Lisa Meerts-Brandsma
Field Guide
Joined Open Sky: May 2009
In Wilderness Therapy since: 2009
Interview with Lisa
October 2009
Q. If you were able to meet anyone (living or dead), who would it be and why?
At this moment, I find myself attracted to the idea of meeting President Obama. I want to meet him to learn more about his philosophy on life, how it is that he's managed to become the man he is. I'd want to understand how he thinks of himself and how comfortable he is in his current position. From what I know of him, he comes from a background that many Americans share -- a mixed race, poor, first generation citizen. What's he's done is amazing and I want to meet him to learn about the influential steps along the way.
Q. What are a few of the defining moments in your life and why?
It's hard for me to point to defining moments in my life because I believe it's an accumulation of small steps that has shaped me into the person I am. Nonetheless, there are moments that have occurred when I felt supported by the people around me that have let me grow. It's these friends who let me express my true emotions -- be it happiness or grief -- who have helped define the path I'm on. Knowing I had their support regardless of the decisions I made has helped me be stronger, and it has helped me live my truth.
Q. Who has been your greatest inspiration and why?
I can't think of one person who has been my greatest inspiration, but I know the people who inspire me are those who follow their dreams. I've had many friends who have traveled off the beaten path to do the things they love, and watching them has given me the courage to do the same and -- to be cliched -- to dream impossible dreams. People like this include a horse trainer I apprenticed under, who struggled to make a living and now owns a successful business, to my partner, Paul, who quit a conventional job as a roofer to become a glassblower. In short, people who follow their dreams inspire me.
Q. What are your unique gifts and/or experiences that help our students?
I have an incredibly strong desire to keep learning, to keep asking questions, and a desire to understand the world around me. Because of this, I'm open to the fact that I don't have all the answers and I'm willing to keep an open mind. This keeps me from being a judgemental person, which I find important in the work we do. I also have spent years training horses. I've learned so much from them about life and about communication, which I bring with me into the field.
Q. Why do you work in wilderness therapy?
I work in wilderness therapy because I believe our society has become disconnected from the land around us, and we have forgotten our roots. I love to be outdoors. It makes me feel connected to the world and my environment. I think wilderness therapy gives people an opportunity to see themselves in a way they cannot with the distractions of modern life. It's a unique chance that not everyone experiences.
Q. Why do you think wilderness therapy works?
Wilderness therapy pulls people from their hectic lives and puts them in nature. Once in the wilderness, we are faced with our own company and the most basic aspects of life. We learn about ourselves in a way we cannot do inside walls. We learn what we need and we begin to see our emotions and how they affect our lives more clearly. This opportunity then helps us reconnect to the world with more understanding.
Q. What do you think Open Sky students need?
I think Open Sky students need space and time. They need structure and community. When they have this, they can begin to see how life operates at its most fundamental level. With this understanding, they can live their lives more mindfully and consciously. However, this happens only when we give them space, time, structure and the community to help guide them.
Q. What do you like to do for fun when you aren’t working in the field?
When I'm not in the field, I enjoy horseback riding and riding bikes (both road and mountain bikes). I'm an avid reader as well as a writer, and freelance for magazines. I'm also very passionate about cooking excellent food.
Professional Experience
NIA Consulting
Fraud Investigator
Daily Times/Four Corners Business Journal
Reporter
Durango Herald
Reporter
White Wood Farm
Riding Instructor
Education
BA, Cultural Creative Studies & Psychology
Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Horse Training Immersion
Parelli Natural Horsemanship School, Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Immersion Programs
University of Bremen, University of Heidelberg
Fellowhip
High Country Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources
