Wilderness Mental Health First Aid with Nicole Roma Thurrell

In this episode, Nicole Roma Thurrell is back with valuable insights on wilderness mental health first aid. We discussed the importance of body awareness in regulating nervous system responses and strategies for helping children manage different states of activation during outdoor sessions. The episode emphasizes rhythmic, repetitive, and relational activities, with practical suggestions like breathing exercises, grinding coffee beans, and finger knitting. Tune in to hear all her great tips for helping the children you serve be better able to cope with the ebbs and flows of human emotions in daily life. Make sure to visit Institute for Wild Med and get 20% any of their courses with the discount code TGO20 exclusively for our TGO podcast listeners!

00:00 Introduction and Personal Update

00:15 Exciting Upcoming Trip

00:27 Challenges of the Week

01:21 Introduction to the Episode

01:41 Guest Introduction: Nicole Roma Thurl

03:02 Mental Health First Aid Conference

04:37 Increasing Anxiety in Children

06:41 Understanding Wilderness Mental Health First Aid

15:16 The Autonomic Nervous System

23:59 Combining States for Resilience

31:34 Understanding the Dorsal Vagus and Safety Perception

32:32 Body Before Brain: Effective Interventions

35:21 Rhythmic, Repetitive, and Relational Strategies

37:44 Breathing Techniques for Regulation

48:51 High Energy Activities: The Yellow Bucket

50:55 Low Energy Activities: The Red Bucket

54:47 Creating a Safe and Aesthetic Environment

58:48 Conclusion and Practical Takeaways