Wilderness '25 co-facilitated with Jaya Marr

Date: TBT, Prolly late July 2025 ~ stay tuned. 
Suggested participants: Adults, therapists, couples, those interested in an 8 mile RT backpack, those interested in wilderness therapy, somatic integration, couples enhancement and those ready for pure fun adventure. 
Cost: $595 per person. A deposit of $100 required to reserve your spot. Nonrefundable deposit after June 1, 2025.
Couples discount=$1000 
Max occupancy: 20

Join Jaya Marr and me on a wilderness backpacking and camping retreat on Grand Mesa, a 10,000' flat top mountain near our home in Paonia, CO. 
We will backpack in 4 miles on an established (essentially flat trail) to Horse Park lake (one of 300 lakes on the Grand Mesa). I grew up hiking into this lake as a kid, and it is far enough off the beaten track to experience deeper feral wilderness, yet in a safe environment. 

Curriculum:

• We will all gather at the trailhead at Weir and Johnson lakes on Grand Mesa. Participants can either car pool with us from Paonia, or meet us at the trailhead. Timeliness is essential! NO Stragglers. As a group, we will backpack in approximately 4 miles to Horse Park, our destination for two days. We will provide equipment recommendations before the retreat. No worries. 
• After backpacking in (about 2 hours), we will establish our group tent camping base. The first evening, we will have a fire and follow a talking stick protocol for each participant to share what drew you to the gathering, what are your personal goals to achieve during the retreat, what teachings would you like from Jaya and me, etc.   
• We will provide guided day hikes, and daily process-oriented group sessions. I (Kent) will facilitate these sessions from integrative Internal Family Systems and Somatic therapy perspectives. Jaya will also assist you in dropping into the quiet spaces within yourselves, while embracing your presence in Nature and wilderness as teacher. 
• We will have evening fires, shared community food, cooked on stoves we pack in, and over fire. 
• Your take aways: 
• less thought, more experiential awareness, 
• integrating aspects of yourself, while exploring and defining your life's purpose.
• Rediscovering your natural innocence and curiosity, expanding fitness.
• Kent will also provide photo critiques for those visual artists interested in creating stronger images, composition, and more importantly the expression of making images from your creative center, with less thought, more inspiration.   
• Stay tuned for more details. 

​Camping needs: Backpack, tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, Hiking shoes or boots (rather easy hike), water filter (preferred). Backpacking stove if available. Rain gear (never know), bug spray. 
Logistics:  
1. Participants can gather at Kent and Jaya's home in Paonia and carpool  hours to the trailhead.
2. Or participants can meet us at Trailhead on Grand Mesa at prescribed the time. Punctuality is a must to maintain group cohesiveness. 
Facilitators: 
You will have access to my 30+ years experience as a licensed Transpersonal and wilderness therapist. I'll share my EMDR, IFS (Internal Family Systems), group facilitation and other integrative techniques with you as needed throughout the weekend. ~ kt. My therapy bio.
​ 
I continue collaboration with indigenous wisdom keepers and establishing wilderness programs for Native tribes. I also continue my work as a documentary photographer, and have taught at an Art Institute, and various colleges in CO and Arizona. Kentart.com. Bring your creative photography questions.

Jaya comes from an extensive Mountain Guide background in her native New Zealand, Alaska, Patagonia and Europe. She recently completed a 4 month (primarily) solo expedition in NZ, backpacking 1800 miles, limited mountain biking stretches and camping. She was also gathering personal insights, photos, video and an audio journal for speaking engagements and wilderness facilitation. Jaya's site.

​She is one of most talented, humble and elite facilitators I've known!

We reside in Paonia, CO, where I maintain a private therapy practice, facilitate workshops and retreats and create documentary photos and film. Jaya provides Belief Work, Sound/Light healing, group facilitation and plant medicine integration work. She provides Aikido classes as a 3rd degree black belt.