“I consider myself to have a good level of self-awareness...

but the exercises brought out raw emotional responses as there were no other factors involved" Jack

Thomas Schorr-kon (2008) a colleague shared an experience he encountered from one of his students who is a grandmother, she said to him “I hate coming here (Nature-Awareness Workshops) and I love it when I come here. I always learn something awful about myself”.

The next account is from a counselor (now in active recovery), who wrote to share her experiences of Nature-Awareness.

“I experienced such depths of trust both in my partner and nature… The most important realisation for me in this exercise was that there was some pain involved, and the consequences were positive… My partner didn’t become a compulsive-helper and protect me from rough branches and tree trunks. He let me find my way, alerting me only to oversized obstacles. The result of his letting go, allowed me to come up against smaller obstacles, graze and cut my hands, scratch against nettles and get to my destination. It was only pain. A very profound lesson for me” Jane

Here, there is an ‘Investment in Loss’, both women are recognising something that is both positive and painful at the same time, they are both in a position to deal with change, because of their extrinsic experience their intrinsic self-awareness and motivation increased.

Jane continues by saying…

“If I step back and look at this from an Attachment Theory perspective… I knew that my partner was close, and he gave me the space to move away and explore, knowing that I could come back to him or that he would rescue me if I was in any real danger. My partner and I were reunited once I had arrived “HOME” to the drum” Jane,


It is interesting that Jane makes a reference to ‘HOME’. Jane further, states that in rehab “Rogers’ Core Conditions had already been established… which enabled her to trust in the process... Unconditional Positive Regard, Congruence and Empathy were all present… The essence of these conditions were radiating from nature itself”.


She finishes by reflecting… “Five weeks on, I still have a small scar on my left hand from where I scrapped a tree trunk. I’m pleased I have it. It is a constant reminder that it is ok to trust. I might incur some pain and bruises along the way, and that’s ok”.