Beginning with Gratitude <3

Wilder Connections lives at the confluence of a million rivers of influence and owes immense acknowledgment to each. We are shaped, undoubtedly, by Western lineages of depth-oriented therapy, environmental education, poetry, and mystery traditions, and yet— many of the nature connection models we use have also filtered down through teachers fortunate enough to learn from Indigenous place-based knowledge keepers who have sustained their practices despite generations of colonial impact. Lastly, we are so grateful for the many homes we inhabit across Ontario, Canada: between the cold lakes and red rocks of the granite shield, the fertile mixed-wood soils of the land in between, and the rich urban ravines of the Humber Valley. It is a privilege to be in relationship with these lands.

people power:

Carly Joynt is the founder of Wilder Connections and the lucky one behind the scenes of many of its programs. She is an integrative counsellor, nature connection guide, singer of songs, and stirrer of pots who loves to weave the worlds of inner healing with deep nature connection.

Currently pursuing a master’s degree in environmental communication, Carly holds a diploma in existential psychotherapy and is trained in somatic-relational group work through the Ryzio Institute. Prior to her work in private practice, she spent many years co-guiding intergenerational nature connection immersions and rites of passage that sought to craft and repair culture for those of us orphaned from original instructions.

Most of all, Carly holds a raw, non-judgmental space for anyone she works with and believes in the psyche’s natural ability to return to wholeness with the right container and a lot of acceptance—in the same way the Earth can regenerate herself.

Upcoming Offerings

philosophy and mission:

Often missing from the broader conversation around therapy and healing is the acknowledgment of our place in the wider context. We are undeniably moved by sunsets, oceans, thunderstorms, and encounters with the wild. Likewise, we are shaped by the shifts in the ecological and social systems that house us. Wilder Connections locates the individual within the ecosystems to which we belong.

Nature Connection. With roots in ecological awareness, ancestral skills, herbalism, and the Art of Mentoring movement, our programs use pancultural practices to help people fall in love with the natural world and remember our place in it.

Soul work. Many traditions hold the worldview that each of us has a unique ‘ecological niche’—a line of poetry specific to the individual. By leaning into this, we participate in our own unfolding while contributing to the greater whole. Wilder Connections draws on a range of ecotherapeutic traditions to mentor individuals toward this discovery.

Community Building. Living in a society disconnected from intact cultural healing practices means many of us struggle to resolve the wounds we naturally accrue over time. When we arrive in group spaces, this can play out in our dynamics with others. What is often missing from community healing spaces is the opportunity to work with these challenges as portals for transformation. At Wilder Connections, we offer warm, welcoming spaces where people can show up authentically—working with village-building practices to support collective healing.

Counselling Services. Sometimes, there is healing work that needs to happen alongside the journey of wild belonging—trauma, relational wounds, or mental health dynamics that may be best addressed in a counselling setting. If you’re curious about which pathway is right for you, reach out—or check out our counselling services here.

*photo of Maya Nadeem, taken at Wild Belonging by Emily Kedar.

Upcoming Offerings