Interview with Norman

Q: Why do you work in wilderness therapy?
A: Shortly before my mother died, she asked that I consider work that actually helps people and not worry about money. These words were the inspiration for leaving my chosen field of business and entering the wilderness therapy field. Work in wilderness fits in with my intention to engage in “right work,” or an occupation that does not promote or increase confusion in people’s minds and the world. Wilderness therapy relieves people’s suffering and confusion.

Q: Why do you think wilderness works?
A: I believe that wilderness therapy works because living closely with the natural world puts us in a space that is open. Sitting on the ground, sleeping under an open sky filled with stars and breathing clean air puts us in direct contact with our natural state which is open, spacious and healthy. Further, being in a slower-paced and more open environment can point out clearly how much of our mental and emotional distress is self-generated through our own thoughts.

Q: What do you think Open Sky students need?
A: I think our students need an environment and relationships that are simultaneously firm and accepting. As a mentor-guide, I hold a space that has boundaries that are set for safety and therapeutic purpose. However, I can provide these boundaries with an attitude of non-judgmental support. Our students need an opportunity to explore and experience their pain and confusion in a container that is supported and guided so that they can see the connection between their mental and emotional states and their habitual behaviors.

Q: If you were able to meet anyone, who would it be?
A: If I were able to meet anyone, I would meet Martin Luther King Jr. He is an example of a spiritual person who was able to see what was unjust and the cause of much human misery, and then was able to organize people to make a change in the world. He approached overwhelming situations from a position of non-aggression.

Q: What are a few of defining moments in your life? 
A: (1) Being at my mother’s side while she suffered from cancer and then also being there at the moment of her death. (2) Two attempts to climb Mount Ranier, the first without summiting due to weather. The first experience challenged me to be with the disappointment even though I was actively intellectualizing that is was okay not to summit. The second attempt yielded a successful summit attempt. However, while on top I nearly fell into a crevasse. This experience made me feel acutely aware of the preciousness of my life and saw how some “achievements” may not be worth it. (3) Speaking to colleagues at a place where I used to work about my experience of being a minority while knowing full well that as members of the dominant culture they might not understand or appreciate my position or experience.

Q: What do you do for fun?
A: For fun, I enjoy traveling both domestically and internationally. I also enjoy playing percussion instruments, dancing to music, and cooking elaborate meals for friends and family. I also greatly enjoy films as an art form and as entertainment.

Q: Who has been your greatest inspiration and why?
A: My greatest inspiration is my parents, who had the drive and determination to move to the United States with nothing but their suitcases. They managed to carve out a life for their family here, sending my sister and me to school, and they afforded my sister and me opportunities that are unheard of in my native Philippines. They struggled, stumbled, and yet continued onward.

Q: What are your unique gifts, experiences that help our students?
A: My unique gifts that are helpful to students include: my talents with group facilitation, my meditation and yoga practices, and my identity as a racial minority that gives me a unique view on our culture.

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