growth-minded individuals

Our individual well-being is directly connected to our capacity to show up as a healthy presence in the world. I lead workshops, retreats, online and in-person classes, and learning groups in the areas of embodied awareness (mindfulness), self-compassion, nature connection, and deep community. I also offer 1:1 coaching and support to individuals seeking more inner and outer connection in their lives.

  • In partnership with some of my favorite humans, I facilitate nature-based retreats that invite deep reflection, authentic community, joy and play, embodied awareness (mindfulness), and emotional growth. I offer retreats 2-3 times a year.

  • I offer open-enrollment classes and workshops, both online and in-person, on topics ranging from mindful relationships to trauma-informed facilitation. I also host learning and practice groups, where folks gather to discuss books, practice skills, and connect with authentic community.

  • I LOVE working with folks individually in one-on-one spaces. My approach to coaching is deeply relational and combines an understanding of the nervous system and human needs with compassionate listening and appreciative inquiry.

offerings

Interested in working with me or learning more about what I offer? Let’s have a conversation to talk about your needs and see if we’re a good fit!

PERSONAL + collective GROWTH AND TRANSFORMATION

To say that we live in a time of great change and challenge is an understatement (how many times do we hear the word “unprecedented” these days!?). Suffering is part of being human, but the practices that we can use to strengthen our minds and hearts and the support that we give and receive in our deep connections with others and the natural world can change the way we relate to struggle.

So many of us long for a deeper sense of meaning, spaces of authentic belonging, and ways to relate to ourselves that are kinder and more compassionate. At the same time, we have little patience for individualistic or surface-level approaches that don’t acknowledge or attend to the deep systemic and cultural roots of the stress and suffering that permeates our world. The well-being of our own nervous systems, the strength of our personal relationships and communities, and the health of our large systems and institutions are inextricably linked.

The spaces that I create through facilitation and coaching attend to the nested nature of well-being and collective healing. Similarly, rather than resisting or avoiding the hard parts of being human, I create spaces where, together, we can turn toward ourselves and others with compassion and an intention to show up in the world as our whole and imperfect selves.

  • “In the year before I took my first course with Jo, my mom had passed away, a close friend had taken their own life, and we were a year into a global pandemic. I was struggling to survive, let alone to find moments of peace in my life. It was a dark time for me, and I often found myself angry, anxious, and on edge. The Mindfulness Meditation course that I took with Jo set me on a path to healing. It gave me the tools to sit quietly with myself and to find peace in something as simple as my own breath. I wasn’t a complete newbie to meditation nor to the concept of self-compassion when I took these courses, but I learned so much in a short time that I have carried with me ever since and continue to use in my everyday life.”

    Sierra M., Participant: “Mindfulness Meditation + Embodied Awareness” Online Class

  • “Jo is an amazing facilitator. She brings her whole self, along with a depth of experience and skill, to create sessions that touch people deeply. Her wise presence invites you in and offers a soft and joyful place to learn, explore, and connect with your heart. Jo’s emergent and intuitive facilitation is exactly the kind of powerfully transformative work we need in our world today.”

    Heather B., Retreat Co-Facilitator

  • “Jo responds so well to a variety of people with different backgrounds and levels of knowledge around self compassion. She really made me feel like I was a part of a little family.”

    Katie G., Participant: “Building Resilience through Mindful Compassion [for Educators]” Online Course

  • “Jo is a direct and engaged teacher and her gentle and compassionate style of facilitating is inviting, inclusive, and authentic. Her ability to break down complex ideas into an easy-to-understand presentation is remarkable, and more than that, she provides you with the tools you need to apply these ideas to your own life. Her ability to foster true connection between a group of disparate people is both transformative and empowering.”

    Sierra M., Participant: “Intro to Mindful Self-Compassion” Online Course

  • “In teaching complex topics, you were thorough without being dry. Your tone of voice and rate of delivery of your words was effective and useful and lent itself well to the subject. I felt I got a great sense of compassion and what it is and how to make it work in my life through your presence and attitude, as well as your knowledge and skills in meditation.”

    Sarah R., Participant: “Building Resilience through Mindful Compassion” Online Clas

partners + collaborators

  • TEMENOS RISING

    Irene Bailey creates nourishing experiences that support the cultivation of intuition and our collective need for deep and meaningful connection in the loving embrace of the natural world. She facilitates retreats, teaches workshops, and offers forest bathing experiences.

  • ALDERROOT HEALING & RENEWAL

    Heather Burns is a brilliant educator and facilitator who creates healing spaces for people to find healing and renewal in intentional learning communities and in ways that actively counter the toxic norms of oppressive dominant culture.

  • HEALING EXPERIENCES

    DeAnna Roberts Pickett is a licensed professional counselor who uses experiential and body-based approaches to support people to reflect, heal, and grow. She brings a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach to her work with individuals and groups.