For millions of years, human development thrived by integrating our senses with nature’s most treasured gifts: earth, grass, trees, water, wind, sun, stars. These contextual elements wired the brains and bodies we possess todayÂ
giving us the foundation for good mental and physical health.
But, modern humanity suffers from a lack of contextual experiences that develop integration and thus regulation.
Successful, well-regulated kids don’t just happen.Â
Happy parents are no accident.
Development is an active and ongoing process -
"Science tells us that the interactions between genes and the environment shape human development. Research shows that early experiences can determine how genes are turned on and off — and even whether some are expressed at all."
— Harvard Center for the Developing Child, 2016
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The way a person behaves,Â
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- How they communicate,
- Â Whether they can regulate their body
- Whether they can regulate their emotions
- The choices they makeÂ
- The way they perceive lifeÂ
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Are all byproducts of the experiences they have during childhood. We are patterned by our environment.Â
So what kind of brain patterning do you want for yourself, your kids or the kids you work with?
As one of the original nature-connection occupational therapists...
I’ve combined my 28 years of heart-centered, evidence-based occupational therapy practice with 21 years of developing, running and consulting for therapeutic outdoor programs.Â
In a world where chaos surrounds us, the NatureLed Approach shows you how to relieve stress, improve health, increase brain capacity, and regulate you and your child’s emotions, with nature as your guide. The outdoors becomes a wise-elder where every plant, animal, and stream teaches lessons of growth, resilience, and interconnection — fostering a deep sense of belonging and understanding for yourself and the people you live and work with.
NatureLed
A Prescription Millions Of Years In The Making.
Feel the transformation as you bridge the gap between nature, and the rest of your life.
This approach offers fun and inspiring real life stories, practical explanations, and accessible tools,
to help you understand the connection between nature and mental and physical health.
It offers simple, yet powerful ways to strengthen your connection with your family or clients, and heal the epidemic of disconnection.Â
Unlock a more joyful, ease-filled journey and validate your instincts against the chaos and half-truths of modern living.
YES, I NEED THIS APPROACH!!
Hi, I'm Kathleen
Founder, Occupational Therapist, Trainer, Mentor, Author, Nature-Connection SpecialistÂ
NatureLed was born out of observing a growing trend among families and children; a disconnection not only from the environment but from each other.
In my professional journey, I encounter numerous parents and professionals struggling to navigate the modern challenges of supporting the younger generations — feeling isolated in their experiences and often doubting their instincts. These observations were juxtaposed with my own experiences and the undeniable solace and clarity I found in nature. It became clear that the solution to many modern dilemmas lay in rekindling our inherent neural-nature networks. Thus, NatureLed was designed parents and caregivers to rediscover joy, ease, and connection through weaving science and nature-connection into habilitation and rehabilitation.Â
Witnessing children (and the adults they love) light up with curiosity and wonder as they engage their neural-nature networks with the outdoors, and seeing parents breathe easier as they find common ground with their children — outside the confines of screens and schedules, has been a rewarding life mission. Through sharing these insights and strategies, my aim is not only to help individual families but also to inspire a societal shift towards embracing our neural-nature pathways for healthier, more connected generations to come.
With the NatureLed Approach, you can…
Grow Together Naturally with all these results:
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Build Confidence: Track behavior patterns and get to the heart of what’s going on
- Reduces Stress and Anxiety: Find easier paths to peace and harmony.Â
- Feel Alive: Experience a life you love.
- Feel Connected:Â Understand how to access the wisdom of nature right outside your door.
- Reclaim Wholeness: Heal from childhood adversities.
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Cultivates Joyful Memories: Creates opportunities for memorable experiences with nature that enrich family and community bonds and become cherished moments over time.Â
How We Do It
We show you how to...
Reclaim three ancient neurological processes,Â
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By Using 4 Core Pathways,Â
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And Developing 1 key communication skill,
THE NATURELED APPROACH
Where modern brilliance stands on the shoulders of ancient wisdom
Learn in a fun and connected way
The NatureLed Core Modules
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Baseline:Â Discover your child's temperament
-Understand how children are designed for nature-connection
-Learn the two biggest things that can derail healthy development - and what you can do to avoid these!
-Understand the fundamental interactions necessary between humans and nature.
-Discover what aspects of nature, nature knowledge, and outdoor skills are necessary for a successful family life or program. - Five Voices Of Birds And Children: Using bird "language" as a fun tool, discover different ways children communicate
-Understand the link between behavior and communication
-Learn strategies to communicate kindly and effectively to increase brain capacity, reduce meltdowns, improve memory, problem solving, communication, patience, attention, and focus.
- Shapes Of Alarm: Learn about the Biological Basis For Behavior
-Get to the core of what drives behavior by understanding the top 8 most important things to know about a developing body.
-Facilitate the development of sensory integration and regulation.
-Learn to identify why a child is refusing to participate, yelling, pushing, ignoring, challenging you, is unmotivated, acting impulsively, can’t sit still, or won’t listen.
-Know what you can do when those things happen.
-Grasp the most essential aspects of human development and how our brains develop behaviors. - Common Causes Of Alarm:Â Learn the difference between healthy stress and toxic stress and how to keep yourself and the kids you care for in the healthy zone.
-Gain insights into Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), how they shape the structure of the brain, and how they might be affecting you and the kids you care about.
-Understand the common neurological and cultural basis for challenging behavior and how to transform it into a superpower.
-Recognize the signs of trauma and when to intervene. - Behavior Allies: Learn how "good" behavior happens.
-Practice the “therapeutic use of self.”
-Discover environmental hacks to increase skillful behavior,
-Learn how the natural world can be a co-parent or co-mentor to facilitate behavioral shifts,
-Understand how to let "nature lead." -
Roots To Wings: Discover what kind of environment helps a child take healthy risks and develop to the fullest of their potential,
-Discover how to create this zone for yourself,
-Learn strategies and techniques to ensure mental, physical and family readiness to fly,
-Feel confident with highly spirited children and big emotions,
-Grasp and confidently employ the one type of interaction that can make tremendous shifts for most challenges and allow a child to feel confident taking flight
-Be able to create a healthy family culture and effective programs for the ages and stages of kids in your program.
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