111. How Nature Heals: Learning to be Present to Place, with Leah Kostamo

Earthkeepers: A Circlewood Podcast on Creation Care and Spirituality

Leah Kostamo, a counselor and spiritual director, discusses the ways in which her helping practices integrate and collaborate with nature. She emphasizes the shared meaning of caring for creation as a way of joining in God’s work and finding hope thereby. In her musings about self-care and creation care, she emphasizes the ways that nature can heal us. She also highlights the growing recognition in psychology of the role of nature in the healing process. Connecting with nature is, she points out, also a way for pushing back against climate despair.
Also, just a quick heads up: If you’d rather, you can actually WATCH this episode with Leah Kostamo on YouTube! Go to YouTube and search: "Earthkeepers podcast" or click the link HERE.
Leah Kostamo’s website and counseling service

Leah’s work at A Rocha

Mentions

A Rocha Canada

Your Brain on Nature (book and website)

Bill Plotkin, Animas Valley Institute

Human-Nature Counselling Society

Takeaways

· Caring for creation is a shared meaning among Christians and a way of joining in with God's work.

· Nature has a healing power and can reduce stress and anxiety.

· There is a growing recognition in psychology of the importance of nature in healing and well-being.

· Guides are needed to help people reconnect with nature and learn to listen, receive, and connect again. Connecting with nature can provide a container for processing deep emotions and wounds.

· Parents can support their children who are struggling with climate despair by listening and learning from them.

· Being present in nature and practicing mindfulness can help cultivate a deeper connection with creation.

· The church can play a role in mediating nature and providing opportunities for people to connect with creation.

Keywords: Leah Kostamo, counselor, spiritual director, A Rocha, Christian environmental organization, conservation, creation care, shared meaning, hope, encouragement, healing power of nature, self-care, psychology, guides, reconnect with nature, nature, climate despair, hope, parenting, listening, learning, presence, church, creation care

Find us on our website: Earthkeepers
Support the Earthkeepers podcast
Check out the Ecological Disciple