The Wilderness and Wellness Podcast

 Interview with Elena Harder, Bulletproof Mom and mental wellness coach. Elena tells her inspiring story overcoming mental illness and the threads of nature connection that were her support along the way. We talk specifically about Elena’s intuitive use of a sit spot and the importance of creating personal spaces for mental wellness. Elena tells us about her journey, moving from Calgary, Canada to...

Discussion with environmental educator and author Dan Kriesberg about how everyday people can maintain their nature connection and raise nature connected kids amidst the hustle and bustle of living a fast-paced modern existence. We discuss ideas for navigating the desire and need to get out for long or short-term trips and still maintain peace at home with one’s spouse. We also talk about philosop...

Discussion with southwest bioregional herbalist, forager, and author John Slattery. In this episode John offers a message of healing, hope, connection, and personal empowerment in the midst of the fog caused by the COVID-19 virus. John and I touch on the current social fallout from the recent events including the fear that is being spread and we discuss ways to stand in our own power in light of t...

In this episode I speak with ancestral skills practitioner and instructor, and participant on season 6 of the History Channel’s Alone show, Woniya Thibeault. In our discussion we talk about Woniya’s journey into Ancestral skills and the visceral familiarity and remembering that happens when we reconnect with those skills, and especially when we encounter and handle buckskin. Woniya expounds on the...

Discussion with Lakota author, actor, storyteller, wilderness survivalist, and bowmaker, Joseph Marshall III. Through plenty of wit, humor, and masterful storytelling, Joseph regales us with many tales. Joseph tells us about growing up on the banks of the Little White River on the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota, detailing many lessons learned from his grandparents who raised him in the tradit...

Interview with Josh Lane, deep nature connection mentor and author of the book “Conscious Nature: The Art and Neuroscience of Meditating in Nature”. In this discussion Josh enlightens us on the meaning of “deep nature connection”, the qualities that people can develop when they practice deep nature connection, and the profound way that nature immediately benefits our mental well-being, even if we...

Enjoy the mental benefits of a break from the hustle and bustle with this guided meditation from Josh Lane. Enjoy anywhere, anytime, except while driving ;-)

In this episode I speak with avid hunter, fisherman, self-taught survivalist, and contestant on the History Channel’s Alone show, Ray Livingston. Ray takes us through his journey into outdoor skills and living by detailing his experiences as a kid fishing with his dad, harvesting his first Elk with a bow at 14 years old, and choosing to pursue survival skills to overcome his trepidation in wild pl...

Discussion with Silicon Valley tech engineer and founder of multinational corporations, Victoria Livschitz about her journey into the world of hiking and multi-day backpacking and the mental and physical benefits she has gained as a result and how it has helped her balance her high-stress tech career. Victoria also offers advice for those looking to get into multi-day backpacking and details the s...

Interview with Tim Smith of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft School and Podcast out of Maine, USA. Tim and I talk about some of the underlying educational principles of his long-term wilderness living educational programs, specifically the value of learning by doing and the idea of baseline and how it relates to our ability not only to take care of ourselves in the wild places, but also how it may affe...

In this episode of the podcast I speak with naturalist, herbalist, and field ornithologist Kristi Dranginis. Kristi is a mentor and educator for people in all kinds of naturalist skills, but especially in the world of birding and bird language. During Kristi and I’s conversation we discuss the power of birds and developing the skills to know them. We talk specifically about building relationships...

Nature connection mentor and coach, Dan Gardoqui, draws upon 30 years of experience leading nature connection programs for children and adults to give us insights into why and how nature can improve our lives, communities, and the world as a whole. We talk about the issues that we face getting our kids and ourselves a healthy dose of nature connection and ways we can overcome those issues. Dan exp...

Discussion with Barry Karcher, a minimalist survival expert, self-defense instructor, and participant on the Alone Show Season 6. In this episode Barry expounds to us the virtues of keeping our promises to our loved ones, staying in the fray, and overall approaching everything we do in life with a Viking mentality. Never one to hold back (as anyone who has watched Barry on the Alone show can attes...

Interview with musician, fisheries project manager, and long trail thru-hiker Anna Robinson. In this episode we talk about Anna’s path towards nature connection and music and how she has fused those two passions. We also discuss her growth as a project manager in the fisheries industry volunteering and educating about the importance of the health of our fisheries ecosystems, especially those relat...

In this episode we speak with Emalee Hill and Anna Robinson, two friends who took it upon themselves to do an unconventional music tour by taking their talents on the trail, the Continental Divide Trail to be exact. Emalee is a visual artist and thru-hiker based out of Washington State and Anna Robinson, who we met in the previous episode, is a musician, fisheries project manager, and thru-hiker f...

Discussion on the subject of bushcraft with long-time bushcraft instructor and author, Tony Nester. In this interview we talk about what bushcraft is, its evolution in the last several decades, and the importance of curiosity and getting outdoors for the budding bushcrafter and naturalist. Tony gives tips for anyone wishing to delve into bushcraft or increase their self-reliance while outdoors, wh...

An extremely enlightening and in-depth discussion with researcher and university professor Dr. Alyssa Crittenden about the Hadza, an indigenous, modern hunter-gatherer society living in Tanzania, Africa. In this interview we talk about Dr. Crittenden’s time among the Hadza (about 16 months accumulatively since 2004), conducting research in the field of human evolutionary biology, particularly in t...

In this episode I talk with Kody Sherwood who, with his brother Chad Keel, runs bushcraft and primitive skills courses out of Leona Valley, California through their school called “Nature Reconnection”. Nature Reconnection’s flagship course is the “Primitive Walkabout”, where students walk into the wilderness with no gear, no sleeping bag, not even a water bottle, and learn what the natural world h...

In this episode I speak with Jerry Ward, biologist, hunter, trapper, outdoor skills instructor, and homesteader who is creating a homestead from scratch outside of Fairbanks, AK and inviting interested folks to come learn firsthand about the homesteading lifestyle. We discuss Jerry’s interest and journey in learning self-reliance and outdoors skills, some of his experiences travelling the world, h...

In this episode I speak with Angel Tadytin, Navajo ambassador for “Women Who Hike”, social worker, and promoter of Navajo Culture and women’s empowerment through her work as a hiking guide on Navajoland. We discuss indigenous land rights, the importance of indigenous ties to the land, and Angel’s role as a social worker and her thoughts on the healing effects of nature for people’s mental health....

In this episode, I consult Aldo Leopold (the Father of modern wildlife conservation in the U.S.) in his work “A Sand County Almanac” to discuss the richness of our earth and environment, it’s intrinsic social value, and our duty as stewards and caretakers in preserving it for future generations. In short, the question is asked “what if there be no more goose music?” Aldo Leopold Bio A Sand County...

In this episode we talk with Nathan Donnelly, permaculture practitioner, Youth Conservation Corp. crew coordinator, nature awareness and survival skills instructor, and contestant on the Alone Show, season 6. In our discussion we get into a lot of topics, namely how humans can live with the natural fire cycle, Nathan’s work with the Youth Conservation Corp., the healing aspects of nature that Nath...

In this episode we talk with self-described Earthroamer, Donny Dust, who is a prolific primitive skills practitioner, sometimes spending a month or more in the bush, unsupported, with only a stone knife, clay water vessel, animal hide, and handrill fire kit. Donny is also a contestant on the History Channel’s “Alone” show season 6. In our discussion we focus chiefly on Donny’s recently released bo...

This episode serves as the introduction to the podcast. In this episode I discuss what I intend to focus on and cover for this project. What the name of the podcast means and why I chose it in spite of some issues with the term “wilderness”. Why I feel the topic of the podcast matters to modern people. My stake in this topic of bushcraft and nature connection/education, and my background. This pod...

In this episode I talk with Dr. Denise Mitten about the traditional ecological knowledge of the Gwich’in Alaskan Natives, how one’s negative or positive approach towards nature affects our health and relationship with it, the importance of proper time in nature for body image and overall health and wellness for children and adults. We also discuss the importance of social justice and access to nat...