We are being called to howl. To howl ourselves back into our bodies, to howl in sorrow and grief, to howl into our collective humanity and rattle our bones with liberatory fervor. We are called to howl - to hear our voice join others, to howl with the earth and feel our echoes reverberate more widely and deeply than we ever believed our voices could reach. Let us hear the wisdom of our ancestors and our unborn children, so we can trust the knowings gurgling in our veins.
With the Wolves seeks to enhance connection to one's deep self and intuition, grow and heal relationships, expand expressions of creativity, and build and tend to community. We seek to heal from internalized sexism, fortify our resistance to patriarchy, and stand boldly in our truths with all the tenderness and ferocity of wild women. We burrow into these realms with storytelling, collaborative rituals, song, creative projects, and writing exercises. We sometimes share food, go outside, and invite guests. With the support of integration partners we ignite each other's tangible transformations and expand our capacity for offering and receiving vulnerability and insight. Connecting to our rich inner wisdom, we empower and inspire each other with the intention of creating strong and sustainable communities.
There are currently three parts to this series. There is a general progression and deepening, however anyone may join at the beginning of a part if there is space in a group. Once a group begins it is closed to new participants for the 6 month duration to support the safety and intimacy of the group.
GROUP I: With the Wolves With the guidance of Clarissa Pinkola Estes', Ph.D. powerful book, Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype, we embark on a grounded exploration of intuition, heart sores, belonging, embodiment, soul nourishment, forgiveness with integrity, unearthing secrets, and initiation in the wild. We encourage the deep Wild Woman to rise to the surface with passion, creativity, and clarity.
GROUP II: There is Nothing Wrong with You “In a society that profits from your self doubt, liking yourself is a rebellious act.” - Carolyn Caldwell For this group, Cheri Huber's empowering book, There is Nothing Wrong With You will guide us. This book is an invitation to cultivate unconditional love and acceptance within yourself. We question the conditioning that may have led you to believe you are bad, not enough, too much, or fundamentally not "okay" in some way. With playful humor, sincere love, and an incredible simplicity of words and images, Huber guides us through awareness of the illusions that create separation and toward true self love and compassion.
GROUP III: Are We Allone? Are we alone? Are we all one? In this group we explore our individual selves as autonomous beings and as inextricably linked to all life. We question limiting beliefs and inherited notions about individualism, capitalism, patriarchy, and white supremacy. We discover what is possible when we subvert the narratives that pathologize our bodies and attempt to separate us from nature and spirit.
THE PARTICULARS Please inquire to join the next group.
With the Wolves Group I (6 months, 12 group meetings) 2 hrs on a week day evening every other week Inquire with Truth for more information regarding With the Wolves or to request a group be held for an existing group or organization.
Groups are intended for woman identified, trans, non-binary, and queer folks with the purpose of creating an environment that encourages safe group process and growth while exploring the diversity of the feminine and the collective and divergent experiences of women's socialization. I ask that each participant agree to respect and celebrate the identities present in these groups. Please ask me any questions you may have about your potential participation and let me know how I can help you feel welcome.
"I deeply value Truth's ability to listen and hold a warm and inviting space for us all to explore sticky areas that we can get knee deep in and yet she makes it a safe place to be. Truth is a sheer master at finding the tendrils, the thread pieces in all of us that need exploring, and she guides us to tug on those ever so gently and lovingly. She is strong and compassionate, clear and concise, loving and encouraging - all the things you need to start or continue a journey like this." - Laura P., Office Manager & Executive Assistant
"I benefit so much from having a consistent group of people to check-in with and share parts of myself that I don't feel safe enough to do anywhere else in the world. This group has given me connections, motivation, a sense of belonging and grounding. I love Truth's sincere commitment to this group and to the act of nourishing our spirits. Her spiritual insights encourage me to live fully rather than in a confined state. I truly love how Truth challenges societal norms and constructs by honoring the feminine historical content we each carry in our bodies and mind." - K.L., Associate Clinical Social Worker “Truth's ability to ground and root us, to create the sacred container for us to bare it all with one another, made it possible for us to calm the anxiety that vulnerability can bring on so we could fully reveal ourselves. Her total acceptance and compassion permeates the space. She also brings the wisdom of an old soul and the clarity of thought and spoken word that penetrates right to the core and invites each of us to think a little differently and to go a little deeper. The sisters that I journeyed with in this group reflected my light back to me and showed me that I already had the answer deep inside, I just needed to listen and act on it. This book awoke the wild woman within me who has been there all along, and in most recent times has been fighting to come out. But there was no room for her in the marriage I was in. And through reading this book, I reconnected with that essential part of my spirit that is undeniably wild. I saw and acknowledged her and accepted her pleas to be given the chance to live through me once again. And it led, among other things, to the end of my marriage and the beginning of my journey as a fiercely wild and alive single mama. I knew somewhere deep inside of me that this would be the result of my journey with With the Wolves. I knew that I had domesticated my wild woman for too long and that it was slowly killing me to do so. And I knew that with the wisdom of the book, the support of the circle, and the guidance of Truth, I would arrive where I needed to inside of my own self to take the steps to align myself with my true nature. I am the wild woman.” - Sarah Fishleder, Mother & Teacher
"I didn't realize how thirsty I was for this connection to women until we started meeting. It provided me with a haven to show up as my raw self. It has stirred a deep connection to my intuition, my wild woman and helped me to journey back to my own strong, nurturing, self-loving femininity. There is loving understanding that penetrates each session, literally leaving you with a glow that permeates into your life outside of our circle. For 20+ years I have believed I am broken, that there was always something that needed fixing and it was always out of reach. The 12 sessions gave me so much more confidence in myself and my story. The lessons in the book and reflection took me deep inside to understand my passions and true spirit. It broke open some closed doors and thoughts I have locked away but never fully faced... I am challenging myself to continue to push to a new discomfort zone. Knowing that it will be awkward and weird but to trust that I am creating a better and more powerful ME. It has been so inspiring and I believe that these teachings have put me on a different path. A life of less consumerism, a life full of empathy, bare honesty, and the rarest love I can now offer a new partner. My heart is overflowing with gratitude just writing this... Thank you for your bright, shiny, and super loving spirit. I am so happy that you are a part of my life and journey." - Tatiana Burdiare
“With the Wolves has been an anchor for me over the past six months. What I have found to be most nourishing has been the unwavering support I have received from the other women in the group, the way the space was held for us to share, and the vulnerability that each individual brought to our gatherings. I appreciate the presence, support, honesty, and compassion with which Truth shows up in her work. This group is designed to build community and create structure while allowing for flexibility and spontaneity to arise. Truth holds space for all of our stories to be shared without judgement but does not shy away from messiness or pain. I appreciate this very real approach and believe that it is only when we feel raw and exposed that we can begin to heal. I learned from other women how to find courage and strength in the face of uncertainty. In hearing their stories, their current struggles, and their proud moments I have been able to find my own voice and power. Witnessing their joys and sorrows has allowed me to express myself without fear and know that I am not alone. My connection to the wild woman within me has been reclaimed. Throughout this process I have been able to remember who I truly am and who I want to be. I have dedicated myself to creativity, authenticity, recovery, and following my passions. I feel that I have made significant shifts within my relationships and have been able to recognize and let go of certain beliefs about my body, sexuality, and identity.” - Roxanne Friedman, Undergraduate Student
"Within every woman there is a wild and natural creature, a powerful force, filled with good instincts, passionate creativity, and ageless knowing. Her name is Wild Woman, but she is an endangered species. Though the gifts of wildish nature come to us at birth, society's attempt to 'civilize' us into rigid roles has plundered this treasure, and muffled the deep, life-giving messages of our own souls. Without Wild Woman, we become over-domesticated, fearful, uncreative, trapped. Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D., Jungian analyst and cantadora storyteller, shows how woman's vitality can be restored through what she calls 'psychic archeological digs' into the ruins of the female unconscious. Dr. Estes uses multicultural myths, fairy tales, folk tales, and stories chosen from over twenty years of research that help women reconnect with the healthy, instinctual, visionary attributes of the Wild Woman archetype... In these and other stories, we focus on the many qualities of Wild Woman. We retrieve, examine, love, and understand her, and hold her against our deep psyches as one who is both magic and medicine." - Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes