Teresa (she/her) grew up in wild rose country, on the traditional territory of the Blackfoot, Tsuut’ina, Stoney Nakoda, Cree, Anishinaabe, and Métis peoples.  Raised in a large family that fostered nature connection through love of birds, gathering and growing berries and vegetables, hunting, keeping bees, and tending to sheep.  As a child, she was free to spend wild time amongst the alder, birch, willow, spruce, and fir forest in a land surrounded by the howls of coyotes and the dances of the aurora borealis. Teresa’s ancestry is of English, Scottish, French, and German origins and feels connected to lineage far back to lands she is yet to know the names of.

As a young adult, Teresa completed her undergraduate degree in International Development Studies, and then worked with Ghost River Rediscovery, who provide programming for urban aboriginal youth at a wilderness base camp in the Ghost River Wilderness Area.  While working with their international programs, Teresa grew a deep love and resonance for the Rediscovery model; ‘to discover the strength of cultural traditions, to discover the wisdom of the Elders, and to discover a philosophy of love and respect…for nature, each other and oneself.’  It was from this model that she embarked on many years of working with children and youth, in places such as Guyana, India, Europe, the Canadian Arctic, Alberta, and here in BC. 

In 2018, Teresa attended ‘Coyote Mentoring’ and was introduced to her Thriving Roots nature connection mentors.  Over the past 5 years, Teresa has participated in the Thriving Roots ‘Wild and Alive’ Adult Nature connection program multiple times and has been mentoring primarily with the Cowichan Forest Scout Program, along with the Ways of the Wild monthly program, and the Wild Within Teen program. Last year she also spent 6 months working full time with a nature school in Metchosin (age 5-7) and is excited to keep practicing skills, listening to the birds, and exploring the mysteries of the land.  Teresa is known for her deep listening and compassionate nature, love of music, dance and playful spirit.

Teresa is a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor working with Human Nature Counselling Society. She has studied relational somatic therapy, play therapy, dance your ability, nature-based counseling, completed a yoga teacher training and a plant spirit apprenticeship. Teresa spends many hours walking her dogs by the ocean, tending seeds, and making medicines.