Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Reimagining Sustainability in Precarious Times pp 173–186Cite as

Connections, Compassion, and Co-healing: The Ecology of Relationships

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

In developed countries many people spend little time in direct contact with the more-than-human world and react with pervasive fear and mistrust of ‘nature’. This chapter explores repairing our relationships with the more-than-human world and enabling us to positively engage with the more-than-human world as we face complex and challenging decisions in the Anthropocene. Our relationships are entangled with all beings and natural systems, and the cosmos as an ecology of relationships. Ecofeminism provides a framework for changing the patterns of violence, which means changing our relationships, in order to heal. Women’s outdoor programming by women has retained a way of being and an attitude towards the outdoors guided by an ethic of care and an understanding of entanglement. Drawing from this history and experience, outdoor leaders, skilled in healthy relationship building, can support participants exploring and repairing their relationships with the more-than-human world including stopping criticism, defensiveness, and contempt. Thoughtfully designed outdoor education programs can provide transformative, paradigm shifting experiences that help participants connect to the more-than-human world from a place of compassion and awe counteracting negative images and fear of ‘nature’ that result from western narratives. Instead of seeing the more-than-human world as something to be controlled, they see it as part of themselves and understand our need for healthy affiliation with the more-than-human world on the visceral level. Appreciative inquiry helps grow a relationship system of fondness and admiration grounded in gratitude and respect, which when done at the individual, family, community, and universal (including the more-than-human) arenas adds to sustainability.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Nature can imply a nature/culture split even though there is no split. However, mainstream Western vocabulary uses the term nature. In this chapter mostly the term the more-than-human -world will be used. Though in some contexts ‘nature’ will be a clearer word to use. See Clarke and Mcphie (2014) for a critique.

  2. 2.

    The use of the word culture does not denote a nature/culture duality.

  3. 3.

    These labels here and elsewhere are used to help the reader know the depth and breadth of these relationships, not to imply a separation between these realms.

References

  • Allin, L. (2000). Women into outdoor education: Negotiating a male-gendered space-issues of physicality. In B. Humberstone (Ed.), Her outdoors: Challenge and adventure in gendered open spaces (pp. 51–68). Brighton, UK: Leisure Studies Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker, M. (2005). Landfullness in adventure-based programming: Promoting reconnection to the land. Journal of Experiential Education, 27(3), 267–276. Retrieved from http://www.aee.org

  • Barad, K. (2007). Meeting the universe halfway: Quantum physics and the entanglement of matter and meaning. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Beringer, A. (2008). Toward an ecological paradigm in adventure programming. In K. Warren, D. Mitten, & T. A. Loeffler (Eds.), Theory & practice of experiential education (pp. 46–59). Boulder, CO: Association of Experiential Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, W. (1997). The impossibility of women’s studies. Differences: A Journal of Feminist Cultural Studies, 9(3), 79–101. Retrieved from http://differences.dukejournals.org/

  • Carson, R. (2011). The sense of wonder [Ebook]. Retrieved from http://www.openroadmedia.com

  • Chalquist, C. (2007). Terrapsychology: Re-engaging the soul of place. Abita Springs, LA: Spring Journal Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, D. A., & Mcphie, J. (2014). Becoming animate in education: Immanent materiality and outdoor learning for sustainability. Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, 14(3), 198–216. doi:10.1080/14729679.2014.919866.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, R. (1973). Ellen Swallow, the woman who founded ecology. Chicago: Follett publishing company.

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Amore, C., & Mitten, D. (2015). Nurtured nature: The Connection between care for children and care for the environment. In P. L. Thomas, P. Carr, J. Gorlewski, & B. Porfilio (Eds.), Pedagogies of kindness and respect: On the lives and education of children (pp. 111–126). New York: Peter Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • d’Eaubonne, F. (1974). Feminism or death. In E. Marks & I. de Courtivron (Eds.), New French feminisms: An anthology (pp. 64–67). Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ewert, A. W., Mitten, D. S., & Overholt, J. R. (Eds.) (2014). Natural environments and human health [Ebook]. doi: 10.1079/9781845939199.0000.

  • Ford, P. M. (1981). Principles and practices of outdoor/environmental education. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gottman, J. (2010, January 5). Making relationships work. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aSpl_ZjmcY&spfreload=10

  • Gray, T. (2016). Rethinking human-plant relationships by theorizing using concepts of biophillia and animism in workplaces. In K. Malone, S. Truong. & T. Gray (Eds.), Reimagining sustainability education in precarious times. Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halpenny, E. A. (2010). Pro-environmental behaviours and park visitors: The effect of place attachment. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30(4), 409–421. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2010.04.006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson, K. (1996). Feminist perspectives on outdoor leadership. In K. Warren (Ed.), Women’s voices in experiential education (pp. 107–117). Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, P. (1988). Linking arms, dear sisters, brings hope! In J. Plant (Ed.), Healing the wounds (pp. ix–xi). Philadelphia: New Society Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kollmuss, A., & Agyeman, J. (2002). Mind the gap: Why do people act environmentally and what are the barriers to pro-environmental behavior? Environmental Education Research, 8(3), 239–260. doi:10.1080/13504620220145401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Korten, D. (2006). The Great turning: From empire to Earth community. Bloomfield, CT: Kumarian Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leopold, A. (1949). A Sand county almanac. London: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Litz, K., & Mitten, D. (2013). Inspiring environmental stewardship: Developing a sense of place, critical thinking skills, and ecoliteracy to establish an environmental ethic of care. Pathways: The Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education, 25(2), 4–8. Retrieved from http://www.coeo.org/pathwaysjournal.html

  • Lugg, A. (2003). In B. Humberstone, H. Brown, & K. Richards (Eds.), Whose journeys? The Outdoors and adventure as social and cultural phenomena (pp. 33–48). Barrow-in-Furness, UK: Fingerprints.

    Google Scholar 

  • Medrick, R., & Mitten, D. (2010) Adventure education [course handout]. Prescott College Master of Arts Program.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitten, D. (1985). A philosophical basis for a women’s outdoor adventure program. Journal of Experiential Education, 8(2), 20–24. doi:10.1177/105382598500800205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitten, D. (1995). Building the group: Using personal affirming to create healthy group process. Journal of Experiential Education, 18(2), 82–90. doi:10.1177/105382599501800205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitten, D. (1996). The value of feminist ethics in experiential education teaching and leadership. In K. Warren (Ed.), Women and experiential education. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitten, D. (2004). Adventure therapy as a complementary and alternative therapy. In S. Bandoroff & S. Newes (Eds.), Coming of age: The evolving field of adventure therapy (pp. 240–257). Boulder, CO: Association of Experiential Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitten, D. (2010). Friluftsliv and the healing power of nature: The need for nature for human health, development, and wellbeing. Norwegian Journal of Friluftsliv. Retrieved from http://norwegianjournaloffriluftsliv.com

  • Mitten, D., & Clement, K. (2007). Skills and responsibilities for adventure education leaders. In R. Prouty, J. Panicucci, & R. Collinson (Eds.), Adventure based programming and education (pp. 79–99). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitten, D., & Woodruff, S. (2010). Women’s adventure history and education programming in the United States favors friluftsliv. Norwegian Journal of Friluftsliv. Retrieved from http://norwegianjournaloffriluftsliv.com

  • Nash, R. (2001). Wilderness and the American mind (4th ed.). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Noddings, N. (2005). Place-based education to preserve the Earth and its people. In N. Noddings (Ed.), Educating citizens for global awareness (pp. 57–68). New York: Teachers College Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Plumwood, V. (2002). Environmental culture: The ecological crisis of reason. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quay, J. (2013). More than relations between self, others and nature: Outdoor education and aesthetic experience. Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, 13(2), 142–157. doi:10.1080/14729679.2012.746846.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramkissoon, H., Smith, L. D. G., & Weiler, B. (2013). Relationships between place attachment, place satisfaction and pro-environmental behaviour in an Australian national park. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 21(3), 434–457. doi:10.1080/09669582.2012.708042.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, H., Christie, B., Nicol, R., & Higgins, P. (2014). Space, place and sustainability and the role of outdoor education. Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, 14(3), 191–197. doi:10.1080/14729679.2014.960684.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, K. (1984). Man and the natural world: Changing attitudes in England 1500–1800 (2nd ed.). Harmondsworth, UK/New York: Penguin Books. (Original work published 1983, Allen Lane)

    Google Scholar 

  • Vikander, N. O. (2007). Feet on two continents: Spanning the Atlantic with friluftsliv? In B. Henderson & N. Vikander (Eds.), Nature first: Outdoor life the friluftsliv way. Toronto, ON, Canada: Dundurn.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warren, K. (1996). Women’s outdoor adventures: Myth and reality. In K. Warren (Ed.), Women’s voices in experiential education (pp. 10–17). Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wattchow, B., & Brown, M. (2011). A pedagogy of place: Outdoor education for a changing world. Clayton, Australia: Monash University Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, C. C., & Chawla, L. (2015). Environmental identity formation in nonformal environmental education programs. Environmental Education Research, 1–24. doi:10.1080/13504622.2015.1055553

  • Williams, D., & Stewart, S. (1998). Sense of place: An elusive concept that is finding a home in ecosystem management. Journal of Forestry, 96(5), 18–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Willis, A. (2011). Re-storying wilderness and adventure therapies: Healing places and selves in an era of environmental crises. Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, 11(2), 91–108. doi:10.1080/14729679.2011.633375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Prescott College, Prescott, AZ, USA

    Denise Mitten

Authors
  1. Denise Mitten
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Denise Mitten .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Educational Research, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia

    Karen Malone

  2. Centre for Educational Research, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia

    Son Truong

  3. Centre for Educational Research, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia

    Tonia Gray

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Mitten, D. (2017). Connections, Compassion, and Co-healing: The Ecology of Relationships. In: Malone, K., Truong, S., Gray, T. (eds) Reimagining Sustainability in Precarious Times. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2550-1_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2550-1_12

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-10-2548-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-10-2550-1

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation