272: Embracing the Healing Powers of Nature and Community
“It’s remarkable when you get involved in what nature has to offer — how healing it can be and how enriching and rewarding it can be to be out in nature — to observe life outside of yourself.” — Scot Simmons
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Guest
Scot Simmons is a husband, father, and fly fishing guide. He is 12 years in recovery from addiction and doing well managing depression and anxiety, which started at a young age. Fast forward decades, and he is able to walk and talk in his truth and make purposeful change.
Summary
Jeff and Scot's conversation delved into their mutual love for fly fishing and the connection it fosters with nature. They emphasized the significance of savoring the process and environment over fixating solely on catching fish. Amidst shared fishing dreams and destinations, Scot revealed his struggles with mental health and how fly fishing served as a therapeutic outlet. He spoke about breaking unhealthy patterns, seeking help, and healing for the sake of his children. The discourse touched on the impact of a viral fishing moment, self-doubt, witnessing George Floyd's murder, and the healing power of community engagement and mentorship.
Social media / Referenced
About Jeff
Jeff Ikler is the Director of Quetico Leadership and Career Coaching. He works with leaders in all aspects of life to identify and overcome obstacles in their desired future. “Quetico” (KWEH-teh-co). He came to the field of coaching after a 35-year career in educational publishing, where he served as an editor, marketer, and eventually the head of all publishing disciplines. There, he was first exposed to coaching – as a client – and the concepts of self-awareness and servant leadership. Prior to his career in educational publishing, Jeff taught high-school U.S. history and government.
Jeff hosts the “Getting Unstuck—Cultivating Curiosity” podcast – for 5 years running. Curiosity sits at the intersection of creativity, effective human interactions, problem-solving, and purposeful change. Unfortunately, the pace of life — at home, work, and school — often sidetracks our natural curiosity. The guests and topics he explores are designed to help us think differently about the familiar and welcome the new as something to consider. he is also the co-host of the “Cultivating Resilience – A Whole Community Approach to Alleviating Trauma in Schools.
He co-authored Shifting: How School Leaders Can Create a Culture of Change. Shifting integrates leadership development and change mechanics in a three-part change framework to help guide school leaders and their teams toward productive change.
Show Credits
"Getting Unstuck" is commercial-free. It’s brought to you by Jeff Ikler, his amazing guests, and Neil Hughes, the best engineer a podcaster could ask for.
"Getting Unstuck" theme music: Original composition of "Allegro ben ritmato e deciso" by George Gershwin. Arrangement and recording courtesy of Bruno Lecoeur.