Jennifer Ramsay
About Me…
Who am I? I am a mother, a storyteller, a Gestalt therapist who specializes in ecotherapy, psychodrama and expressive arts therapies. I am a workshop facilitator, a celebrant, a creative nature activist, a steward of a little piece of land in the north of Spain, a person who believes a better world is still possible and so much more…
Background
I was born and bred in Scotland and after finishing a degree in Biological Sciences at Napier University in Edinburgh, I followed the call to adventure and set off to travel around the world. After living in Portugal, Italy and Australia and spending quality time in New Zealand, Thailand, Mexico, Brazil and India, a new call to adventure came to me in my dreams: to transmit the richness of our cultural and natural heritage through art, creativity and stories. I finally settled in Spain and my two sons, Pablo and Dani, were my first audience.
Now I live in Asturias in the north of Spain, a Celtic land where the legends and mythological creatures of Scotland and Asturias merge in the mists of time.
Professional Life
I’m a storyteller. Stories have been at the heart of my professional life since 2004 and my favourites are traditional stories from Scotland and other cultures around the world as well as eco tales that talk about the importance of the web of life and our beautiful planet Earth.
In my annual course The Fairy Tale Journey, we travel with fairy tales for a year and a day to explore our process of individuation. Fairy tales and other stories can open doors to discuss sensitive issues, like death and they are very present in the Dancing with Death courses, Story Death Cafés and Story Climate Cafés that I facilitate.
I regularly offer creative story-based workshops where fairy tales and myths are woven with my studies in Gestalt therapy, expressive arts therapies, ecotherapy and psychodrama to provide a unique experience for people on a path of self-discovery. Stories can also be a valuable resource to accompany people in need of therapeutic support, especially around the climate and environmental policrisis we are facing.
I also facilitate nature-based handfasting rituals and other Celtic ceremonies based on the Celtic Wheel of the Year.
Sustainable Life
I am committed to leading a sustainable life and to walk as gently as possible on Mother Earth. I am proud to be the steward of a little piece of land in Asturias where I aim to provide a small sanctuary for native beings and put into practise what I have learnt in my Permaculture Design Course. Medicinal herbs are being planted, rain water will soon be harvested and a compost toilet will take pride of place.
I try to be the ancestor that future generations would be proud of and in creative workshops, I aim to inspire others with what I have learnt from Ecotherapy, Active Hope and The Work that Reconnects.
I am an Earth Storyteller, and have collaborated with The Earth Stories collection, Volume 2, Earth Stories in Action. As a creative nature activist and a member of the Culture Declares Climate And Ecological Emergency organization I host regular Earth Exchange rituals and Story climate Cafés. As part of the Climate Psychology Alliance, I offer, when possible, three sessions of therapeutic support to climate activists who are experiencing eco-related distress arising from eco-activism.