Mentoring Green
360-774-6888
MENTORING Empowering and transforming the lives of youth.
WILD Expeditions offers personal and group mentoring for youth . Our mentoring is based on providing conscious and intentional Rites of Passage within a context of interdependent community and wilderness experience. Everything we do starts with building relationships centered on trust and authenticity. From a solid relationship we can Witness, Acknowledge, Bless and offer Confirmation of the youth. We also provide Challenge to bring out the gifts and talents, the "genius", that already exists in the young person being mentored.

Ongoing, weekly mentoring, utilizing story telling, mythology and creative expression, supports the integration of the transformations that occur on the seasonally based wilderness experiences (three 2 day and one 2 week wilderness trips).

Using archetypal imagery such as the Hero's journey, community building in our gatherings, experiential learning in the wilderness and as many fun activities as possible, we mentor youth towards finding their higher selves, their life's dream and purpose. Through our 3 basic tenets, Awareness, Acceptance and Action, youth learn how to:

  • Create and maintain healthy relationships
  • Feel closer and more connected to friends and family.
  • Improve self-confidence, self-esteem and self-respect
  • Learn practical tools that empower them for the rest of their lives.
  • Learn to see life as an opportunity and a gift .
  • Discover their personal gifts and talents and how to use them successfully.
The Three Roots of our program are:
Myths and Stories - We use myths and stories from many cultures and time periods. We are mentoring in a different time and culture than ever before, yet the archetypal rite of passage experience holds true and is the same: separation; ordeal and return. The Myths give us a road map for how to navigate through lifes challenges, especially the journey to becoming an adult.
Wilderness Adventures and Nature - Rites of passage are the foundation for lasting change and growth. We also teach wilderness survival skills, environmental stewardship, and ways of living in harmony and balance with the earth. We offer quarterly trainings based on the 4 directions, archetypes and the seasons. (1 day to 2 weeks) Nature is experienced as a mentor and teacher.
Art, Creativity and Expression - are used to cultivate and release the gifts and talents within, the life dreams and the imagination of the youth. Drumming, wood carving, boat building, poetry writing, art classes, yoga, meditation and celebrations are just some of the activities used to develop creativity, imagination and expression . We invite local experts to guide us in many of these activities.
The Three Branches of our program are:

Awareness - Self Awareness

  • Listening - the role of the mentor is to listen to the youth and help create awareness.
  • Concept of projection as opportunity- witnessing the gold (our gifts and talents) and the shadow we project onto others and situations. Using our projection to grow.
  • Mirroring - seeing the reflection of ourselves in others and in all situations.
  • Challenge as opportunity for growth - using our life's challenges as opportunities to grow instead of being victims.

Acceptance - Self Esteem

  • Witnessing - the role of the mentor is to witness and accept the youth without judgment.
  • Blessing - the role of the mentor is to bless what is seen in the youth, to bless and confirm.
  • Love - the role of the mentor is to love the youth until the youth loves him/herself.
  • Self acceptance through owning the shadow. Own it or it will own you.
  • Uncovering strengths and gifts - What are my gifts (talents) and how do I find them?
  • Breaking through blocks - removing obstacles to growth with ease and grace.
  • Acceptance of self - critical parts - Through acceptance and love we can integrate all parts of ourselves to become more whole. What we resist will persist.
 Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging. Joseph Campbell

Action - Making a life, community and team building, personal growth

  • The mentor holds a Vision of the youth living life to their highest potential.
  • The mentor often provides a challenge, an opportunity for the youth to move beyond their current state.
  • Leadership - developing personal leadership styles through experience and practice.
  • Communication - how to communicate effectively in all situations.
  • Giving and Receiving feedback - seeking and speaking truth.
  • Healthy conflict resolution - learning to deal with conflict and use it as an opportunity.
  • Setting goals - the power of goal setting and intention.
  • Intentional process - how we reach the goal is as important as the goal itself.
  • Trust building and Community - what it takes to build trust and the benefits.
  • Safety - how to create safety in community, group and team situations.

"Furthermore, we have not even to risk the journey alone; for the heroes of all time have gone before us; the labyrinth is thoroughly known; we have only to follow the thread of the hero-path. And where we had thought to find an abomination, we shall find a god; where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves; where we had thought to travel outward, we shall come to the center of our own existence; where we had thought to be alone, we shall be with all the world."

Joseph Campbell, The hero with a thousand faces