Attuning to nature to attune to our lives
A 4-week spring nature immersion series for babies (0-12 m) and parents/caregivers led by sisters Sophie (Soft Earth Forest Therapy) and Julia (mama of 3 and post-partum doula) Monkman
This series will focus on nature connection as a pathway for attunement with our child, self-connection, family connection, social connection, and broader ecological connection. Nature connected families can thrive in urban environments, when we take the time to seek it out.
From week to week, the sessions will be an opportunity to tune into the unfolding of spring in a new and intimate way. Noticing changes in the world around us— imperceptible in the moment—serves as a mirror for our experiences as parents. How can we slow down and pay attention differently? How can we shift our relationship to the idea of ever-present change? How can we connect to pleasure and delight, both with our child and in nature?
Just as we are wired for connection with each other, we are also wired for connection with all life on earth. We are biophilic [biophilia: a love of life and the living world; the affinity of human beings for other life forms], and babies embody this inclination effortlessly. We are wired to connect to the natural world in which we evolved; it is literally embedded in our DNA. When the brain attunes to nature, parent and baby find each other in nature.
We are inhabiting an unparalleled moment in history as parents. Connecting to nature is a pathway to resource ourselves in uprooted and uncertain times, through relationship to the more-than-human world, deepened awareness and relationship to self, and connection to others. Plus, more exposure leads to reinforcing these connections.
What will we be doing?
Forest bathing
Slow, sensory-based activities including exploring with baby, and sit spot
Nursery rhymes and lullabies
Exploring play, wonder, and curiosity in nature
Intentional sharing and facilitated discussions
Sharing of tea
When
Four Wednesdays in a row: May 4th, 11th, 18th & 25
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Where
Mount Royal (exact location T.B.A. after registration).
Cost
$150 for 4 sessions (includes place for caregiver/parent and baby.
$20 extra/session for additional caregiver/parent).
$40 for a drop-in.
Does the cost present a barrier to you? We have reserved two spots for sliding scale access. Please contact us know more.
Places Available
We require a minimum of 6 registrants to run the course, and can accommodate a maximum of 16.
Extra Notes
The sessions are designed to attend to the needs of the babies as needed (changing, feeding, etc). Julia is a certified post-partum doula, and will be available for any support needed.
The trails we will be on are not stroller-accessible. Please come with babies in carriers.
This series is a specific offering for pre-walkers and their person. We hope to develop programs that suit older children and families in the near future.
Click here to register - Purchase ticket through Eventbrite
Questions? Reach out to us, here!
Bios
Julia, Sophie, and a monarch, 1993
Sophie Monkman
Certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide • Founder, Soft Earth Forest Therapy • BA Cultural Anthropology
I believe that establishing strong connections to the natural world is the key avenue to galvanizing people to care for our earth, and all the challenges we face. After completing a BA in Anthropology at Concordia University in 2014, I completed two forest therapy guide certifications; the first with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) in 2018, and the second with the Global Institute of Forest Therapy (GIFT) in 2020. I founded my own forest therapy practice in 2019—Soft Earth Forest Therapy—where I lead forest bathing walks in and around Montreal. I am a member of the Association for Shinrin-Yoku Guides (AGSY), and I am certified with the Red Cross in emergency first aid CPR/AED. I continue to deepen in the field of nature connection and activism by regularly attending related workshops and conferences—such as the Work That Reconnects workshop with Joanna Macy in San Francisco, and the Reciprocal Healing confluence in Arizona. In addition to building my forest therapy practice, I work for the Global Institute of Forest Therapy as a mentor, offer presentations and workshops related to the practice of forest bathing and nature connection, work as a French to English translator, and offer eco cleaning services and workshops with homemade non-toxic products.
Julia Monkman
BSc Biology and International Development • Nature Mentor - Coyote Programs • Motherwit Certified Doula
My passion is promoting pro-environmental behaviour in all of my endeavours. I have worked with preschool and school aged children in forest school activities while raising my 3 children in Montreal as a nature connected family. Active in pollinator projects and ruelle verte greening, I have a strong passion for botany and birds and have worked as a naturalist in provincial parks and research programs. With a focus on community development, I have worked in the urban food system and urban agriculture leading canning workshops and local eating initiatives. I am also a certified postpartum doula and nourish new families through supporting and honouring life transition and anchoring generational sustainability. My hobbies include thrifting, knitting, camping and cross-country skiing.
