Aaron Bartley is a nature-oriented rites of passage guide, UC California Naturalist, and certified Wilderness First Responder. He brings 14+ years experience assisting others through their inner journey, facilitating men’s groups, and supporting both men and women through rites of passage. A graduate of the Wilderness Reflections Somatic Ecopsychology & Wilderness Quest Apprenticeship, Aaron is passionate about helping others embody their authentic voice, strengthen their belonging to nature, and find renewed vision for their lives.
Amy Biesemeyer, MFT has worked with adults and youth in the outdoors since 1995 and has been a wilderness rites of passage guide since 2004. Nature is her teacher and sanctuary, and she is honored to guide others in the magical unfolding of their own true nature and coming home to what is most real and alive. She is especially passionate about working with groups of women and has deeply explored her own womanhood through women’s therapy groups and majoring in Women’s Studies. Drawing upon mind-body practices, she enriches her work with meditation, expressive arts and embodied inquiry. She has been trained by the School of Lost Borders, is a student of Jennifer Welwood and the Diamond Heart Approach, a graduate of The California Institute for Integral Studies and a Wilderness First Responder.
Chris Morales is a wilderness guide, educator, and youth mentor passionate about fostering peace and justice in this world and has found his calling in facilitating experiences that support young adults in transforming the world through their own transformation. With experience in both international education and wilderness immersion, he supports a deepening into one’s relationship with Self and Nature while exposing students to different realities, new perspectives, and the world’s needs. With a M.A. in Peace and Justice Studies and a focus in Development Studies, he is always encouraging students to explore and examine the assumptions underlying their beliefs and pushing them to identify for themselves what ‘the good life’ might be. Chris is a graduate of Wilderness Reflections’ Somatic Ecopsychology and Wilderness Quest Training, and incorporates Nature’s wisdom with traditions from other corners of the world to support the re-tuning to our own inherent wisdom. Chris is a certified Wilderness First Responder.
Dave Talamo, MFT is founder of Wilderness Reflections. He has over 40 years of experience guiding wilderness trips, works as a therapist with youth and adults, and is a certified Wilderness First Responder. A Certified Hakomi Therapist, Dave is a pioneer in the field of ecotherapy and was one of the first quest guides to develop a somatic approach to questing. He is committed to the expression of joy and authenticity through the body and to helping others experience their own embodied selves in an intimate, ecstatic relationship with Nature. Currently, he spends most of his field time apprenticing new guides and training therapists in bringing Nature into the therapy process.
Erin Carper is a contemporary rites of passage guide deeply informed by the wisdom of the body. In 2019, she completed the Somatic EcoPsychology and Wilderness Quest Apprentice Program with Wilderness Reflections. Erin has continued her studies to develop her skills in Hakomi, Earth-based wisdom and holistic coaching to deepen her work as a guide. She is trained as a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) through the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). Erin is following the call to bring others out into the wild to deepen their connection to themselves and the Earth.
Monika Tippie, Marriage and Family Therapist Intern, is passionate about re-connecting people with community, belonging, and guidance from a life-giving relationship with nature. She is an alumni of CIIS, trained in the Wilderness Reflections’ approaches to Quest Guiding and Somatic Ecotherapy, and loves using these potent modalities to support people’s creative, vibrant inner natures to connect with outer nature to thrive together.
Scott Davidson is a deep nature guide who cultivates an ecology of belonging through a unique weaving of wildlife tracking, tending and questing in community. As a gifted council and quest guide, he collaborates with the School of Lost Borders, Wilderness Reflections, Wilderness Guides Council, the Tracker Academy and local schools. As a wildlife ecologist and tracker, Scott is a leader with the Art of Mentoring – Deep Nature Connection community with the 8 Shields Institute, co-founder of the Tracking & Nature Connection Series and others that bring deep connection and healing for people of all ages in potent service to life. He is a certified Wilderness First Responder.
