Honoring Change:
Ceremony, Ritual, & Rite of Passage as Tools for Transformation

A Prescott College Intensive for Adventure Therapy and Ecopsychology Master’s students, General Counseling and Education Master’s students, and alumni, therapists and educators.

April 2-6, 2017 near Prescott, AZ

Course Description 

“The only constant in life is change.” As therapists and educators, we experience this maxim on a daily basis. We bear witness to changes large and small, wanted and unwanted, as clients and students grow and mature, enter and exit relationships, jobs, life stages and more. Whether a particular change is chosen or not, it affords opportunities to let go of an old way of being, learn and grow, and embark on a new path or identity.

Throughout history, cultures have developed ceremonies to mark major life transitions and to help people integrate the psycho-spiritual shifts that accompany change. But in the increasingly mechanized, computerized, fast-paced modern West, many of us have lost our traditional ways of ceremony and ritual. Instead, we learn myriad methods to numb our pain and avoid change. How can we support our clients and students to honor change?

Course Objectives

Through lecture, discussion, and experiential opportunities, participants will:

• Examine the process of change and identify the inherent opportunities and challenges of life transitions;

• Learn to utilize, craft, and facilitate culturally relevant ceremony and ritual in support of client life transitions and therapeutic process;

• Co-create and embark on two-day ceremonial wilderness solos to support personal goals and meaningful transition;

• Experience nature, silence, and solitude as powerful allies in supporting conscious life transition.

Next Steps & Details At-A-Glance

Registration: This course will be limited to twenty participants, and is open on a first-come, first-served basis.

Prescott students: If you are a Prescott student, register for MAEPINTENSIVE, then number 3. In the pdf published college catalog, look in section: Masters - 5. Eco/Adventure-Based Psychotherapy.

General Public: If you are not currently a student, please contact Maurie Lung (mlung@prescott.edu) directly to register. CEU's are available for an additional $25 fee. 

Who: This course is designed to provide a powerful experiential component to the education of  Prescott College Master's students in the Counseling Psychology and Education, and will be especially beneficial for those focusing on Adventure Therapy, Ecopsychology, and Adventure Education. This course is also open to alumni and members of the general public who work as therapists and/or educators. It provides a great opportunity for you to broaden your skill set and obtain first-hand experience in facilitating ceremonies and rituals. Continuing Education credits are available!  

When: April 2-6, 2017.

Where: The location will be driving distance from Prescott College, to enable participants to attend the April 2017 Colloquium without having to purchase an additional plane ticket.

Lodging: We will be engaged in "primitive" camping - meaning there will be no toilets or running water. Participants will need to bring their own tents, sleeping pads, sleeping bags, backpacks, and other personal items. Cooking gear, food, and water will be provided.  

Fitness and Challenge Level: We will not be backpacking, but participants will need to be able to bring their gear to their campsite and set up camp. Other than that, mild walking is the only physical activity that is included in this course. A one-night wilderness solo is part of this course; fasting is optional. 

Why: Equip yourself to support your clients and students in times of transition, expand your repertoire of nature-based interventions, and learn to create and facilitate culturally relevant ceremonies and rituals for clients. This intensive counts as one of the two required experiential intensives students concentrating in Adventure Therapy or Ecopsychology.  

Cost: $500. If you are not currently a student and would like to receive CEUs for this course, there will be an additional $25 fee.  

For more info: If you have questions about course content, you may contact Katie Asmus at kasmus25@hotmail.com or 303-881-8802. If you have questions about course logistics, you may contact Kris Abrams at kris@cedartreehealing.org or 303-518-3755. 

Course Facilitators

Katie Asmus, MA, LPC, BMP
Founder of Namaste Healing Arts, Katie practices as a somatic and wilderness psychotherapist, life coach, educator, mentor, workshop facilitator and wilderness quest guide. Katie provides nature-based and somatic trainings internationally, and teaches students at Prescott College and Naropa University’s Wilderness and Somatic Counseling programs. She is constantly in awe of the strength, creativity and resiliency of the human spirit and the inherent wisdom of our body-minds.

Kris Abrams, MA, MS
Kris practices nature-based psychotherapy and shamanic healing with Cedar Tree Healing Arts. A Rhodes scholar, she holds a Master’s of Philosophy in Social History from Oxford University, and a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling from Prescott College. Kris believes that all of us can live lives of authenticity, meaning, connection and joy, and that nature can be a powerful ally in helping us do so.

We look forward to seeing you in April!