Episode 138: Rewilding Your Inner Wolf with guest, Ina Gjikondi
04/16/25 • 33 min
What if the secret to restoring balance in our lives mirrors the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park? Join us as we explore the fascinating intersection of ecology and coaching with Dr. Ina Gjikondi, Director of Executive Education at George Washington University and founder of the ECO Leadership Coaching Program.
Drawing from her doctoral research on ecocentrism in coach education, Ina introduces us to the concept of rewilding – not as something new we must learn, but as remembering what we've forgotten. She shares the powerful story of how wolves restored balance to the Yellowstone ecosystem and uses this as a metaphor for our own journey back to wholeness. "We have an ancient body with a modern mind," Ina explains, highlighting how our disconnection from nature has affected both our personal wellbeing and the planet.
The conversation takes a practical turn as Ina offers simple, accessible practices for reconnecting with our wild nature, even from the 32nd floor of an urban high-rise. By engaging our heart intelligence, awakening our senses, and asking open-ended questions like "What is wild in me today?", we can access forgotten wisdom that resides in our bodies. She emphasizes the importance of honoring our first intuitive responses rather than analyzing them, allowing our instincts to guide us rather than our executive function.
Particularly moving is Ina's discussion of storytelling as an ancient practice that helps us bear witness to each other's humanity and build community. Through these practices of remembering and reconnecting, we not only heal ourselves but potentially contribute to healing our relationship with Earth. As Ina powerfully concludes: "The wild is not lost. Like the wolf, it is waiting to return. Will you answer the call?" This episode offers both the inspiration and practical tools to help you take that first step.
Watch the full interview by clicking here.
Find the full article here.
Ina has provided a Free Gift to choice listeners to practice for Connecting with the Wild Wolf Archetype to use for coaches for your own development, or use with clients as needed. The Wolf Within: A Leadership Apothecary Practice for Rewilding
Learn more about Ina Gjikondi here.
Link to learn more about Elisabet Sahtouris
Grab your free issue of choice Magazine here - https://choice-online.com/
What if the secret to restoring balance in our lives mirrors the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park? Join us as we explore the fascinating intersection of ecology and coaching with Dr. Ina Gjikondi, Director of Executive Education at George Washington University and founder of the ECO Leadership Coaching Program.
Drawing from her doctoral research on ecocentrism in coach education, Ina introduces us to the concept of rewilding – not as something new we must learn, but as remembering what we've forgotten. She shares the powerful story of how wolves restored balance to the Yellowstone ecosystem and uses this as a metaphor for our own journey back to wholeness. "We have an ancient body with a modern mind," Ina explains, highlighting how our disconnection from nature has affected both our personal wellbeing and the planet.
The conversation takes a practical turn as Ina offers simple, accessible practices for reconnecting with our wild nature, even from the 32nd floor of an urban high-rise. By engaging our heart intelligence, awakening our senses, and asking open-ended questions like "What is wild in me today?", we can access forgotten wisdom that resides in our bodies. She emphasizes the importance of honoring our first intuitive responses rather than analyzing them, allowing our instincts to guide us rather than our executive function.
Particularly moving is Ina's discussion of storytelling as an ancient practice that helps us bear witness to each other's humanity and build community. Through these practices of remembering and reconnecting, we not only heal ourselves but potentially contribute to healing our relationship with Earth. As Ina powerfully concludes: "The wild is not lost. Like the wolf, it is waiting to return. Will you answer the call?" This episode offers both the inspiration and practical tools to help you take that first step.
Watch the full interview by clicking here.
Find the full article here.
Ina has provided a Free Gift to choice listeners to practice for Connecting with the Wild Wolf Archetype to use for coaches for your own development, or use with clients as needed. The Wolf Within: A Leadership Apothecary Practice for Rewilding
Learn more about Ina Gjikondi here.
Link to learn more about Elisabet Sahtouris
Grab your free issue of choice Magazine here - https://choice-online.com/
Previous Episode
Episode 137: The Climate Crisis and Coaching Connection with guests, Alison Maitland and Eve Turner
The climate crisis represents humanity's greatest challenge—but how can professional coaches contribute to solutions? In this revealing conversation, we explore the groundbreaking work of the Climate Coaching Alliance (CCA), a volunteer-driven global movement transforming how coaches approach environmental consciousness.
Joining us are Alison Maitland, leadership and inclusion coach focused on helping leaders address society's biggest challenges, and Eve Turner, one of the CCA's co-founders. Together, they share the remarkable story of how a small group of committed coaches launched a movement that now spans continents, languages, and coaching specialties.
The discussion tackles a fundamental question many coaches struggle with: how do we ethically incorporate climate awareness without imposing our agenda on clients? As Eve explains, "We're not just coaches—we're human beings," and this work requires us to examine our role in either maintaining or transforming existing systems. Alison adds powerful perspective on working with climate-related emotions: "The deeper the emotions, the more evidence that people care, how much they love the earth."
You'll discover practical approaches for bringing climate consciousness into your coaching practice, from chemistry sessions to values discussions. Learn about the wealth of resources available through the CCA, including communities in multiple languages, special interest groups, and their comprehensive guidebook filled with exercises, questions, and stories from coaches worldwide.
Perhaps most compelling is the connection between planetary transformation and personal transformation. Climate coaching isn't just about external challenges—it involves deep inner work. As coaches develop their capacity to hold space for difficult emotions like grief and anxiety, they simultaneously help clients navigate our changing world with resilience and purpose.
Whether you're already engaged in climate work or just beginning to explore its relevance to coaching, this conversation offers valuable insights, practical resources, and an open invitation to join a supportive community making a meaningful difference.
Watch the full interview by clicking here.
Find the full article here.
Learn more about Alison here.
Learn more about Eve here.
You can join the Climate Coaching Alliance.
You can purchase the book Ecological and Climate here and use this 20% coupon code 25AFLY1.
There are 13 professional coaching, supervision, mentoring and coaching psychology bodies and communities who have signed up the joint statement on the ecological and climate crisis, they can find out more here.
Here is a link to an amazing short poem by American poet and climate activist, Drew Dellinger, sent to music and words by Bioneers.
Grab your free issue of choice Magazine here - https://choice-online.com
Next Episode
Episode 139: Coaching Through Climate Crisis: A Four-Step Resilience Framework with guest, Tamara Yakaboski
"What in nature do you love more than anything in the world?" With this simple yet profound question, resilience coach Tamara Yakaboski opens a pathway to climate resilience that transcends political divides and paralyzing eco-anxiety.
The climate crisis has arrived on our doorsteps, manifesting in unprecedented weather events, rising temperatures, and profound uncertainty. Many of us experience solastalgia—the pain of watching places we love transform before our eyes—along with eco-anxiety and climate grief. These responses aren't weaknesses; they're natural human reactions to witnessing profound environmental change.
Drawing on over 20 years as a social scientist and professor, Yakaboski shares a transformative four-step framework—Access, Assess, Align, and Action—designed to bridge the gap between awareness and meaningful climate engagement. Unlike conventional approaches that rush toward solutions while bypassing emotions, this methodology helps both coaches and clients process their embodied responses to climate uncertainty before taking action.
Perhaps most revolutionary is Yakaboski's redefinition of resilience itself. "I don't want to be a cut piece of wood that bounces back," she explains. "I want to be like a tree that can grow from a rock crevice or cliff edge." This ecological understanding of resilience—as adaptation rather than resistance—offers a powerful metaphor for navigating climate challenges with creativity and determination.
The conversation weaves between practical strategies and profound insights, revealing how reconnecting with nature—whether through forest walks, ocean sounds, or simply observing birds in urban settings—can reset our nervous systems and rekindle our capacity for hope. Not passive, wishful thinking, but active hope grounded in meaningful engagement.
Ready to transform climate anxiety into purposeful action? Visit TamaraYakaboski.com to access her guide on overcoming cognitive barriers to climate engagement, and start having more conversations about climate change. As Yakaboski reminds us, "We feel more hopeful and empowered the more we're in conversation with others."
Watch the full interview by clicking here.
Find the full article here.
Learn more about Tamara Yakaboski here.
The climate crisis doesn’t just challenge our systems—it affects our minds, bodies, and emotions. Even the most committed leaders and coaches can get stuck in overwhelm, avoidance, or burnout.
As a resilience coach and climate practitioner, I’ve seen how three common cognitive barriers can keep us—and the people we support—from engaging fully. That’s why I created this free workbook to guide you through them.
Grab your free issue of choice Magazine here - https://choice-online.com/
choice Magazine - Episode 138: Rewilding Your Inner Wolf with guest, Ina Gjikondi
Transcript
Welcome to Beyond the Page , the official podcast of choice , the magazine of professional coaching , where we bring you amazing insights and in-depth features that you just won't find anywhere else . Hi , I'm Garry Schleifer , your host , and I'm excited to expand your learning as we delve into the latest articles , have a chat with the brilliant authors behind them and uncover
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