About Us
We are a collective of passionate and capable wilderness guides, committed to restoring relationship with the natural world by bringing people out into direct connection with the profound guidance of the wild earth. We know that through earth-based practices a sustainable relationship to ourselves, our communities and to all of life is revitalized.
In the beginning, during the summer of 2000, Sara and Susan met on a Vision Fast when both were marking and celebrating the powerful transition of their fiftieth birthdays! A spark was ignited then to pursue this profound nature based work together and EarthWays was born.
Today, EarthWays has grown into the original vision we had, and has become the inspired group of seven you see in our picture above: Susan, Roy, Vanessa, Sara, Bobcat, Cynthia and Sahara.
We run our organization collectively with a foundation deeply guided by the principles and practices of collaborative equality.
"Your respect for nature and the people who do the journey is honorable. Your reflection to each individual is priceless and there are no words for how it touched my heart and soul as each person shared and you reflected their story back to them. Beautiful!"
Mary Lou Henry
Sahara Chaldean, BA
is one of the first Certified California Naturalists. Her passion for the natural world informs all aspects of her life. She is devoted to facilitating Relational Presence and offers programs designed to dissolve the illusion of separation. Sahara is a woman of great humor and reverence.
Sahara can be reached at:
(707) 362-0869
sahara@earthways.info
(Bobcat) Bob Loeper, MA, MFTI
Since the mid 90's Bobcat has worked with youth and families as an educator fostering relationship to the natural world. In more recent years he has worked as a therapist with emotionally disturbed youth and has been a leader/guide for the Stepping Stone Project, a coming of age program for middle school youth. All of his endeavors have been informed by his deep love and connection to the natural world which he strives to foster in others.
Bobcat can be reached at:
(415) 250-6814
bobcat@earthways.info
Susan Kistin, MFT
is an impassioned keeper of the sacred Circle way, a guide in rites of passage and a spirited designer of ceremony. She brings heartfelt dedication in supporting people to enter relationship with the wondrous mysteries of wild nature/natural self. Her psychotherapy practice is a blend of traditional, body-oriented and eco-therapy approaches.
Susan can be reached at:
(707) 823-1319
susan@earthways.info
Sara Harris, MFT
of HeartMatters, practices therapy related to all aspects of the emotional, relational, embodied and spiritual heart. She specializes in cardiac psychology and works with people experiencing cardiac concerns. She also incorporates ecotherapy into her practice, and is a passionate wilderness Rites of Passage guide. Sara is on the Board of the School of Lost Borders, and is certified in Wilderness First Aid.
Sara can be reached at:
(707) 824-8230
sara@earthways.info
Her web address is www.heartmatters-sebastopol.com
Cynthia Morrow, MFT
is a seasoned psychotherapist, a wilderness rites of passage guide, and a biodynamic craniosacral practitioner. Her work is devoted to bringing the passionate, embodied soul of wild nature into our lives for deep healing, inner strength, and whole-heartedness. She has trained with the School of Lost Borders and is certified in Wilderness First Aid.
Cynthia can be reached at:
(415) 221-6373
cynthia@earthways.info
Her web address is www.natureofsoul.com
Vanessa Eyen, MA, LPCCI
Vanessa is the founder of the Center for Nature-Based Mentoring and serves as a mentor to connect people of all ages to the beauty and healing reflections of the natural world. She is the Personal Sustainability teacher at Credo Waldorf High School, a counselor at Summerfield Waldorf School and is the co-founder and a board member of Earth Camp. She is a certified Yoga instructor, Wilderness First Aid Responder, and trained as a wilderness guide with the organizations; Outward Bound, Rites of Passage and Wilderness Reflections.
Vanessa can be reached at:
(707) 888-3239
vanessa@earthways.info
vanessa@naturebasedcounseling.com
Deborah Greene-Jacobi, MS
has been a dedicated educator and mentor of youth and adults for over 30 years. She continues to practice privately as a Learning Specialist and Educational Therapist. Deb is deeply inspired by the transformative nature of the wilderness. She is passionate now about facilitating the practice of personal storytelling and guiding earth based healing practices and wilderness rites of passage with older teens and adults. Deborah has trained with the School of Lost Borders and is certified in Wilderness First Aid.
Deb can be reached at:
(707) 322-9127
deborah@earthways.info
Roy Remer
has trained with the School of Lost Borders, and leads wisdom circle and solo walk programs in nature. After serving as a volunteer caregiver to the dying for over 12 years, Roy now works as the Volunteer Manager at Zen Hospice Project's Guest House facility in San Francisco. Roy also facilitates Grief Support workshops for ZHP's Education Center. In 2008, he completed the Metta Institute's year long End-of-Life Caregiver Training. Roy is also an avid hiker and climber, however most his time in the wild is spent sitting quietly and allowing a poetic expression to move through. Roy sees the natural landscape as a place where the absolute beauty of our own impermanence is mirrored back to us; where we learn to cherish the passages of life.
Roy can be reached at:
(510) 469-4415
roy@earthways.info
"Wonderful!!! Thank you for such deep listening, wisdom and compassion."
Jane Kingston, psychotherapist
The rites of passage offered by EarthWays are a cross cultural mix of modern and ancient earth based practices. We follow no specific religious or traditional path. In this way, our programs are accessible for men and women from every background.