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Rewilding Therapy: Ecosystemic Theory and Practice

Author(s) : Chiara Fortina Santin

Reviews and Endorsements

This delightfully engaging book is somewhat of a multi-tasker. In part it offers practitioners (from multiple modalities and whether trainees, newly qualified or long experienced) a way to re-wild their therapy and embrace eco-systemic practices. This is timely and vital and described in ways that are easy to follow and truly inspiring. There is also, here, a rich overview of important theory, relevant to rethinking (and disturbing) systemic practice, not shying away from unsettling "truths". Amongst this, woven throughout like a fine web are Chiara's personal stories, reflections, poems and images. As a reader I found many points of connection with her stories- both humble and bold in the telling- and also enough difference to create curiosity and tension, tensions that invite the reader to reflect on their own influences and ecologies of practice. Whether you are looking for theory, models, practice examples, personal reflections, creative activities, advice or guidance- you will find it all here, beautifully presented and shared with generosity of spirit. What a gift!
Dr Leah Salter, Centre for Systemic Studies, Wales; University of Bedfordshire, UK; Murmurations: Journal of Transformative Systemic Practice

Chiara Santin brings her whole body, mind, soul and nature into her writing of this book. Images from her alpine Italian childhood, St. Francis, and her Nonna intra-mingle with her experiences of moving to live in the South of England and (with)in a second language. All seamlessly appear and both poetically and artistically interweave a Batesonian pattern through scenes with her co-explorers as she invites them to share similar spaces in themselves in Nature as Nature. She moves along with the metaphor and practice of hospitality, creating bricolages of languages, practices and nature artwork culminating in her Nat-Gathering Map which lightly steers her Ecosystemic approach. We, the readers, are offered well known systemic and Ecosystemic practices that she has found resonant with families and nature practices. For those who might be a bit overawed of a therapy in Nature, Chiara shows us gentle and pragmatic ways to be together with those who ask for our help with/within Nature herself. A must read for anyone wanting to take a step on the gentle and wild side. This needs to be required reading for all students of systemic practices.
Dr Imelda McCarthy, Fifth Province Practices, Dublin Ireland

This book is an important and much needed bridge between Systemic Psychotherapy and the emerging field of Ecopsychotherapy. Chiara has skilfully woven together her deep knowledge of the academic literature with her own personal experience, practice and poetry. This book is a rich resource for anyone coming new to the field of Eco Systemic Psychotherapy as well as qualified Systemic Psychotherapists wanting to include outdoor work and nature into their practice. This book points a way to the future of systemic Psychotherapy as we face the social implications of the unfolding global ecological and entangled mental health crisis.
Roger Duncan, Systemic Eco Psychotherapist, NHS and independent practice, UK

Chiara Santin's Rewilding Therapy is a gift to systemic practitioners at this time of panmorphic crisis. We are invited to move outdoors in doing our work and nature is described as co-therapist - which decreases therapist power and honours our widest context. She weaves her life story with theory, poetry and her rewilding practice. I was fortunate to experience a nat-gathering practice (described in Chapter 8) with Chiara at an online workshop. We were invited to connect with our values and to articulate ways of acting them in our lives. By sharing our intentions, we became accountable to ourselves and our community. Chiara's book invites us to live and practice differently, imagining ourselves beyond the anthropocene.
Lorna Edwards, Independent Systemic Psychotherapist, Cymru/Wales

Interwoven with biographical, reflexive insights and poetry this book brings into the fold of systemic therapy an important wider family member, nature. Chiara, drawing on a comprehensive multidisciplinary literature covering ecology (including rewilding), ecotherapy, systemic therapy, embodiment and self, introduces Ecosystemic therapy as an integrated approach to wellbeing. To illustrate these ideas, Chiara brings her unique approach alive by presenting a breadth of case study material based on her work outdoors and interweaves these experiences with theory. A wonderful and novel addition to the broad ecopsychology and eco-psychotherapeutic corpus.
Dr Joe Hinds, Psychotherapist and Senior Lecturer, University of Greenwich