"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order" ~John Burroughs
Achieving Our Mission in Partnership with the Earth
The Center for Earth-Based Healing’s mission is to provide EcoHealing programs that promote holistic healing—Mind, Body, Spirit—for individuals and groups who have experienced trauma, life-challenges, or burnout.
We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization located in Nelson County, Virginia, but we bring our programs to a natural area in your location. Some examples of groups we have served throughout Virginia include: Virginia Association for Community Psychiatric Nurses, Groups from the College of William & Mary, International Association of Forensic Nurses, Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, as well as individual patients receiving care at UVA Health. Invite us to your professional conference!
We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization located in Nelson County, Virginia, but we bring our programs to a natural area in your location. Some examples of groups we have served throughout Virginia include: Virginia Association for Community Psychiatric Nurses, Groups from the College of William & Mary, International Association of Forensic Nurses, Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, as well as individual patients receiving care at UVA Health. Invite us to your professional conference!
About the EcoHealer Facilitator
Michele Zehr, M.A., M.Ed. (She/Her) After volunteering for five years as a camp counselor for a nature-based camp for survivors of sexual violence, the camp's creator recognized Michele's innate abilities for facilitating nature-based programs. She asked Michele to serve as her successor and to "take my vision and grow it." As a result, Michele founded the Center for Earth-Based Healing in 2015.
As a facilitator, Michele offers over a decade of experience leading small-group outdoor activities and nature-based programs. She developed her unique EcoHealing philosophy and skill-set experientially by attending courses at the School of Lost Borders, Mindfulness-Based Ecotherapy Center, Tracker School for Primitive Skills, the Omega Institute, the Ecology of Awakening program, and Voices of the Land program.
Additionally, Michele has 13 years of experience working with survivors of interpersonal violence, and she attended Dr. Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing® Trauma Institute where she received two-years of training in Somatic Experiencing®, a body-based healing modality that supports nervous system regulation.
She has been invited to present on EcoHealing as a form of self-care for individuals who work in high burn-out professions, such as nurses and mental health professionals, social justice activists, law enforcement, advocates for survivors of interpersonal violence, and social workers.
Michele is a former U.S. Marine; she backpacked the entire Appalachian Trail, which radically changed her life and led her to the work she does today; and in her downtime, she hangs out at the river, composes music and enjoys sharing her creativity on her YouTube channel.
About Michele's Drum: In 2015, Michele had the great privilege of participating in a 2-day drum making class offered by the amazing Yolanda Martinez, known as "The Master Drum Maker." This is the drum Michele made in that class, and she offers her gratitude to Yo, who describes herself as coming from Apache, Comanche, and Spanish heritage.
As a facilitator, Michele offers over a decade of experience leading small-group outdoor activities and nature-based programs. She developed her unique EcoHealing philosophy and skill-set experientially by attending courses at the School of Lost Borders, Mindfulness-Based Ecotherapy Center, Tracker School for Primitive Skills, the Omega Institute, the Ecology of Awakening program, and Voices of the Land program.
Additionally, Michele has 13 years of experience working with survivors of interpersonal violence, and she attended Dr. Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing® Trauma Institute where she received two-years of training in Somatic Experiencing®, a body-based healing modality that supports nervous system regulation.
She has been invited to present on EcoHealing as a form of self-care for individuals who work in high burn-out professions, such as nurses and mental health professionals, social justice activists, law enforcement, advocates for survivors of interpersonal violence, and social workers.
Michele is a former U.S. Marine; she backpacked the entire Appalachian Trail, which radically changed her life and led her to the work she does today; and in her downtime, she hangs out at the river, composes music and enjoys sharing her creativity on her YouTube channel.
About Michele's Drum: In 2015, Michele had the great privilege of participating in a 2-day drum making class offered by the amazing Yolanda Martinez, known as "The Master Drum Maker." This is the drum Michele made in that class, and she offers her gratitude to Yo, who describes herself as coming from Apache, Comanche, and Spanish heritage.
About the EcoHealer Apprentice
Tyne Alati, B.S. Human Development and Family Science (She/Her/Hers) Tyne has always been drawn to service-related jobs—from camp counselor to serving vulnerable populations—helping others is a cornerstone of her morals. As a Black woman in therapeutic environments, Tyne understands personally how access to healing spaces is not only rare, but layered by the social worry of whether anyone else will look like you. Her current intention is to use this space, as well as others, to create safe programming to address those barriers.
Tyne is originally from a small town in Northeast Ohio. As an alum of The Ohio State University, she was introduced to service work coupled with traveling. A few examples are—she worked on Hurricane Katrina clean-up in New Orleans; with populations dealing with homelessness in Atlanta; and performed off-season work for a summer camp in Minnesota.
Healing work has always seemed to find Tyne. Both professionally and personally, advocacy is a role in which she thrives. Working with populations from Birth – Death, she finds the family perspective most interesting.
A few states and countries later, Charlottesville is where she currently calls home. In her spare time, she enjoys acquiring unnecessary amounts of knowledge around cats and penguins. Lady Large is Tyne’s current furry companion and a prized possession is a framed photo of her with a penguin on her lap.
Tyne is originally from a small town in Northeast Ohio. As an alum of The Ohio State University, she was introduced to service work coupled with traveling. A few examples are—she worked on Hurricane Katrina clean-up in New Orleans; with populations dealing with homelessness in Atlanta; and performed off-season work for a summer camp in Minnesota.
Healing work has always seemed to find Tyne. Both professionally and personally, advocacy is a role in which she thrives. Working with populations from Birth – Death, she finds the family perspective most interesting.
A few states and countries later, Charlottesville is where she currently calls home. In her spare time, she enjoys acquiring unnecessary amounts of knowledge around cats and penguins. Lady Large is Tyne’s current furry companion and a prized possession is a framed photo of her with a penguin on her lap.
EcoHealer Apprenticeship Program
We are excited to share that we are developing an EcoHealer Apprenticeship Program with the intention of creating opportunities for individuals who belong to underserved/oppressed populations, who also feel an authentic calling to do this healing work in service to these populations.
One of the Center for Earth-Based Healing's organizational goals is to "have a program for everyone", including individuals who belong to underserved and/or oppressed populations (e.g. People of Color, People with Disabilities, LGBTIQ, etc.). We believe that the healing capacities of Mother Nature should be available and accessible to everyone, but we also believe that historical barriers and present-day cultural dynamics of oppression must be acknowledged and directly inform the development of any program that aims to serve a specific underserved population. Our intention for developing this program is to use our privilege and resources to empower and support those who may not otherwise have access to an opportunity like this, and in doing so, we hope that in time we will build the capacity to be of service to everyone who feels drawn to EcoHealing. Information about this program will be made available as its development unfolds.
One of the Center for Earth-Based Healing's organizational goals is to "have a program for everyone", including individuals who belong to underserved and/or oppressed populations (e.g. People of Color, People with Disabilities, LGBTIQ, etc.). We believe that the healing capacities of Mother Nature should be available and accessible to everyone, but we also believe that historical barriers and present-day cultural dynamics of oppression must be acknowledged and directly inform the development of any program that aims to serve a specific underserved population. Our intention for developing this program is to use our privilege and resources to empower and support those who may not otherwise have access to an opportunity like this, and in doing so, we hope that in time we will build the capacity to be of service to everyone who feels drawn to EcoHealing. Information about this program will be made available as its development unfolds.