ECO-THERAPY | The Cavewoman Way

ECO-THERAPY & Nature Based Healing

"Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt." -John Muir

Nature offers invitations and opportunities to return to our wild, primal, natural home. Within that space, a sense of safety and peace can be restored that allows for deep healing work, mystical experiences, spiritual exploration, and much-needed rest.

Different from traditional counseling, nature-based healing is about stepping out of mental processing and into a soulful, intuitive experience with the natural world. These encounters can provide insight, wisdom, and guidance only accessible to us when leave the comfort of the indoors and engage with the wild.

If you feel the call of the wild, are craving extended time in nature, or are curious about a different approach to healing or recovery, let's talk. An Eco-Therapist or Transpersonal Guide can provide the support you need to lean into these practices and feel safe enough to explore the winding trails, both in the forest as well as within yourself.

Working together can take many forms, depending on your intentions and schedule. The offerings below as well as customized packages are available.

Click each tab to learn more!

Nature-Based Counseling

Simply being in nature instead of an office provides an abundance of additional benefits, even more so if you are barefoot (optional, but highly recommended!). For example, only 30 minutes of foot-to-earth contact calms the nervous system, improves blood pressure, reduces inflammation, deepens breathing, and increases energy. For some it can even lessen menstrual pain and improve sleep. Nature-based counseling is available in 1, 2- and 3- hour increments.

COST: $125 first hour + $50 each additional hour

Wonder Walks & Forest Bathing

Wander. Saunter. Meander. A Wonder Walk is not about how far you can hike or how many Instagram-worthy photos you can capture. Instead, this forest-bathing experience is the opportunity to intimately reconnect with yourself and nature, tune into your senses, and experience deep relaxation. A blend of gentle activities, mindfulness practices, and reflection create a wonder-filled journey. Walkabouts can take place in city or state parks, hiking areas, or even in your backyard.

COST: $125 first hour + $50 each additional hour

Eco-Therapy Benefits

Lowered Stress and Anxiety

Enhanced Brain Functioning & Focus

More Restful and Deep Sleep

Nervous System Regulation

Improved Self Confidence

Deepened Sense of Connection

Faster Recovery from Illness & Infection

Medicine Walks

“During the medicine walk, the spirits and powers of nature reveal themselves to you. Together, they and you weave an allegorical or symbolic story which answers a question; indicates your inherent gifts or future life direction; or shows the rituals or ceremonies to perform to become whole." -Steven Foster & Meredith Little

A Medicine Walk is an intentional journey into nature with the soulful guidance and support of a Guide or Ceremonialist before and after. You may be drawn to a Medicine Walk for self-discovery, as preparation for a vigil or quest, to seek clarity during a challenging situation, or as a way to commune with Spirit. Before the walk, we explore safety, intentions, and prepare mind/body/spirt. After the walk, we sit together to honor your experience and story, reflect on how to continue the wild conversation that has been started, and embrace any realizations or insights you received. A follow-up counseling session is included in the cost, as it is important to remember that a Medicine Walk is only the beginning of the journey.

COST:

Half-day ($300)

Full-day ($500)

Includes a follow-up counseling session

Vigils & Quests

Something mysterious and magical happens when we surrender to the wisdom of Mother Earth and spend the night in her loving arms. Both vigils and quests are an invitation to return to our primal home, the sacred darkness, and the wild self. While different people define these words in different ways, the way I differentiate these offerings is both in the intention and duration of the immersion.

Vigils invite us to be a witness to the sacred cycles of the day and night as well as honor our own. They are a portal into the realm of earth-spirit medicine and wilderness-based soul encounters. Vigils are typically 1 or 2 night camping experiences and involve at least 18 hours of solitude in nature. I provide preparation guidance and a ceremonial opening before your walk as well as a closing ritual and integration counseling after your walk.

Quests involve 3-4 nights of solo camping plus preparation and integration days before and after. For those called to this ancient rite of passage, it is important to have the support of someone who can help you navigate the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of this practice as well as someone who can hold space for the multitude of possible experiences you may have. My role is not to enforce a protocol, provide answers, or direct your experience. Instead, I walk along side of you as a companion, mirror, soul friend, and mentor so that you feel empowered to answer this intense calling and navigate the Return.

Both vigils and quests can be life-altering and the first few weeks or months afterward can be challenging. A minimum of 3 counseling sessions are recommended following vigils and quests as a way to stay connected to your journey and keep the wild conversation alive.

Vigils and quests range in cost, depending on duration, location and other factors. Please email me to schedule a no-obligation, complimentary consultation call to learn more.

Nature Ceremonies

Nature-based ceremonies and wilderness rites of passage can span hours or days. They give us the opportunity to ritualize important milestones, losses, or transformations in our lives. They are also a way to ask Nature, or Spirit, for a sign, wisdom, or healing in times of crisis or uncertainty. These practices have ancient roots and we will weave the time-tested traditional components of nature-based healing with your intentions for a meaningful ceremony.

Sacred Medicine Offerings

Working with plants and mushrooms for healing, recovery, and spiritual questing is an ancient practice that spans the entire world. If you feel curious, intrigued, or called to sacred plant medicine or mushrooms, you have found a safe and welcoming space to ask questions and receive support.

Some entheogenic plants and mushrooms are restorative or have deeply calming effect. Others significantly alter our state of consciousness and open the doorway to mystical experiences. Some entheogens we have journeyed with in group ceremonies include Cacao, Mugwort, Sassafras, Mullein, and Rose. Trip Sitting (a legal harm reduction service) and Ceremony Guidance are also available to individuals and couples working with psychoactive plants and mushrooms.

An entire section of my website is dedicated to Sacred Medicine called The Mushroom Cave. I encourage you to check it out HERE. There you can learn more about the following services:

Sacred Medicines & Entheogens
Sacred Medicine Ceremonies
Psychedelic Trip Sitting
Integration Coaching
Microdosing Mentorship

"Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread. A civilization which destroys what little remains of the wild...is cutting itself off from its origins and betraying the principle of civilization itself." -Edward Abbey

The Cavewoman Way

Chattanooga, TN

Michelle Rigling, PhD, M.Sc.