“Being part of the Mama Bear program is a monthly event I look forward to. It provides for me a relaxing place in the woods with other mothers. In this safe space we can explore our feelings, parenting issues, worries about the world, all in a safe space supported by nature around us.”

“It was a chance to create and shape a community for ourselves that valued each other and the world around us in ways that can be hard to find out in the world, and I’m so grateful to have had that experience going forward into college and life afterwards. It was also simply a lot of fun – a chance to unleash our inner child rather than leaving it behind as we got older!”

“Having my child build a relationship with the natural world was a gift of Women of the Forest, the importance of which is not to be ignored, but building a healthy relationship with a cohort of peers was a gift extraordinaire! To send her off into the great outdoors and have her say “I can wear anything I want and I can say whatever I think about anything and no one at Women of the Forest will judge me”—that felt really good. To pick her up relaxed and happy at the end of a day, …that was golden!”

“Being part of Earth Arts gave me an amazing opportunity to watch my own and others’ daughters grow up with this appreciation and enthusiasm, and the confidence to head into the woods, or share thoughts and challenges with a trusted circle of girls. Julie was a wonderful, caring and insightful mentor to my daughter throughout her childhood, inspiring her to love the woods. Even when Rosie was not interested in hiking with me, she was always ready to spend the whole day in the woods, no matter the weather, with Sisters of the Forest. She gained a lot of confidence in her outdoor skills, learning to track, identify plants, build fires, and make things from natural fibres and other materials. The annual sleep out was a highlight, for the girls and also for me. It was time to connect with other mothers — and women who celebrated the natural world – and to share food, rituals, fireside songs, and a starry night sleeping outdoors. Being part of Earth Arts gave me an amazing opportunity to watch my own and others’ daughters grow up with this appreciation and enthusiasm, and the confidence to head into the woods, or share thoughts and challenges with a trusted circle of girls. The supportive group of teens and the chance for my daughter to talk through issues that might not be shared with families or school friends was an amazing bonus that I did not expect and that alone was well worth the investment! Earth Arts even inspired her to pursue an environmental college major in hopes of working to help us all live more sustainably!”

“Women of the Forest includes so many things: science, art, community and self-development. After several years of participating in Earth Arts programs, my daughters are familiar with the plants and animals that they encounter in their surroundings and they want to know more. They have an appreciation for their ecosystem and they want to help it thrive.They can gather natural materials, like clay and plants and rocks, and make pots and cordage and medicine. They are part of a group of girls and women who are different from the usual school crowd. Common interests that center on being outside drive their activities, not cliques and classroom competition.My daughters are very different: one is quiet, looking inward and the other one talks and thinks at the same time. The community at Earth Arts, guided by mentors who are loving and thoughtful, has helped both of my girls to become more themselves, to flourish as confident leaders in their own ways. A typical Women of the Forest gathering ends in a circle around a fire that the young women build themselves after a day spent exploring in the woods, playing games, making things, decorating their faces with mud. Everyone brings an ingredient to add to a big pot of soup that they cook together. And they eat and laugh and sing and pass around a talking stick to take turns sharing a highlight of their day.Does this all sound too ‘Kumbayah?’ Well, it is. And that’s a good thing.”

“My daughter, now twenty, has been involved in Earth Arts and Sisters/Women of the Forest since she was a young child. Looking back on the past 15 years, I can say that the Earth Arts community provided a beautiful foundation for our family life, not just for my daughter, but also for me as a mother and for our family. The nurturing Earth Arts educators support the health and wellbeing of the whole family. Words cannot express the high regard that I have for Earth Arts founding directors and educators. What did my daughter and family learn? We learned to approach the world with reverence, gratitude and authenticity. Gratitude is cultivated in every facet of the Earth Arts programs. We’ve learned the skills necessary to be comfortable and feel safe in nature. One might wonder in our highly technological world why nature skills are important and relevant. As I have heard many times from different Earth Arts educators over the years, Nature is the one constant in our ever changing world so that building skills and the confidence to navigate the natural world prepares us for the modern world too. One of the things I treasure most about my time in the forest with Earth Arts mamas is the timeless presence which is at the core of Earth Arts. Time stops and magic begins along with lots of laughter and self-exploration!As I have heard many times from different Earth Arts educators over the years, Nature is the one constant in our ever changing world so that building skills and the confidence to navigate the natural world prepares us for the modern world too. One of the things I treasure most about my time in the forest with Earth Arts mamas is the timeless presence which is at the core of Earth Arts. Time stops and magic begins along with lots of laughter and self-exploration!”

“Women of the Forest is truly a unique experience. Not often in this society do girls get a chance to connect to their feminine power and authenticity in a community of other girls – it was an empowering and wonderful way to spend my teenage years.​ Julie and the other instructors who lead the program over the time I participated created a supportive, honest, and open environment for us to feel comfortable with one another, with ourselves, with the world around us, and with nature. I speak for myself in my praise of this program, but I know that others would say the same – I made lifelong friends and so many good memories over the years and will carry the experience, the knowledge, and the connection to the earth with me wherever I go.”