Discovery

To guide and support youth coming of age through mentoring and contemporary, nature-based rites of passage.

Stay tuned for upcoming offerings

"There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly."

R. Buckminster Fuller

Discovery Program

The adolescent years are a key developmental phase in a young person’s life. Here, the tasks of discovering our belonging while living into our authenticity can be in tension with each other and the greater community. Discovery is an invitation to explore the ways in which we belong; to ourselves, to our communities, to our ancestry, and to the earth.

We honor the deep human desire to make meaning in our lives through ritual and ceremony, and especially the need of adolescents to mark the many transitions taking place in their physical, emotional, and spiritual lives. We open our minds and hearts to the intelligence of the natural world and engage in practices to help us more deeply connect with both inner and outer landscapes. We co-create a vibrant community where youth are seen, supported, and celebrated through every layer of their journey.

“In a time when rites of passage have become rare, undervalued, and often forgotten in the blur of modern life, this experience brought something essential and ancient back into the life of our child. We are so deeply grateful to Flourish and the role you’ve played as a true ally in raising our daughter.”

Parent

Discovery Program

“When I spend time in nature I have more energy to explore often ignored aspects of my life. The space for self-reflection and joyful connection surfaced insights about myself that I had lost sight of.”

Teen Participant

Discovery Program

“This experience has added a scoop of authenticity and a handful of growth to a teenager feeling lost in a dying world.”

Teen Participant

Discovery Program

Interested in the Discovery Program?

Contact emily@flourishfoundation.org

FAQs

What ages can participate in Discovery programming?

While Discovery programming is primarily geared toward the tween/teen age group, we recognize the value of inviting the village in to support young people coming of age. So, programming may often include a wider range of ages — parents, grandparents, community elders.

What does a Discovery experience actually look like?

The most common thread woven across the variety of Discovery experiences is being outside in nature exploring both inner and outer landscapes. Past Discovery experiences have included multi-day backpacking trips and a series of day-long wanders in nature. This program is design to be responsive to the needs and interests of the young people who feel called to participate and co-create!

How do I participate?

The best way to stay informed of upcoming Discovery offerings is to subscribe to the Flourish newsletter and/or social media where we send timely invitations to join programming. Enrollment and registration details will be included with each offering.