About Us
Mandy Young – Ecotherapist / Dolphin Experience Facilitator
In the last 17 years Mandy has embarked on a new journey – studying the African Wild Dogs at many wildlife reserves in South Africa and Zimbabwe, and more recently the mothering behaviour in African Elephants, as well as social behaviour in Dolphins and wild Meerkats. Mandy has found her wilderness experiences and research to have provided important understandings for her work with people. She realized that genetically, soulfully and spiritually we evolved in adaptation to nature and as humans, we are not best adapted to the stresses and strains of city life and many aspects of our westernized lifestyles. Mandy has developed ecotherapy experiences where she has encourages guests to embark on their own journeys of healing and self-discovery in wilderness spaces whilst observing animals with social behaviour.
“In nature we experience the therapeutic environment of unconditional acceptance, the stability, continuity and containment of natural processes and cycles of life and death that are reflective of most long-term human relationships. Animals are present in the moment, not worrying about past events or worrying about future possible encounters with predators, their attitude can help us enormously to be present, authentic and honest with ourselves.”
Her understandings have culminated in four tailor-made ecotherapy experiences: Wild Women, Wild Dogs & Wild Men, the Wisdom of Elephants, Dancing with Dolphins and Mingling with Meerkats.
The culmination of her work has been the subject of several magazine articles and newspaper editorials, local and national conference presentations, and has recently been included in a baby book called Ecotherapy, the Wisdom of Elephants and Continuum Concepts. Her ecotherapy experiences and Hurt to Hope program has also been featured in several documentary series on animals and healing.
