Awakening Spirit Homeschool Collaborative LOOKBOOK

Stillwater, MN

A Short History of Awakening Spirit Homeschool Collaborative:

I have been teaching for almost 20 years My first position was as a founding teacher at the Minneapolis Academy charter school (90% free & reduced lunch, inner city Minneapolis). It was a dream opportunity for a first-year teacher to be able to design my classroom and curriculum from the ground up. The school launch and first three years of operation were hard work, educational, and extremely rewarding During that time I also obtained my M.Ed degree from Bethel University.

After leaving the public sector to raise and educate my own two children, I embraced the importance of simplicity, calm, rhythm and strong spiritual home life for young, gifted children I began writing guest blog posts for the Simplicity Parenting community, and became known for gentle, responsive parenting and homeschooling advice. We incorporated travel, animals, and lots of experiential education in our program.

A few years later I heard about the stress and anxiety that a friend’s highly sensitive child had in the public school system. My friend's daughter was breaking down into tears every day. This little eight year old girl was a was a gifted empath and ‘old soul’ who couldn’t function in a loud and crowded, unable to do much besides cry when she felt the pressure and overwhelm Her classmates made fun of her for being different Her teachers were frustrated that she couldn’t just ‘get over it’ She begged her mother to homeschool her, but her mom was a single parent and a business owner with no free time to do so. She refused to go to school. Their family needed an alternative. My heart ached for that child and I felt called to start my own program that would hear, see and value gifted children who needed a change in environments order to start cultivating their own gifts and begin learning in a joyful way!

In 2017, I registered “Awakening Spirit School” as a nonpublic school with the state of Minnesota. My proofof-concept school operating budget was very low as a result of holding classes in the lower level of my family home. Over the next two years, I was able to grow the student body from 3 to 7 children, grades K-8. Parents were beside themselves with gratitude. Students transformed into happy, healthy, self-confident learners They now loved school Their families were free from a traditional school schedule to work and travel the way they wanted to

I started working with Microschool Builders to develop a sound business plan and budget, moved the school to our 15 acre Stillwater property, and watched as our enrollment grew At one point we had 30 children enrolled in the program As the years waxed and waned, my vision for a homeschool community focused on highly sensitive gifted children refined. We settled back on our original vision of a MICRO-school, with no more than 12 students at a time. This way we could provide truly individualized holistic support for our truly individual students Everything we offer now is a direct result of a specific interest or need of one of our students-- woodworking, 3D printing, forest school, animal therapy, role-playing games, gardening, energy work, etc. It is my wish that AWS never stops ‘evolving’.

We now operate as an ‘educational resource’, as we help each family register as their own nonpublic 'homeschool' with the state of Minnesota or Wisconsin. Our guides are all memb (former or current parents, grandparents, or family-recommended and backgrou er experts')

Amy Marotz, M.Ed Director, Lead Guide

Education Expert

Quiz: Is My Gifted Child also Highly Sensitive?

My child: startles easily. complains about scratchy clothing, seams in socks, or labels against his/her skin. doesn’t usually enjoy big surprises. learns better from a gentle correction than strong punishment. seems to read my mind. uses big words for his/her age. notices the slightest unusual odor. has a clever sense of humor. seems very intuitive. is hard to get to sleep after an exciting da doesn’t do well with big changes. wants to change clothes if wet or sandy. asks lots of questions. is a perfectionist. notices the distress of others. prefers quiet play. asks deep, thought-provoking questions. is very sensitive to pain. is bothered by noisy places. notices subtleties (something that’s been moved, a change in appearance, etc.) considers if it is safe before climbing high. performs best when strangers aren’t present. feels things deeply.

If you answered true to 13 or more of the questions, your child is probably highly sensitive But no psychological test is so accurate that you should base how you treat your child on it.

If only one or two questions are true of your child, but they are extremely true, you might also be justified in calling your child highly sensitive.

The contents of this self-tests is not meant to diagnose or exclude the diagnosis of any condition. Copyright © 2002 Elaine N Aron, Ph D All

INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION

Our educators see, hear and value each student as an individual

-With a ratio of 6:1, each child gets an average of 30 minutes a day of oneon-one attention

-One Room Schoolhouse students each have their own individualized math and reading learning plans that EMPOWER, not just ACCELERATE the gifted learner

-One Room Schoolhouse student-parent-teacher conferences where students share how they can be helped, their goals and what interferes with their learning

MINDFUL GUIDES

Our teachers provide the nurturing, consistent support and steady guidance that HSC students need in order to flourish

-Guides may themselves be highly sensitive & gifted or be parents of HSC They are well-informed on implementing developmental psychology-based practices

-Guides handle their class with gentleness and sensitivity They do not raise their voices or shout at students as a way of getting a point across

-Guides practice mindfulness as a personal practice, as well as teach and practice mindfulness in the classroom daily (meditation, yoga, prayer)

STRONG COMMUNITY

Every student, guide, and family has a very important role in our community. We practice love, compassion and grace with each other while holding each other to the highest versions of ourselves

-All families are an active part of our community Families are invited on all field trips and Roadschool trips

-Parents have an opportunity to speak with guides twice a day, as well as have private family channels in our SLACK community for communication

-Students have a rotation of real work responsibilities both indoors and outdoors to keep our school operating smoothly Every job is important

We host two community-wide celebrations a year Neighbors, city officials, friends, holistic practitioners, and families come together on our grounds to celebrate our learning and share a meal

QUIET TIME & SPACE

Highly sensitive gifted children need down time, and lots of it. Even the extroverts

-Daily rhythm is a ‘breathing in’, ‘breathing out’ that allows time to come together as well as time for individuals to recharge

-Main lesson classroom and separate elementary playroom, as well as breakout spaces that shut out the noise, or shut in a group that needs to be noisy for a time

SELF-DIRECTED EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Self-directed learning allows for students to have choice and a feeling of control

-Passion Projects: students learn "HOW to learn" through pursuing their own interests with teacher and mentor guidance

-Focus on mastery and understanding We do not assign homework, tests or grades Students are divided into instructional groups based on physical, emotional, social and academic milestones instead of age

-Hundreds of field trip opportunities (1/week, plus 3 week-long Roadschool trips every year) for experiential learning and on-site observation

FOREST & FARM CLASSROOMS

Consistent exposure to nature decreases stress and anxiety, helps elevate mood, and helps with emotion Learning outside and connecting with nature is a direct way for the future generation to appreciate and learn conservation skills.

-Students spend 120+ minutes every day outdoors on 15 acres of natural land

-Daily farm chores in the gardens, and tending to animals (rabbits, chickens, goats, honeybees)

FAMILY-FRIENDLY SCHEDULE

We trust our families to make their own decisions about missing school for appointments, opportunities, and/or family vacation.

-Flexible drop off and pick up times to cater to family schedules

-Family memberships from 2 days/week - 4 days/week

HOLISTIC STUDIES

Every detail of our school is carefully and consciously curated to provide a beautiful, soothing environment for highly sensitive children

-Our environment is located inside of a home Soft colors, acoustic dampening, natural lighting and elements (woods, fibers, minerals, plants) allow for a warm and safe feeling throughout

-Essential oil aromatherapy (whole-room and student necklace diffusers), Reiki practitioners, and health/wellness education

-Strong emphasis on socio-emotional skills, student-led governanace, and personal growth

-Indoor therapy animals (dog, rabbits, cats, fish) provide a calming presence

-Access to filtered, ionized, alkaline water and 'snack shelf’ filled with healthy fruit, vegetable and whole-grain options for students throughout the day

-Wisdom studies include Christian Bible, Taoist teachings, and other traditions based in love, compassion and grace Students are encouraged to ask and seek answers for their own spiritual questions

Every aspect of Awakening Spirit Homeschool Collaborative is intentionally designed for the highly sensitive gifted child. We provide a completely individualized, allinclusive, joyful & HOLISTIC educational environment for gifted children and their families.

At Awakening Spirit Homeschool Collaborative, success will be obtained when every student feels personally significant, welcomed and recognized as an individual. We do NOT consider ourselves an academically rigorous environment, instead, choosing consciously to focus on the three following markers of success:

Student loves “school”.

Student feels energized & fulfilled at the end of their day.

Student feels confident & in control of their gifts and pursuing their passions.

Upon graduation, they will be happy, balanced, productive junior members of society. They will know how to learn, and will have the tools to follow their dreams and be fulfilled in their chosen career field.

ONE ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE (ages 7-14)

Individualized Learning Plans

Independent math & reading programs with teacher support for every student Student-Directed Learning

Passion Projects- experiential, hands-on, student selected projects, High-Interest

Electives (Dungeons & Dragons, Reiki for Kids, Quantum Human Design, etc....)

Main lesson

Topics selected by student body- History, Science, Literature, Geography, Art

Outdoor Education & Forest Time

Experiential, play-based nature discovery. Daily short Forest School & one immersive Forest School session a week (9-11:30am)

Brain Training

Picture Study, Music Study, Paper Sloyd, Cursive and Weekly Check-ins with guides

Farm Chores

Daily chores, unstructured play

Health & Wellness

Daily Meditation, Nutrition, Weekly phys ed electives & Sloyd Studio

Adventure Days & Roadschooling

Experiential learning in the Twin Cities Metro (1/week)

Week-long group travel (3/year)

Morning Greeting and Chores Forest School Morning

Brain Training, Daily Tea

Afternoon Chores / Outdoor Play 8:00am-9:00am

Outdoor Play / Forest Time Electives

Student-selected topic Courses

Passion Projects

Self-Directed Learning

Afternoon Meeting

3:00pm- 4:00pm

Independent Study High School

(ages 15-18: by invitation only)

Individualized Learning Plans

Working together with their guides and parents, these students will construct their own independent study plan based on their interests and educational goals. At AWS, the students make the schedule. This allows them the opportunity to study deeply and passionately. Courses can be accelerated or extended, depending on each individual’s needs.

Educator-guides will help students put together digital portfolios and transcripts to demonstrate their learning

Entrepreneurship

We encourage all of our independent studies participants to start their own businesses Having access to mentors who are entrepreneurs themselves will be key to starting and maintaining successful business enterprises during their teenage years

Adventure Days & Roadschooling

Morning Greeting and Chores Forest School

8:00am-9:00am

Morning Circle Math

Gratitude Journals & Morning Tea Independent Math Lessons

Indpendent Block A

Student-selected

Outdoor Play / Forest Time

Passion Projects

Self-Directed Learning

Afternoon Chores / Outdoor Play

Independent Block B

Student-selected

Afternoon Meeting

Snack & All-School

Literature Read-Aloud

Dismissal All-School

3:00pm- 4:00pm

MINDFULNESS/WELLNESS

Mind-body-spirit balance is of utmost importance for our HSC. Teachers bring mindfulness into the classroom daily by incorporating brain-based cross-lateral movement, prayer, and guided meditation during transition times. One room schoolhouse students also have a daily opportunity to reflect and record private 'gratitude journal' entries every morning.

Students have weekly opportunities to experience and practice fitness, meditation and nutrition with local health & wellness coaches. Students also use this learning to plan, prepare and serve healthful meals and snacks every day.

We have many members of our community who are holistic wellness practitioners (reiki, healing touch, neurofeedback, etc.), and it is not uncommon for a parent to offer services for interested families.

We have a infrared amethyst BioMat that serves as a nurses' station when someone is feeling a little off. We also have our own AVAZZIA PEMF machine, which we use at parent request to help balance brain waves, as well as treat acute muscle injuries/sprains.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION/FOREST TIME:

In order to help our students become stewards of our environment, we believe they must experience nature firsthand. Our students get outdoor time every day, but we devote full 3 hour sessions every week for them to immerse themselves in outdoor education as well.

Outdoor experiential activities on our 15 acre property (den building, fire lighting, tool use, exploration, canoeing, ice safety, gardening, etc) develop problem-solving skills, cooperation abilities and leadership roles.

A positive element of risk and challenge is inherently present in this atmosphere, as children climb trees, construct forts and explore nature. Adults are ever present to provide gentle guidance, supervision and safety instruction. O U T D O O R E D U C A T I O N / F O R E S T T I M E

MAIN LESSON-

Cultivating good habits of work, study, and community responsibility is of utmost importance.

In a Charlotte Mason pedagogy, the atmosphere of the environment is absorbed into a child's subconscious. Academic subjects should be experienced through ‘living thoughts and ideas’, not just dry facts. Students have input into Main Lesson topics, and they are expressed to students from a wide variety of sources- Shakespeare & the Bible, Natural & Applied Sciences, American & World History, and foreign language.

The works of great artists and composers are taught throughout these lessons, as well as introduced in our daily 'Brain Training' sessions.

Narration and guided note-taking help students construct their own illustrated textbooks to contain their learning

We do not assign grades or have formal report cards as assessment tools. No learning is compulsory, but we do ask our learners to be respectful, attentive and industrious, doing work with order and exactness.

INDEPENDENT MATH LESSONS: Teaching Textbooks

Teaching Textbooks™ were designed specifically for independent learners grades 3-12. In a webbased platform, Teaching Textbooks present audiovisual step-by-step lessons and explanations for every chapter and problem. Each student is able to progress through the program at exactly their pace. It introduces terminology that students need to know for standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT. Metrics and results are immediately available for guides and parents to track.

INDEPENDENT

READING

LESSONS:

MindPlay Virtual Reading CoachMindPlay Virtual Reading Coach® (MVRC) is an effective, evidence-based, online reading program that improves reading abilities. It permits students with diverse skills and unique needs to read with control and precision. It teaches Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Grammar, Comprehension, and Fluency In 20 minutes a day, 4 days a week, the program offers each student tiered instruction and remediation, but is also designed with content based on the OrtonGillingham methodology (specific instruction for dyslexic students). Metrics and results are available immediately for guides to track. F O U N D A T I O N A L S K I L L S ( M A T H & R E A D I N G )

SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING- “Passion Projects”

We call our self-directed learning time our “Passion Projects”, and they are easily the student’s favorite part of our school day.

This method of learning aims to teach students the most essential skill of becoming lifelong learners-- the knowledge of how to learn. Guides act as mentors. Instruction focuses on skills and practices that nurture creativity and enable lifelong learning and independent problem solving. The idea is that if the students can learn the ‘how’, content/topic becomes interchangeable. The skills needed for taking on the responsibility of self directed learning may be a key factor in students pursuing undergraduate education, postgraduate training, and continuing professional development.

DAILY CHORES:

A rotating schedule of daily chores on the property ensure that every member of our community has an important and active role.

FARM CHORES:

Outdoor farm chores include student-led teams for vegetable & flower gardens, animal care (chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, goats and honeybees), a groundskeeping team that assists guides with lawn, trail and forest upkeep, as well as a maintenance team that will accompany guides to learn how to fix equipment, fencing and classroom tools.

INDOOR CHORES:

Students have a rotating meal prep schedule where they plan, prepare, and serve daily meals for their peers.

Students also take care of indoor animal chores (cats, bearded dragons, turtle and fish) every daylearning to monitor environments, clean and care for our indoor friends.

Students ‘reset’ the school at the end of each day. They have work crews that sweep, dust, wipe down tables, and vacuum each room. This instills a sense of ownership and responsibility of the school building itself.

ADVENTURE DAYS:

Our weekly field trips (“Adventure Days”) are not only learning opportunities, they also help inoculate our gifted, highly sensitive children to the outside world.

Our students discover that ‘different’ is sometimes not ‘comfortable’, but it can be conquered. Weekly trips to museums, zoos, and theaters in the Twin Cities expose our children to crowds and sensory stimulation.

We scatter our Adventure Days throughout the week, to take advantage of lower crowd times at popular venues, as well as all of the amazing performance opportunities the Twin Cities has to offer.

Respite is found on our quiet school grounds, but we are able to return again and again to situations which may cause stress, conquering former barriers to happiness and lifetime enjoyment.

ROADSCHOOLING:

Three times a year, our entire school has the opportunity to travel together to deepen our understanding of specific topics.

Students select a topic of study. As a group, we research destination and transportation options, while looking for other learning opportunities to tie in along the way. Because group travel can be a big hurdle for highly sensitive children, roadschool trips are optional (the rest of the school is always 'on break'). Parents are always invited along to act as chaperones and support systems for younger children and any HSC who want to join us on the adventure, but are not yet ready to travel without family.

We have built Roadschooling fees INTO our ‘all-inclusive’ 4 day/week program, so that families don’t have to worry about budgeting for these experiences separately. Participants in our standard 2-4 day/ week program will be billed separately for each trip they opt to go on.

FAMILY FRIENDLY SCHEDULE

We know that it is not always possible to physically be at school. Families need the school day to be flexible to accommodate therapies, holistic treatments, ‘mental health days’ and family vacations. While we appreciate knowing schedule changes and ‘running late’ days, we do not ever assign punitive unexcused absences or tardies.

We offer a J-TERM for the month of January where families can work with our guides to plan month-long unit studies, apprenticeships, or travel-school plans. At the end of January, we will meet back up and have a Symposium to demonstrate and celebrate the learning that happened over the month!

Our Independent Math and MindPlay (reading) programs are completely web-based, so families can opt to have their children continue those studies as they wish. A Google Classroom is kept for One-Room Schoolhouse students, so they can sign in and see what resources and notes they missed if they are gone for Main Lesson.

AWS Community:

Our community of Homeschool Families is a unique and powerful resource. Because we are all officially homeschooling in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin, parents are the primary educators, and we respect your right to do so! AWS educator-guides technically serve as secondary educators. We serve as academic and social support for our families, who are their children’s first and most important teachers.

Our community is rooted in Judeo-Christian values and ideals. We talk about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Universe. We pray and meditate daily. That being said, we welcome with open arms anyone who is comfortable with us using the Bible as a book of Wisdom, regardless of if they consider themselves Christian or not. We also recognize there are other books of Wisdom.

The three greatest ‘pre-requisites’ for our families are an acceptance and commitment to teaching LOVE, COMPASSION, and GRACE to the children of tomorrow.

FAMILY INVOLVEMENT

-As a part of your Family membership, you have the opportunities for the following:

-Monthly ‘Family Dinners’, where we gather as a community to eat, laugh, play, and plan out future events.

-Monthly Parent Education evenings (also open to the public).

-Holiday gatherings (Halloween, Christmas, Easter, etc.) to celebrate and showcase student work.

-Schedule time to come in and help guide during the school days. Do you have a specialty that you would LOVE to teach or mentor during our Elective Time?

-Family Friday Field Trips are always open to parents, siblings, and even extended family (grandparents, cousins, etc.) We love having chaperones and value spending time with our loved ones.

-Roadschool trips are family-friendly as well.

testimonials

-Amanda R, parent

"I decided to pull Tay out of traditional school after 3rd grade Why? Well, there were many reasons actually and there has not been a day that I've regretted it. One such reason was that Tay’s self-confidence was much lower than it should have been She is a perfectionist, and was very discouraged and frustrated to tears he traditional school setting when she couldn’t “do as well or as quickly as the teacher expected the do She was a struggling reader with NO interest in very child, Tay has a unique way of learning and Once she started attending Awakening Spirit School, xperience a teacher who is able to foster that Tay ool, like LOVES it! She is actually sad on Fridays cuz e in school and happy on Sundays when she gets to go ool!!! Tay is always reading She now brings a small pile me from library days, and can be found lounging on with her puppy and a book Her reading assessments d to being to right at grade level As far as socialization orld experiences, Tay has gone on roadschool trips to to izona, South Dakota, Colorado and New Mexico...on tures she has been to museums, exhibits, water parks, g, camps, sand dunes, parks, aquariums and so much more that she would never get to experience without this school! Her self-confidence has sky-rocketed and she has grown tremendously as she’s been able to discover life on her own terms "

We would like to thank you for an incredible first Fall at Awakening Spirit After 3 years of homeschooling, we were looking for something to balance having our 3 boys at home full time The kids had negative memories of school and they were nervous to even come tour AWS When we came, they immediately loved it From the forest to the school to the animals to Amy’s kindness, it just felt like the right fit

Our next challenge was getting our kids to show up every day Having homeschooled for 3 years, we are used to minimal scheduling but the kids told us they wanted to go One day we let our middle sleep in and he was really upset at us We now have an understanding that no matter how late he was up the night before, we make sure to wake him up so he can get to school in time to do chores We love hearing our kids cheering that they can’t wait to go to school in the morning. When they get home they tell us what an awesome day they had, every time

Thank you for helping our family find the balance we need, for providing a calm and safe environment, for exposing T to meditation, for giving M. the freedom he needs in his life to thrive, for their education and for community We are so happy we ’ ve found you and we appreciate you all more than you know ”

"It's no secret that my son was really struggling with school prior to this year He is a highly sensitive and gifted kid At the age of 5 he had a number of labels slapped on him I was told that I needed to medicate, and he would come home every day and tell me how stupid and naughty he thought he was He hated school, all during the preschool years Every day was an absolute struggle After the first month of Kindergarten at Awakening Spirit School, he came home from school and “read” me a book he wrote, and the book is all about how much he loves school now Then he talked my ear off non stop for an hour I couldn’t even respond because I was so close to tears After his first full school year, we can see how he has blossomed into an awesome learner, he is EXCITED about going to school every day and going on learning adventures weekly We have seen his self esteem soar and I have not heard the stupid word come out of his mouth again My husband and I have since decided to pull our older son from traditional school, and enroll him at AWS as well We are in full support of the Awakening Spirit School mission What a wonderful world this will be when the lessons of love, compassion and grace are absorbed and re-taught by the next generation "

-Aaron & Jen B.

-Chris & Melissa B.

Director, Lead Guide

Amy Marotz, MEd FSTI Trained Guide

Reiki Master

Advisory Board

Volunteer Advisory Board meets quarterly with the Director to provide assistance and advice They may choose to attend the monthly staff meeting if they wish

David Marotz, MBA Business Director (volunteer)

Roger Ruetten, MBA SCORE Mentor

Mara Linaberger, EDD Microschool Builders

Our Educator-Guides

Guides & Director will have one weekly meeting to discuss staff agenda items, discuss student progress, and practice mindfulness together.

Jenelle DenHerder, BA Elementary Guide

Victoria Blackbird

Forest School Wisdom Guide

Nathan Stevensen

Yoga Instructor & Assistant Guide

Parent & Community Guides

Being a homeschool collaborative, we always welcome parents and grandparents who wish to volunteer their time and talents to teach or assist in the classroom Some examples of programs are listed below

Emily Hallaway Nutrition Program Lead

Hunter Schweitz, Health & Wellness

Heather Johnson Early Elementary Asst.

BadWolf Adventure Studios Dungeons & Dragons Coherence Education Holistic Studies

Extended Network

AWFS has professional relationships with the following businesses:

Liz Lajoie, MBA Finance/Payroll/Accounting ZenMoney

Heather Stephens, BA Marketing Wise Owl Marketing

Beverly Davidek, Esq Legal Davidek Law Firm, PLLC

Danielle McPherson Human Resources

Jenelle DenHerder, Elementary Guide

BAElementaryEducation

Jenelle is a nurturing, creative, and fun kindergarten guide with an 18 year background in childcare and teaching. Her educational background includes an associates degree in early childhood development and a bachelors degree in early childhood education.

Jenelle takes a child led approach to teaching, which includes actively listening to what the children are interested in, then incorporating those interests into the lessons to foster their development. This approach develops a love and passion for learning. She believes children learn best through play in a calm, safe and gentle environment which has been thoughtfully curated in our classroom. She has an organic approach to teaching and learning which centers around meeting the student where they are developmentally and scaffolding their growth.

She also recognizes the wisdom that nature provides and blends it into the curriculum, allowing nature to guide us as we navigate our Mother Earth during forest school.

She enjoys spending quality time with her family (she has three HSC, ages 1, 6 and 9), watching them explore the world, working in the garden, tincturing herbs, painting, and going on walks.

Miss Emily and her family (ages 7 and 11) have been a part of AWS since 2020. She has played a pivotal role in the development of our school! She is the guide who heads up our nutrition and home economics kitchen. She also assists with classroom activities and helps our days go smoothly!

Miss Emily always has a friendly smile and encouraging words for our students during their passion project times. She is a adept reiki practitioner and essential oil expert, and often uses her training to serve as an adjunct 'nurse' during the day if kids aren't feeling 100%.

Miss Emily also acts as a guide on many of our Roadschool trips- she is always up for adventure and learning!

Her pup, Oliver, often accompanies her to work!

Emily Hallaway, Nutrition Program Lead Assistant Guide

ReikiPracticioner

Miss Victoria has studied Integrative Health Sciences, Complementary Alternative Medicine and Herbal Medicine and is an LGBTQ+ identifying practitioner. She works with adolescents and adults of all ages who have experienced a variety of struggles such as anxiety, traumatic stress, sensitivity, grief or loss as well as with those in transitions seeking personal growth, accountability and to manifest change.

As Victoria works with others, she incorporates traditional energy medicine and holistic health practices to encourage transition, support healing and create a framework for each individual's well being. She cultivates a safe and sacred space for release and processing, as well as provides tools for clients to move forward with a sense of empowerment and inner peace in their practice towards true authenticity.

With an inquisitive mind and open heart, Victoria sees and connects to magical energy in all areas of life. She seeks to guide the growing learners at AWS in that same light inviting them to build trust in themselves and engage adventurously with the world around them.

Victoria Blackbird, Forest School Wisdom Guide,