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
Ancestral Trauma
Welcome to our investigation of ancestral trauma. We hold this as a sacred exploration of what
often has no words. We trust in our human capacity to heal when given appropriate support
and healthy relationship.
Perhaps you are holding a question about what you might have inherited from your ancestors.
You may even be acutely aware of traumatized aspects of your past and the residues of fear,
anger, or shame that get triggered in everyday living. You may have only a vague sense that
some issue is “bigger than just me in this present moment.” Whatever brings you to look at this
program, we welcome your inquiry and will support you in any way we can.
The stories in our lineage are part of who we are today, but much of their influence remains
unconscious. Our ancestors lived through the trauma of immigration, painful historical events
such as war, the legacy of slavery, Native American genocide and the Holocaust. It is common
for expressions of trauma, such as family suicide, depression, addictions, grief, or physical
health conditions, to be passed down from generation to generation.
Why It Matters
The importance of this work cannot be underestimated. Insights of our time carry forward to
new generations, empowering us to connect and repair with our families and communities. In
order to gather our creative energies and follow a heart-felt path of service to others and the
planet, we must uncover and befriend the entanglements of the past.
Ceremony, Wild Nature, and Community
The journey is both a deeply personal exploration as well as an inquiry into our historical and
collective wounding. Through immersion in wild nature, within a safe community and
supported by ritual, we can begin a process of reclamation and healing. We give ourselves time
and space so that the invisible can become visible. As we bring light to the stories and emotions
that may lie dormant from “looking away,” we liberate our natural aliveness, inspiration, and
gratitude for ourselves and those who came before us.
Flow of the Days
The format of the 7-day program is spacious, to allow for profound insights to emerge. We will
meet daily in sharing and teaching councils, followed by experiential reflection walks on the
land and evening gatherings. The framework of the Four Shields will help us map out our
exploration of ancestral wounding. Other rituals and the mirror of nature will enhance our time
together. On Day 5, participants will undertake a 24-hour solo with optional fasting. Upon
return, participants will share their stories and have them mirrored by the guides. Our last day
focuses on how to take the insights forward into daily life.
Program Questions Contact: Nancy Jane at [email protected]
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.
Submit Waitlist form
This program is full; however, you may add your name to the Waitlist by clicking the Waitlist button below.
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: 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.
