Meet Nicole, a true outdoor enthusiast and educator! A recipient of the Massachusetts Award for Excellence in Science Education, Nicole holds degrees in Psychology and Recreation Therapy from UNC and has been a Wilderness EMT since 2001. With decades of experience in wilderness therapy—from leading expeditions to running health programs—Nicole’s passion is helping people care for one another in meaningful ways. Whether she’s racing through the wild, guiding rafts downriver, or teaching high schoolers, Nicole’s done it all. She’s been an adventure racer, high ropes facilitator, Autism clinician, Waldorf teacher, and, of course, a mom!
Nicole, what is Wilderness Mental Health First Aid (WMHFA)?
WMHFA is a highly-immersive and interactive experience where participants learn to care for others (and themselves) in moments of dysregulation or even crisis. We believe all behavior is the expression of an emotional need. If we can discover, honor, and satisfy that emotional need, behavior will change.
What was the inspiration for building this course?
More and more our clients (mostly nature-based educators) have (lovingly) demanded from us tools and techniques for:
- Managing emotional and behavioral dysregulation in the field
- Supporting their students who become hurt and are also experiencing an acute stress response in addition to their injury
- How to ground themselves in the face of their own stress response when encountering an injury they must manage
Teachers see dramatically more anxiety, withdrawn behavior, and emotional dysregulation than they have in the past. The CDC estimates that as many as 20% of American children and adolescents aged 3 through 17 have a diagnosable mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder. The NIH indicates that childhood anxiety disorders affect 1:8 children and they often interfere with social, emotional, and academic development.
So…it’s not surprising that we are hearing so many requests from teachers in the field to help support kids in these ways..
What are some of the highlights of the course?
We start by developing an in-depth understanding of the Nervous System and the various states it uses to help us meet the demands of our life. Then we cover:
- How to approach a person in distress
- Using our formula for knowing what to say and what not to say
- Practicing and cataloging a huge number of tools for preventing and responding to the various states of activation
- Learning core routines for resiliency that are so readily available in nature-based classrooms
- Specific mental health issues one may face and how to support
Where does your experience come from to be able to teach this?
Good question - this is pretty niche! I worked in Wilderness Therapy for a decade, I have degrees in Recreation Therapy and Psychology, I taught Kindergarten in an Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound school, and I taught Health and Wellness/Social and Emotional Learning in a Waldorf School. I also have an insatiable passion for consuming literature and studies that prove best practices related to emotional well-being.
What else does Wild Med teach?
We specialize in CPR, First Aid, and Wilderness First Aid for nature-based educators. We teach online, in-person, and hybrid. Check out our November 21-Day CPR + First Aid Challenge!
How can I learn more about WMHFA?
Our online course will be ready to roll on November 1. Email us to be put on the waiting list or visit this page for ongoing updates.
Not only are these tools making nature-based classrooms more peaceful, children are learning the most important skills that lead to the highest possible life satisfaction across the entire arc of their lives.