflections: The Rowan as a winter guardian, its bright berries offering sustenance and protection in the dark months. The solstice as a time of descent, when we enter the heart’s cave and tend the inner fire that keeps us alive through uncertainty. How stillness and retreat restore our capacity to listen, dream, and notice what truly matters. The importance of reworking our stories — how memory, identity, and imagination can evolve with the seasons. The denials that shape our modern crisis: of planetary limits, of our entanglement with the living world, and of our own vulnerability. How fear and defensiveness rise in turbulent times, and the invitation to find gentler, more connected ways forward. Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-80-tending-the-embers 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Money with a Conscience with Nick Stoop	01 Dec 2025	01:12:30
Today I’m speaking with Nick Stoop, founder of Pangea Impact Investments - a company that’s trying to change something most of us rarely think about. Where our pensions are invested, and what that money is actually doing in the world. In this episode we get practical and brave about money — banks, pensions, and the difference between light green labels and deep green impact — so our savings can serve the living world as well as our future selves. What happens to our money inside banks and pensions. Why pensions can outweigh everyday “green” habits in impact. Agency in an opaque system and how to start using it. Light green screening versus deep green positive impact. Ethics, risk, return and the futures we’re funding. The problem with labels and why “ethical” often isn’t. Transparency as reconnection to place and consequence. The role of workplace pensions and scope 3 emissions. Third-party verification, B Corps and better metrics. Moving money without sacrificing performance over time. Imagining local, regenerative investments we can visit. Small first steps that build a values-aligned portfolio. Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/money-with-a-conscience-with-nick-stoop/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Level 2 Ecotherapy: From Me to We	24 Nov 2025	00:34:43
In this solo episode, Marina explores what Linda Buzzell calls “level two ecotherapy” - a shift from using nature as a tool for human wellbeing to recognising our reciprocal relationship with the living world. Moving from “me” to “we,” she reflects on how our practices, systems, and mindsets can evolve toward a more ethical, embodied, and relational way of belonging. Key Ideas Explored The move from extraction to relationship — recognising nature as a living partner, not a service. From “me” to “we” — human development as a journey toward community and interconnection. The many meanings of ecotherapy and why values and worldview matter more than labels. The power of shared outdoor activity — fire, craft, and stillness as natural therapy. Reclaiming the roots of eco and therapy — caring for our shared home and one another. Nature-centric models that place humans within the circle of life, not above it. The need to move beyond individual healing to include the health of the Earth. Western culture’s mindset of extraction and the call for reciprocity and re-education. Bringing nature-based practice into health and education systems despite structural barriers. Seeing bullying and domination as symptoms of fear and disconnection from relationship. The importance of moral courage, ethical conduct, and grounded self-worth in our work. Community ecotherapy and deep ecology as ways to restore belonging and collective care. Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-78-level-2-ecotherapy-from-me-to-we/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	The Deeper Work of Ecotherapy with Linda Buzzell	17 Nov 2025	00:53:24
This week, I am in conversation with Linda Buzzell who is a psychotherapist, ecotherapist, author, and pioneer in the field of ecopsychology, working at the intersection of psychology, ecology, and culture since the late 1990s. Linda co-edited 'Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind' with Craig Chalquist and has written widely on the ecological crisis as both a psychological and spiritual challenge. In this episode, we explore what ecotherapy truly means - not as a treatment or technique, but as a way of healing our relationship with the living Earth. We talk about nature as therapist, community as medicine, and what it means to move from a culture of domination to one of partnership and reciprocity. Topics include: Ecotherapy as healing our relationship with our home world. Level one vs level two ecotherapy from personal benefit to reciprocal, culture-shifting practice. Nature as the ultimate therapist practitioner as catalyst, guide, witness. Eco-psychotherapy within clinical practice and the wider, community-facing field of ecotherapy. Zookosis in animals as a mirror for human nature-deficit and why habitats matter for sanity. Evidence beyond exercise research showing green and blue contact improves mood and health. Caution on “nature prescriptions” moving beyond individual fixes to place, community, and systems. Rooting in place bioregionalism, terra psychology, and rebuilding bonds with land. Decolonising therapy learning from Indigenous wisdom without appropriation and with repair. From dominator culture to partnership Riane Eisler’s lens and McGilchrist’s hemispheres. Eco-spirituality reclaiming the sacred through seasons, ceremony, bodies, and relational awe. The path of hope small groups, community ecotherapy, and standing together for the living world. Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-77-the-deeper-work-of-ecotherapy-with-linda-buzzell/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	The Cost of Looking Away	10 Nov 2025	00:20:41
In this episode, Marina reflects on power, responsibility, and duty of care. As November marks a season of endings and beginnings, she looks beneath the surface of our systems — from education to environment, and asks what happens when we stop paying attention, and what it costs us when we do. This conversation traces the threads between integrity and innocence, corruption and accountability, and how our personal and professional ethics shape the wider ecology we live within. Key ideas explored The uneasy link between wealth, power, and moral compromise November as a time for renewal How concentrated power in health, education, and business leads us to protect ourselves instead of our purpose Teachers and leaders navigating the “topside world” while tending what lies beneath — our own psychology and hidden systems Moving beyond naïveté without losing hope or care Reclaiming duty of care — asking whether our systems live up to the ethics we teach Practicing stewardship: leaving no trace, enhancing biodiversity, and restoring the flow of responsibility Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-76-the-cost-of-looking-away/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	The River of Truth with Ash Smith	03 Nov 2025	01:07:16
In this episode, I’m speaking with Ash Smith, the founder of Windrush Against Sewage Pollution. A retired Detective Superintendent, former angler and scuba diver, Ash has spent the last eight years investigating the truth about what’s happening in our rivers. His love for the natural world, combined with a deep sense of justice, led him to gather a team of committed people from different disciplines to form one of the most effective groups holding water companies and regulators to account. In our conversation, Ash shares what’s really going on with our rivers, the scale of sewage pollution, and the failures of government and regulatory bodies to protect our waterways. This is a passionate, evidence-based discussion, grounded in data that you can find on the WASP website. The Windrush itself flows for 65 kilometers from Gloucestershire into the Thames - but this story reaches far beyond one river. It speaks to the health of our ecosystems, and to our own health as well. Topics include: A vivid picture of what a living, healthy river once was — and how the “new normal” hides a quiet collapse. How WASP (Windrush Against Sewage Pollution) turns citizen science and data analysis into undeniable proof of illegal pollution. The shocking reality of regulators who no longer investigate — and water companies marking their own homework. What happens when public services are sold off and profit replaces purpose. The money trail — how customers fund dividends while private shareholders drain the system. Why some water companies are now in “special measures” and what real accountability could look like Ash’s journey from detective superintendent to river defender — following the evidence wherever it leads. The quiet power of ordinary people who refuse to look away. How anger can become fuel for change rather than despair. Practical ways to take action — join with others, use local data, and make enough noise to tip the balance Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-75-the-river-of-truth-with-ash-smith/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	What is Education for Now	27 Oct 2025	00:41:12
In this reflective solo episode, Marina explores how the changing seasons, our ancestral roots, and the social history of education help us question what learning really means today. We journey from postwar Britain to the present classroom, asking how we can reimagine education as something alive, relational, and grounded in nature. Topics include: Gratitude for autumn, the changing light, and small comforts that sustain us. Reflection on the natural cycle of endings and beginnings and what it teaches us about renewal. The symbolism of the elder and birch trees as reminders of wisdom, letting go, and new growth. Honouring ancestors and recognising what we’ve inherited through culture and family. The importance of doing inner work that leads to outer change in our communities and classrooms. Revisiting postwar Britain to understand how education emerged as a social contract for fairness and democracy. The 1944 Butler Act and its vision for universal education and rebuilding society after the war. Remembering that education is a system, while learning is an organic, lifelong process that transforms who we are. The tension between authority and shared power in schools and what that means for children’s voices. A call to reimagine education as something rooted in wellbeing, curiosity, and connection to the living world. Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-74-what-is-education-for-now 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Making Nature a Right in Education with Suzanne Welch	20 Oct 2025	01:01:11
My guest today is Suzanne Welch, Education Partnership Manager at the RSPB, the UK’s largest nature conservation charity with over a million members, and in this episode she explores what it would mean to make nature a right in education and why it’s time to rethink the purpose. Suzanne has spent decades in outdoor learning - from taking inner-city children to the Thames foreshore, where subjects like science, history and geography came alive, to now convening national partnerships and influencing education policy. Her work is driven by a vision that every child should have access to high-quality learning in, with and for nature. In this episode Suzanne Welch... Challenges the outdated knowledge-based model and invites a shift toward enquiry and relational learning. Reflects on her early work taking inner-city children to the River Thames and witnessing their transformation outdoors. Emphasises joy, curiosity and presence as the foundations of meaningful learning. Highlights how outdoor experiences naturally connect subjects like science, history, art and geography. Argues that learning shouldn’t be siloed because our minds don’t operate in compartments. Points to the early years sector as an example of where outdoor and child-led learning already works well. Questions about why these principles fade as children move through the education system. Explains how assessment and measurement culture have narrowed what counts as learning. Calls for systemic rather than incremental change and a national conversation about the true purpose of education. Advocates for a statutory right for every child to learn in with and for nature. Notes that equitable access currently depends on postcode school leadership and teacher enthusiasm. Ends with a simple invitation start with one outdoor lesson listen to young people and let hope lead change. Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/making-nature-a-right-in-education-suzanne-welch/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Learning for Life	08 Sep 2025	00:33:10
In this closing episode of Season 9, I’m exploring something that feels urgent in our times: the difference between education and learning. Education is often about systems, metrics, and tests — but learning is about life itself. It happens in forests, green spaces, kitchens, and communities. It’s experiential, embodied, relational, and remembered because we live it. With the rise of AI, increasing mental health challenges, and the fast pace of our lives, we need to ask: what skills truly matter now, and how can we reimagine learning so every young person leaves not just with knowledge, but with self-worth, connection, and a sense of agency? Topics include: The urgent difference between education and learning, and why it matters now more than ever. Why formal schooling often leaves young people without confidence, agency, or self-worth. The danger of convergent thinking and the value of divergent, creative, and adaptive skills. Experiential learning: Why we remember fire-lighting, foraging, and play more than worksheets. The principles of autism-informed, trauma-informed, and consent-based practice as foundations for real learning. The Outdoor Teacher Approach: Play-based, body-led, and relational rather than hierarchical. The opportunity (and risk) of the UK’s new climate curriculum, and why connection, not just knowledge, is key. The Children’s Fire principle and what it means to educate with future generations — all children, human and more-than-human, at the heart. Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-72-learning-for-life 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Beyond Profit & Power: The Children’s Fire and the Future of Leadership with Mac Macartney	01 Sep 2025	01:14:45
In this episode of the Wild Minds Podcast, I’m in conversation with Mac Macartney, a storyteller, leader, and founder of Embercombe, exploring what it means to live and lead in service to life. In this far-reaching conversation, we explore The Children’s Fire — an ancient principle that no law, decision, or action should harm the young of any species, and how it might transform leadership, education, and our relationship with the natural world. We talk about education rooted in the simple yet radical commitment that no child should leave school without feeling good about who they are, and the power of play as an antidote to a culture that leaves so many children, and adults, masking their pain and feeling worthless beneath the surface. Topics include: Exploring The Children’s Fire — the ancient principle that no decision should harm the young of any species. Reimagining education so no child leaves school without feeling good about themselves. Unpacking the hubris of superiority — how our systems consistently enforce it. The power of play and nature connection as antidotes to hopelessness and masking how we truly feel. Insights from Mac’s leadership company on redefining the purpose of business — beyond profit and growth — and valuing well-rounded human beings. Reflections on indigenous wisdom, community ownership, and leadership rooted in service rather than self-interest. A call to rethink wealth, power, and responsibility so that resources and decisions serve the many, not the few. An invitation to imagine a more joyful, courageous, and humane society. Shownotes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-71-mac-macartney-interview 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Scientific Enough to Wonder	25 Aug 2025	00:39:25
In this episode of Wild Minds, I'm exploring what it’s like to have big questions that don’t always fit into your job title. Whether you’re a teacher, therapist, or just someone who feels things deeply, this conversation is about the risk, and importance, of staying open, curious, and honest in times of change. Topics include: What it feels like to hide parts of yourself in professional spaces The fear of sounding “too out there” or being seen as unprofessional Why curiosity and wonder matter more than ever, especially in helping roles How feelings and intuition often get pushed aside—even though they guide so much of our real understanding A look at where our sense of mind and consciousness might actually come from How Indigenous wisdom and quantum science both challenge the idea that we’re separate from nature What happens in our body when we feel awe or connection Why being open-minded isn’t soft or silly—it’s essential for making sense of the world Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-70-scientific-enough-to-wonder 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Beyond the Five Senses: A Model for Plant Communication with Pam Montgomery	18 Aug 2025	01:06:16
In this powerful and expansive conversation, Pam Montgomery (teacher, author, and plant spirit ally) invites us into a deeper relationship with the natural world. We explore what it means to communicate with plants, how to trust our intuition, and how ancient ways of knowing are being remembered at this time of global rebirth. In this episode.... Through personal story, scientific insights, and spiritual practice, Pam helps us reimagine our role in the web of life. Pam’s grandmother introduced her to the idea of talking with plants – a formative influence that shaped her lifelong path. Communication with plants isn’t imaginary; it’s relational, vibrational, and increasingly supported by emerging science. Devices like those from Damanhur allow us to hear plants "sing," revealing their responsiveness to intention and environment. True communication happens through resonance, light, and sound – not just words – with the heart as the central sensing organ. We are vibrational beings too; like plants, we can tune into our environment and one another on subtle energetic levels. Pam describes “first voice” – the intuitive message that arrives before the rational mind interrupts – and how she trains herself to listen to it. Slowing down and entering the present moment opens a “portal” to meaningful encounters with nature. Nettle is explored as a plant ally that wakes us up and demands presence, while yarrow helps with energetic boundaries and healing. Nature responds when we become coherent – as our nervous systems settle, the world around us comes closer. Bonding with nature releases oxytocin, the “love hormone,” which initiates the body’s restorative response. We are already in relationship with plants through our breath – consciously acknowledging this can be a gateway to deeper connection. Pam speaks of a global rebirth and the possibility of a “new earth” rooted in interbeing, where all life can thrive together. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-69-plant-communication-with-pam-montgomery/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Leading With Our Inner Life	11 Aug 2025	00:30:09
In this solo episode, I'm reflecting on the quiet strength it takes to pause, listen, and allow our inner world to guide how we show up - especially in uncertain times. This season is taking an interesting turn as I find myself paying closer attention to my inner life - to sensations, to moment-by-moment shifts, and to the subtle places where I might be reacting. I’m learning to be alongside feelings, not rushing past them, but staying curious. In this episode, Marina explores: Beginning with a moment of feeling off-track, and the choice to stop and listen inwardly. Reflecting on the value of not knowing - and how uncertainty can be fertile ground. How discomfort is offered not as something to fix, but as a doorway to something deeper. An honest look at how ego can subtly shape even well-intentioned work. Inviting us to stay rooted in the body, in the earth, and in our own deep sensing How grief and disorientation are acknowledged as natural responses to collapsing systems. How there’s reassurance that we don’t need all the answers in order to stay in service. How true leadership may mean staying with the unknown rather than rushing through it. Reflecting on Joseph Cornell’s approach - beginning from a felt state that sets the tone for learning, and how Flow Learning starts from inner alignment Ending with an invitation to keep listening to the thread of life - and letting it guide the way Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-68-leading-with-our-inner-life/ 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: Free Course in Forest School Activities Try our online training for free: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/free 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Sharing Nature and the Power of Deep Play with Joseph Bharat Cornell	04 Aug 2025	01:13:24
In today's episode I have the deep honour of welcoming Joseph Bharat Cornell - a world-renowned author, educator, naturalist, and pioneer in the field of nature connection. Joseph’s Sharing Nature books have sold over a million copies and been translated into twenty-five languages, sparking what’s been called a worldwide revolution in nature education. Back in the 1970s, Joseph pioneered an experiential, heart-centered approach to learning in nature, now known as Flow Learning™. This transformative model, along with his joyful and accessible activities, has touched the lives of countless children and adults across the world - from inner-city classrooms to remote wilderness trails. His latest work, Deep Nature Play, continues this mission, guiding us into a deeper sense of wholeness, creativity, and connection through immersive play. In this deeply inspiring conversation with Joseph Bharat Cornell, we explore the power of nature connection, experiential learning, and the inner stillness that transforms how we live, teach, and relate to the world. Meditation, yoga philosophy, and other wisdom traditions greatly influenced his work. Joseph has lived in the Ananda Community as a monk and teacher since 1975 and in this episode, we discuss how... Joseph shares how moments of stillness and inner joy led him to a life of nature connection The natural world evokes a sense of reverence and belonging when we engage through feeling rather than intellect Flow Learning™ offers a four-stage process that supports deep, meaningful experiences in nature Joyful play helps quiet the ego and allows children and adults to be fully present In states of deep play and nature immersion, there is a diminished sense of ego — attention shifts from self to experience Experiential learning is transformative — people retain the feeling of an experience long after facts are forgotten Studies show that while most information is quickly lost, the emotional tone of an experience is remembered Lasting learning happens when the whole being is involved — body, heart, and mind together True education begins with experience; understanding follows naturally Facilitators need to cultivate their own inner stillness in order to guide others Activities like “Build a Tree” and “Camera Game” help participants enter a state of reverence Calm feeling allows for deeper perception and connection than reactive emotion Nature is egoless - being outdoors supports inner clarity and connection Play is a universal language that encourages openness across all ages Experiences like “Interview with Nature” use imagination to build empathy and awareness Reflection and storytelling help integrate and deepen nature-based learning Meditation and inner practice are essential parts of Joseph’s work and life Hope comes from developing inner awareness — our calm presence can subtly influence the world. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/joseph-cornell-podcast/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Our Maps Are Not The Territory	28 Jul 2025	00:35:01
In this solo episode, I'm reflecting on how cultural narratives, inner archetypes, and seasonal wisdom shape our understanding of being human - and how returning to embodied presence and natural cycles can guide us toward wholeness. Topics include: Reflecting on adolescence and the vulnerability of youth in today’s world Exploring the dehumanising of men and women by imagining the openness of a baby - full of will, need, emotion and unarmoured presence Questioning what our culture teaches us about feeling, strength and identity Noting the impact of the attention economy and the algorithm-driven rise in misogyny Highlighting the link between social media profit, lack of content moderation, and the rise in mental health struggles and suicide Asking what we are really learning, individually and collectively, about being human Turning to the wheel of the year as a guide for wholeness and natural rhythm Honouring cultures across the world that live in relationship with the cycles of nature Embracing the vision of wholeness - being in conscious relationship with both light and dark, doing and being Summer as active, solar, and will-driven - the oak tree as a symbol of discernment, boundaries, and protective strength Affirming the will to take care of ourselves and others, staying rooted and solid enough to be vulnerable Recognising yin qualities - rest, receptivity, slowness, intuitive presence, and emotional openness Naming the winter as a time when we lose our yang and descend inward, surrendering active energy Acknowledging the deep burden many men carry in the over-culture of competition, hoarding and disconnection Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-66-our-maps-are-not-the-territory/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/ The Advanced Certificate in Forest School and Outdoor Learning https://theoutdoorteacher.com/certificate/
	Living the Cycle: Nature, Will & the Full Spectrum of Being Human	21 Jul 2025	01:17:08
Welcome to Season 9. Today I’m in conversation with Marianne Siddons Heginworth, who is a therapist, ceremonialist, somatic practitioner, and long-time guide of the imaginal, archetypal, and wild relational landscapes. In this episode, we explore resourcing, emotional intimacy, nature connection, and the inner work of healing - including an inquiry into masculine and feminine qualities - expressed in the following key reflections: Experiencing our first ever in-person recording, which brought a deeper sense of presence and connection Exploring the importance of resourcing before meeting painful or vulnerable parts of ourselves Understanding how resourcing creates safety and capacity without bypassing what’s truly present Grounding through the body, especially into the pelvis, as a foundation for nervous system regulation Using imagination to connect with archetypes, elemental allies, or inner protectors as supportive resources Separating parts of the self in order to identify needs and nurture an inner parent Balancing heart and will—learning to root and feel deeply while staying clear, steady and present Reflecting on masculine and feminine energies as dynamic inner forces rather than fixed gender roles Questioning cultural stereotypes and affirming emotional depth, power and sensitivity as human qualities Parenting with honesty and presence, offering emotional language and space for truth Naming the pressures of overculture and the courage it takes to speak and live from the heart Working with the Celtic tree calendar to align internal experience with the cycles of the year Honouring trees like Rowan as guides in times of descent, grief, and quiet transformation Returning to the body and the earth as resources that allow us to meet life with intimacy and integrity Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-65-marianne-heginworth-podcast/ 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: Free Course in Forest School Activities Try our online training for free: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/free 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Rivers, Oaks, and Silence: A Season of Connection	02 Jun 2025	00:40:31
As we reach the end of Season 8 of the Wild Minds Podcast, I want to take a moment to reflect on this incredible journey we’ve been on together. It’s been such a privilege to speak with so many inspiring guests, each contributing their knowledge and experience in reshaping our relationship with the natural world. In this final episode, I’m diving into some of the reflections and insights I’ve gathered over the season. I’ll share personal thoughts on trust, fear, the power of silence, and the importance of reconnecting with the Earth. Here’s what’s on my mind as we close this season and look ahead to the next. I reflect on fear, paper tigers, and the importance of letting go, including a reading of The River Cannot Go Back by Kahlil Gibran, which explores trust in transformation and the unknown. Discuss the view of nature as alive and conscious, challenging the tendency to see it as an object rather than a subject. Share Robert McFarlane’s experiences in the Ecuadorian forest, where everything feels electrified and alive, shifting his perception of nature’s vitality. Question how we might experience the world through a different lens and open ourselves to communication with the more-than-human world. Highlight the scientific evidence of life in the soil and the Earth’s positive impact on human well-being, including beneficial bacteria, serotonin, and energy exchange. Emphasize the importance of deep connection to the Earth and to one another for mental and emotional health, drawing on John Young’s teachings. Critique screen-based culture and its effects on children and adults, including disconnection, mental health challenges, and the loss of embodied, social play. Share the value of silence and deep listening, drawing on Sam Lee’s message and the importance of making space to reconnect with ourselves and the Earth. Explore the concept of reconciled ancestors, inherited trauma, and our responsibility to heal and not pass on damaging patterns. Conclude with reflections on the oak tree’s symbolism, the balance of masculine and feminine qualities in nature, and a preview of next season’s focus on personal growth and valuing difference. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-64-rivers-oaks-and-silence/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Cultural Emergence and Permaculture with Looby Macnamara	26 May 2025	00:56:31
In this week’s episode of the Wild Minds Podcast, I speak with Looby Macnamara about permaculture, cultural emergence, and how small shifts in our habits and decision-making can lead us toward a more sustainable future. We discuss how thinking outside the box and embracing the unexpected can open up new pathways for growth. Here are the key takeaways: Looby explains how permaculture is not just about gardening but about a way of thinking, feeling, and observing that affects all parts of life, including relationships, health, and well-being. The importance of Earth care, People care, and Fair share as foundational principles for creating a more sustainable world, and how cultural emergence can shift societal norms in a regenerative direction. We explore how to make decisions that align with permaculture ethics, moving away from judgment and fostering a “culture of allowance” to support thoughtful choices without alienating others. The idea of “doing the unexpected” and stepping out of traditional pathways, like the conventional education-to-job journey, to embrace the unknown and create new opportunities for ourselves. Reflecting on personal habits, I talk about how we can support teenagers in making healthier choices, such as moving away from fast food culture, in a non-judgmental way that empowers their decisions rather than imposes them. We discuss the power of context in decision-making, like the cultural norms around eating, and the differences between being “caring” (e.g., choosing comfort food like rum and coke) versus “healthy” (e.g., making choices that support well-being and Earth care). Looby highlights the importance of understanding the context when addressing choices, such as in the case of militant veganism or the ethics of eating roadkill deer, showing how context shapes our understanding and decisions. Looby shares how the Design Web can be used in everyday life, from parenting to teaching, to help people make better, more creative decisions and take responsibility for their choices. Emergence is central to Looby’s approach—how when we embrace uncertainty and let go of rigid expectations, we create space for new insights, collaboration, and action. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-63-cultural-emergence-and-permaculture-with-looby-macnamara/ 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: Free Fire Webinar Watch my free mini-webinar on working with fire: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/fire 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Untamed Knowing	19 May 2025	00:44:24
In this episode, I reflect on the importance of slowing down and being present in the natural world, while exploring how our perceptions and beliefs shape our reality. I delve into the limitations of scientific objectivity, the influence of our environment on our well-being, and the need for a deeper, more holistic way of understanding ourselves and the world around us. Here are the key takeaways from this episode: The importance of engaging with the more-than-human world for reassurance, as a counter to the messiness of human-made realms (political, economic). The inadequacy of scientific objectivity as a worldview; reality is also shaped by subjective and environmental factors. How we now need to develop critical thinking skills, especially in navigating multiple perspectives and complex truths. Reflection on environmental education, particularly the spiritual dimension and how it is often excluded from mainstream teaching. Indigenous knowledge is a more holistic view of the world, combining heart, head, soul, and spirit, in contrast to the fragmented Western scientific approach. Insights on how modern science and technology (like AI, quantum physics, and systems thinking) challenge traditional mechanistic views of the world. The significance of our environment and its direct influence on our health, with much of our well-being shaped by it rather than clinical care – Salutogenesis. Historical shift around the 1750s during the Industrial Revolution, where human dominance and technological advances led to exponential growth and global impact. Exploration of the Dunning-Kruger effect: people with less knowledge often overestimate their competence. A call to reconnect with nature, slow down, and notice the present moment as a revolutionary act in a fast-paced world. Emphasis on the role of psyche in connecting to something beyond the self-conscious mind, with parallels drawn to the creative processes of great scientists like Newton and Einstein. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-62-untamed-knowing/ 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: Free Course in Forest School Activities Try our online training for free: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/free 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Deep Ecology & the Healing of Separation with John Seed	08 May 2025	01:04:55
In this episode of Wild Minds, I’m honoured to be in conversation with John Seed — a true elder of the environmental movement and one of the most influential voices in deep ecology. He influenced my own journey into environmental education in the late 1980’s so it was a real privilege of sharing this conversation with him. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-61-john-seed-podcast/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	The Sacred Attributes of Connection	05 May 2025	00:20:37
In today’s episode, Marina is exploring the 7 Sacred Attributes – also known as the Attributes of Connection. These teachings, rooted in Lakota tradition and carried into the Deep Nature Connection movement by Jon Young, offer a powerful framework for individual and community healing. In this episode, Marina explores: The 7 attributes and share how they relate to connection and the regeneration of healthy culture. Sacred = Connection. The 7 Sacred Attributes, or Attributes of Connection, originate from the Lakota Woptura lineage. These teachings were preserved and shared by Gilbert Walking Bull, a respected Lakota medicine man and grandson of Moves Camp, a Lakota Sacred Man. Jon Young, a key figure in the Deep Nature Connection movement, integrated these attributes into the 8 Shields model after recognising their profound impact on fostering connection and healing. The attributes serve as a measure of an individual's internal and external relationships, indicating the regeneration of healthy culture. As more individuals embody these qualities, communities become stronger and more resilient. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-60-sacred-attributes-of-connection 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Deep Nature Connection & The Sacred Attributes with Jon Young	28 Apr 2025	01:19:36
Today, I have the honour of speaking with Jon Young - a pioneering researcher, mentor, naturalist, wildlife tracker, author, storyteller, and leader in deep nature and people connection. In this episode we discuss: How gratitude supports us to ‘go up the spiral and not down – it elevates us and is dependable Jake and Judy swamp – the thanksgiving address Nature connection verses deep nature connection The uniqueness of Jon’s work – the 4 key categories of relationships with nature The generation of the ‘Last child in the woods’ – before and after Television Gilbert Walking Bull and the 7 sacred attributes The power of wilderness & naturalist skills The creation of true leadership Taking your ideal scene to the ancestors and future generations – time is running out Don’t play small (see below the steps) Nature connection in danger How our nervous system has the instructions that we need 512 Project – 64 cultural elements that generate connection than disconnection Tracking connection Podcast: Living Connection 1st Tom Brown’s 7 steps to your Ideal Scene Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/jon-young Tracking our Roots in Nature - Buy Jon Young's Audio Series for only $27: 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: Free Course in Forest School Activities Try our online training for free: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/free 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	The Ecological Self	21 Apr 2025	00:34:27
A rich and soulful exploration of the season of spring, and our deepening connection to self, others, and the natural world. Marina invites us to slow down, listen more deeply, and reconnect with the cycles that shape our inner and outer lives. In this episode, Marina: Explores the relationship between our social self and wider ecological self. Looks at how communication goes beyond words and into our bodies, our subtle cues, the looks we might get and our imagination. Dives deeper into the Spring and our own inner cycles of renewal – with reference to the Tree Calendar and Hawthorn! Wonders about the power of the imaginal sense and its link to healing. Invites listeners to treat their inner child with the same love, care and hope we’d give a newborn baby! Touches on how slowing down can allow deeper forms of listening, noticing, and sensing to emerge. Celebrates the joy, silliness, and direct experience that come with spring and a well-resourced self. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-58-the-ecological-self 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/ Free Fire Webinar Watch my free mini-webinar on working with fire: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/fire
	Singing with Nightingales: Folk Songs & The Wild with Sam Lee	14 Apr 2025	00:58:44
Welcome to Season 8 of The Wild Minds Podcast! My guest today is Sam Lee, a renowned folk singer, a Mercury Prize-nominated and BBC Folk Award-winning singer, a passionate conservationist, activist, author of the novel, The Nightingale, and a guardian of traditional songs with his latest album, Songdreaming. Sam has spent years weaving music with the natural world. In this episode, we dive into his journey, the role of music in rewilding our hearts, and, of course, the captivating song of the nightingale. In this episode we discuss: What is a folk song? Sam’s journey with trying to re-find songs from the British Isles & recordings made of Gypsy, Scot, Irish and English Travellers, His apprentice to Stanley Robertson and introduction to a whole other way of singing! Sam’s interest in conservation not preservation. How songs hold important truth and how they support us to remember ourselves as a culture and as responsible stewards of the earth. How songs hold an incredible activation of knowledge from the singer's world, and their love and pain. The cascade of impoverishment when songs stop being sung. Ornithology as a form of storytelling & Singing with Nightingales: https://www.singingwithnightingales.co.uk/tickets Making music with Nightingales – the decorators of silence. Accepting silence as a beautiful thing Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-57-singing-with-nightingales-folk-songs-and-the-wild/ 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: Free Course in Forest School Activities Try our online training for free: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/free 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	What Really Matters	03 Mar 2025	00:39:01
This is our final episode of the season, and today, I’m asking: What really matters? As we approach the Spring Equinox, a time of balance, renewal, and reflection, I dive into the different dimensions of health - physical, mental, social, environmental, and spiritual, and ask: Are the values we live by truly our own? Do we give ourselves time to reflect, to listen, and to follow what truly matters? In this episode, Marina: Reflects personally on how the natural seasonal cycles represent our own opportunity to re-parent. Considers how Nature acts as a "third teacher," alongside parents/carers and educators. Explores the importance of reclaiming our own internal values—when we lose touch with our inner world, we struggle to set boundaries, leading to saying “yes” when we mean “no.” Recognises that true learning happens in relationships and through co-creation, not by filling children as empty vessels or leaving them entirely to their own devices. Acknowledges that quick fixes, like adding Forest School once a week, do not resolve systemic issues in education. Challenges the dominant measures of success—productivity and status—by valuing creativity, relationships, and emotional intelligence. Engages with the idea that learning is not just about acquiring knowledge but also about how we relate to the world and each other (Nora Bateson's "Warm Data"). Recognises the role of creativity, play, and experimentation in helping us develop a deep sense of what feels right for us in life. Highlights the importance of slowing down, listening deeply, and creating the right conditions for people to be who they truly are. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-56-what-really-matters/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/ Free Course in Forest School Activities Try our online training for free: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/free
	Reimagining Learning: Creativity, Attunement, and Slow Pedagogy with Debi Keyte-Hartland	24 Feb 2025	01:09:25
Today I am speaking with Debi Keyte-Hartland, a passionate Early Childhood Consultant, trainer, author and speaker, who’s experienced in developing creative environments that invite rich learning and complex thinking. I so enjoyed the depth of thinking and permission to re-evaluate the image of the child and development of pedagogies of observation, listening and reflection! In this episode, Debi pulls together so much of her own creative thinking to enable us to really bring new possibilities to our teaching practice as well as enabling us to value children’s capacity to learn and think for themselves, when given the attunement and listening of a supportive adult. In this episode we discuss: Debi provides an extensive dive into a wide range of pedagogy – from the current thinkers (see all the resource links) to Loris Malaguzzi as a huge influence on early childhood pedagogy. We discuss the importance of following what matters to children and how this inevitably leads to a much richer educational experience, one which an educator can link to the Early Year curriculum without any effort! Debi presents the image of the child informed by various perspectives – offering us the listener to consider how each image deeply implicates the kind of education we support and offer young people – this has a huge impact on the child, the adult and how we value ourselves as unique learners. This conversation presents a deep dive into the relationship between humans and the natural world, influenced by the great thinker Gregory Bateson (see below) and many others. Once again Debi helps us understand how much the vitality of materials influences our learning and opens us up to the possibility of relationships that are influential and change how we perceive the world around us. We both share the desire for an ecological, educational paradigm that begins with adults valuing our direct participation in the world around us and how this creates an empathy for all of life. She effortlessly describes how an adult’s attunement and observation creates a permissive container for a child to discover the life of a woodlouse and develop their own thinking, which as a side impact creates vast amounts of valuable more traditional knowledge. We get a real sense of the value of playful inquiry and the place of art and creativity in both education and our lives. Finally Debi introduces us to ‘Warm Data’ developed by Nora Bateson (see below) and follows an inquiry into what we measure really matters! Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-55-debi-keyte-hartland-podcast/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Lessons from the Natural World	17 Feb 2025	00:50:46
In this episode, I explore the deep connections between nature, energy, and the way we live and learn. Although navigating the hidden costs of our modern lives often weighs heavily. I reflect on how we can develop greater awareness and resilience together and here are some of the areas I discuss: How our daily lives are built on fossil fuels, from transportation to everyday products, making us deeply reliant on resource extraction. While electric vehicles seem like a solution, their production still depends on intensive mining, impacting both communities and ecosystems. Different perspectives, such as those shared by Nate Hagens, offer insights into energy, society, and the challenges of systemic change. Coming to terms with how true sustainability difficult to achieve, without a massive and unlikely shift in our structures and belief systems. How Nature teaches us about sustainability, balance, and resilience, offering models like biomimicry to guide our choices. Lasting change requires both external actions and an internal shift in mindset, aligning with what Stephen Bruner calls the "internal climate of mind." Education often ignores the complexity of real learning, which thrives on sensory, interconnected experiences rather than rigid structures. Deep learning and meaningful connections with people or nature require time, space, and presence. Thriving systems are built on balance, reciprocity, and leadership that values nature, relationships, and community over endless growth. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-54-lessons-from-the-natural-world 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/ Free Course in Forest School Activities Try our online training for free: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/free
	Unleashing the Power of Imagination with Rob Hopkins	10 Feb 2025	01:06:10
My guest today is Rob Hopkins, cofounder of Transition Town Totnes and Transition Network, and the author of The Transition Handbook, The Transition Companion, The Power of Just Doing Stuff, 21 Stories of Transition and most recently, From What Is to What If: unleashing the power of imagination to create the future we want. In 2012, he was voted one of the Independent’s top 100 environmentalists and was on Nesta and the Observer’s list of Britain’s 50 New Radicals. In this episode we discuss: The power of mass movements (e.g., Civil Rights Movement, COVID-19 responses, wartime efforts like Dig for Victory). The need for a more cohesive and alternative narrative to the dominant one. Moving beyond cheap energy – implications for food, education, and the economy. 2024 CO₂ levels surpassing 1.5°C threshold (10th January 2025). The need to shift the burden from individual carbon footprints to corporate accountability (e.g., Chevron, Exxon). The need for structural wake-up calls – governments and corporations driving large-scale change. Example: Concrete alone accounts for 9% of global emissions. The economy’s success is measured by its size, but should we use different metrics? The Degrowth Movement – shifting focus from GDP to wellbeing and sustainability. Fridays for Future – reflections on organising and impact. What did our towns look like before global energy dependence? Proof that governments can listen to science and find funding overnight. ‘The Greta Effect’ – a measurable drop in air travel and meat consumption. A mayor’s radical food system redesign: 80% of food grown locally at the same price as imports. The importance of rethinking, reimagining, and equipping ourselves with better models for sustainable futures. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-53-rob-hopkins-unleashing-the-power-of-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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/ Free Fire Webinar Watch my free mini-webinar on working with fire: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/fire
	The Advanced Certificate in Forest School and Outdoor Learning	03 Feb 2025	00:36:31
Welcome to Episode 52! In this episode Marina talks about her online course 'The Advanced Certificate in Forest School and Outdoor Learning'. Why Forest School and Outdoor Learning is a game changer for educators Insights from masterclasses on sensory integration, mental health and deep nature connection The support from the UK Health & Safety Executive for well-managed risk How access to the outdoors brings so many physical, cognitive and emotional benefits as well as developing a healthy psychological 'attachment' to nature. Our online training that packs sessions underpinned by research across the seasons - the one stop place. Topics included in the 16 Masterclasses The benefits of spending time outdoors for self regulation How to manage risky activities with your groups Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-52-my-advanced-certificate-online-training 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/ 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/
	Nature Based Revolution with Amie Andrews	27 Jan 2025	00:49:16
My guest today is Amie Andrews, and in this episode, we dive into the transformative potential of nature-based solutions for health, wellbeing, and community resilience. In this episode we discuss: The role of Small Woods National Charity, including their history and mission to connect people with woodlands. What social forestry is and how it supports both woodland health and human wellbeing. The growing appetite for nature-based activities and the evolving partnership between people and the environment. Insights on balancing human benefits from woodlands with the need to enhance biodiversity and sustainability. Tackling funding challenges in social forestry and how to create sustainable models for the future. The health benefits of nature-based activities, including green prescriptions and their role in healthcare. How policy-makers, researchers, and communities are collaborating to create evidence-based, scalable solutions. Connecting local grassroots efforts to larger policy changes and economic shifts. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-51-nature-based-revolution/ 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: 30% Off All Courses until 5th October Go to: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/courses/

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