Josh McLean, a social worker and Bush Adventure Therapy Facilitator, shares insights on hide tanning, nature connection, Attachment Theory, and the pale blue dot we call home. He discusses life, death, reskilling, and the importance of diversity in activism. Explore the transformative effects of nature on well-being and the challenges of mindfulness in a technology-dominated society.
Tanning embodies ancestral wisdom and respect for life cycles, bridging tradition with mental health practice.
Nature connection crucial for mental well-being, advocating for regular breaks in green spaces to combat screen-based living.
Vision for a harmonious world entails breaking barriers, fostering relationships through shared nature experiences and stories.
Deep dives
The Art of Tanning: Connecting Tradition with Modern Mental Health Practice
Tanning, a traditional human craft, is celebrated for preserving animal skins and the warmth they provide. The speaker shares a personal journey from veganism to tanning, highlighting the shift from seeing furs as trophies to honoring life through the ancestral practice. The podcast explores the intersection of tanning, personal resilience, and celebrating life cycles, emphasizing the importance of facing the visceral realities of existence. By integrating ancestral skills like tanning with modern mental health practice, the speaker, Josh McLean, bridges the gap between tradition and contemporary well-being.
Nature Connection and Mental Health: A Path to Resilience
The discussion delves into the vital connection between nature and mental health, emphasizing the abundance of benefits it offers. Attention restoration theory is highlighted as a tool to combat screen-based living, advocating for regular breaks in green spaces to rejuvenate the mind. Nature connection is positioned as an essential element for human well-being, offering respite from the cognitive overload and information bombardment of modern life. The conversation underscores the importance of embracing nature to foster a balance between productivity and being present.
Breaking Barriers Through Shared Skills and Connection
The vision for a harmonious world is painted as a collective dream of co-designing, co-learning, and fostering supportive relationships. By breaking down barriers that cause separation, such as othering, the speaker envisions a world where diverse individuals come together through shared stories and skills. Through hands-on workshops like tanning, which attract a wide spectrum of participants, the potential for bridging conflicting ideologies and uniting people under a common desire for nature connection and shared experiences is explored.
Finding Balance in Everyday Life: Practices for Well-Being
The speaker shares personal practices for integrating connection with nature into daily life, emphasizing the importance of self-compassion and self-reflection. Incorporating activities like journaling, outdoor walks, and sailing, the conversation highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing modern demands with the need for nature-based grounding. By prioritizing self-care and mindful interactions with the environment, the speaker navigates the delicate dance between productivity-focused living and moments of being present in the natural world.
Embracing Attachment Theory and Relational Healing
The exploration transitions into attachment theory's role in understanding relationships, both human-to-human and human-to-nature connections. By adapting attachment theory to relate to one's bond with the Earth and the environment, the speaker emphasizes the importance of secure attachments for individual well-being. The discussion highlights the transformative potential of nature-based therapies, drawing parallels between secure attachments in personal relationships and bonding with nature for holistic healing and growth.
Have you considered the backstory of your leather shoes? Are you curious about the process that transforms raw hides into luxurious handbags? Do you wonder how tanning relates to personal and collective resilience? Ever thought about nature connection through the lens of Attachment Theory? If so, my guest today is sure to massage your mind.
It’s Josh McLean, a social worker and Bush Adventure Therapy Facilitator who also happens to be an expert in the lost art of hide tanning.
You might know him as the guy from The Bush Tannery, but he’s increasingly bringing his wicked set of ancestral skills to bear on modern mental health practice.
I first met Josh at a rabbit tanning workshop he was leading in the middle of the city, and I was really honoured that he was made the time to reconnect and join me on the podcast to share his fascinating perspective on life, death, the past, the future, changemaking, bridge building and the pale blue dot we call home. So, please enjoy this ye olde skills edition of Reskillience with Josh McLean.
