This presentation invites viewers to engage with their curiosities on the connections between nervous system theories like polyvagal theory and attachment theory as they relate to natural spaces, mental health management, loss/grief and climate grief. To create a road map for these associations, I traveled to the land known as Sweden, visiting natural sites and ancient archeological spaces.

Through the process of interacting with the natural elements in my ancestral homelands, there is an intent to display various states of nervous system regulation and/or dysregulation through bodily movements, postures and facial expressions.

Creating this work in ancestral homelands led to feelings of deep connection and familiarity with natural spaces, similar to co-regulation with a close friend, lover or family member. The physical movements made in the work exhibit a self-prescribed weight of discomfort and difficulty, followed by lounging on the land in ways that begs the question: are they restful or depleted?

Through co-regulating with the land as my parental surrogate, I was able to return to my body and a sense of grounding. The resulting images, video and words represent internal and external experiences with relational healing. In this instance, relational healing is done with land instead of humans.