Wild Soul Woods CIC

Wild Soul Woods CIC combines a forest school ethos with the therapeutic PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy) approach to provide opportunities for social connection, confidence building and well-being focused sessions.

Sessions are designed and led by Qualified Forest School Leaders and informed by training with The Therapeutic Forest and working in partnership with other specialists, including clinical psychologists, SLTs & OTs.

Many of our sessions are supported and facilitated by a fabulous host of volunteers, creating wonderful opportunities for connection, especially in the Parent Carer & Neurodivergent Communities.

We have evolved organically in response to community need. Our personal journey uncovered a real need within the neurodiverse communities, among children & families unable to attend mainstream schools, as well as those struggling with anxiety, depression & poor mental health. We have connected with parents, carers & families as well as isolated individuals of all ages. As we grow - and the needs of our own young people reduce - we aim to invite and welcome as many diverse and varied community groups and individuals as possible to benefit from our services.

By creating a safe and inclusive space to take physical, creative, social and emotional risks, we are supporting individuals to build personal resilience and increase their sense of well-being - whatever their personal challenges may be. This leads to greater confidence in their usual activities and the ability to ‘bounce back’ after disappointments, as well as allowing individuals to nurture & cherish themselves and others. Working with families and established groups enables us to model a way of communicating with others that allows emotional literacy to flourish and positive connection to thrive.

Our sessions are delivered via a multitude of activities, for groups and individuals from all walks of life.

Our unique and powerful combination of nature connection and emotional literacy fosters a deep and authentic sense of belonging to both the natural world and to our human communities. The environmental education that is woven through all sessions creates a sense of stewardship of our natural spaces, encouraging nurture of our flora & fauna and a sustainable approach to living with less environmental impact on our home world. Using examples from the natural world, including seasonal & life cycles, also demonstrates how all living things ebb, flow, change and are taken care of. We show how in many circumstances a ‘growth’ mindset - rather than external events - can change a negative experience into a positive opportunity.

Delivery can be as varied as the practitioners we train, because almost any activity can be a vehicle for engaging with the natural environment and communicating in an emotionally literate manner. All activities are person-centred & child-led. This means there is always an invitation to participate - never a demand. Opportunities are available throughout the natural space to simply be still, or to be occupied in a different way.

While we have our ‘home’ woodland base, we have a flexible approach to our venues and nature connection to support accessibility.

Successful examples so far include sessions based on

free play,
sensory experience,
natural crafts,
foraging & campfire cooking,
gardening & planting,
themed scavenger hunts,
group games,
organised sports (like golf & ping pong),
survival story play,
tool work,
musical adventure,
focused nature education,
focused curriculum based education,
mindfulness in hammocks,
campfire mindfulness gatherings,
retreats,
campouts,
bushcraft skills,

and many more - targeted at both adults & children with a range of abilities.