Healing Ancestral Trauma through Nature, Ritual, and community
Aug 12th, 2025 - Aug 18th, 2025 | Wild Mountain, Colorado | Nancy Jane, Bettina Straub
When we heal our roots, we open up new possibilities for our future.
-Thomas Hubl
The legacy of ancestral wounds
You may suspect that some of the issues and challenges you face are “bigger than you.” Inherited ancestral trauma can manifest as health conditions, destructive behaviors and thoughts, or addiction patterns. Descendants of collective and ancestral trauma often face a wall of silence and broken communication, complicating the path to understanding and reconciliation. These dynamics have carved their way deep into our DNA and bodies and shape our relationships and understanding of the world.
Breaking the cycle
Echoes from the past can emerge as numbness or emotions of rage, shame, guilt and fear. Wounded or confused, we often turn away from historical and familial entanglements. Yet, as we follow the threads, we discover that they can be woven into something stronger. We learn that with greater awareness we are able to integrate old wounds, carrying health and peace to next generations.
Ceremony with nature and community
In this journey we are sustained by the rhythms of the earth and immersion in wild nature. We gather daily in deep listening councils and supportive ceremony. Together, we tune into what might have been hidden and bring light to stories and wounds from the past. We give ourselves time and space so that the invisible can become visible, so that legacies of silence and separation can find voice and redemption.
Moving forward
As we befriend past ancestral trauma, we liberate our natural aliveness, creativity, and gratitude for ourselves and those who came before us. On the other side of this work lie resilience, authentic connection, and possibilities of wholeness in a fractured world, empowering us to repair and reconcile with our families and communities.
Flow of the days
During our spacious seven days we will meet for council and teachings, followed by nature walks on the land and evening gatherings. The framework of the Four Directions and the mirror of nature will guide our immersion. The 24-hour solo on day five, with optional fasting, marks the height of the week. Upon return, participants will share their stories and have them mirrored by the guides. The last day focuses on how to take insights back into daily life.
Answering the call
We hold this program as a sacred exploration and as part of an urgent call to be of service to the planet, our ecosystems, and all living beings. We trust in our human capacity to heal when given appropriate support and healthy relationship.
A note for adopted children: It is not required that you know the stories of your ancestors to explore how the impacts of lineage live in you today.
Please note that this program is not designed for addressing current, acute trauma. It requires participants to have a foundation of inner resources and resilience to be able to engage with the teachings.
Program Questions Contact: Nancy Jane at [email protected]
Submit Waitlist form
This program is full; however, you may add your name to the Waitlist by clicking the Waitlist button below.
Submit enrollment form
Please fill out and submit the enrollment form and then pay the program deposit below. Before you pay the deposit, please read deposit section below, all deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. After your enrollment form is complete, please submit all health and liability forms.
Pay program deposit
Deposits: This deposit signifies your commitment to the program and is deducted from the tuition balance. All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. They cover the work of the specific course you signed up for, including all communication involved as well as the fee that guides pay to the school administration for the course accounting.
Additional Deposit: Some programs require a second deposit to help us affirm commitments. Last minute cancellations make it hard to fill openings and incur a loss of income to the School and the guides.
Tuition Balance: Balance of tuition can be paid before or upon arrival. Simply deduct any deposits made from the amount you’ve chosen on the sliding scale.
Additional course details & Materials
Start time is 10:00am on Aug. 12th, and end time is noon on Aug. 18th. More logistical info will be sent when you register for the program. ADDITIONAL FEES: Our base camp is on private land bordered by National Forest at 9500’, a 3-hour drive from Denver. Land Use Fee $105 to be collected at or before the time of the program.
You will be responsible for bringing your own food and equipment, though we can provide some gear if needed. We ask everyone to come prepared to live self-sufficiently. You will need to bring shelter and clothing suitable for a full range of inclement weather.
All participants must submit the required health questionnaire and liability form.
If you have questions about the enrollment process contact us at [email protected] or call 760-938-3333.
A recommended reading list will be provided.
Wild Mountain is land of the Tabeguache Ute people and other Indigenous tribes who traveled through this area of the Colorado Rockies. The Ute lived and hunted in this abundant land of elk, buffalo, deer, and bear before white settlers came and forced them onto reservations in southwest Colorado and Utah.
To learn more about our commitment to regenerative relationships please visit Cultural Relations.
