About Whispertree

/ˈanTHrəpəˌsēn/ Relating to, or denoting, the current geological age viewed as the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment.

/ˈanTHrəpəˌsēn/ Relating to, or denoting, the current geological age viewed as the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment.

Whispertree is the fruition of Karin and Jon’s shared belief in the value of humans gathering in nature for intentional, reverential and purposeful transformation.

Jon’s career began as a community organizer building grassroots organizations helping ordinary people build political power as a force for positive change. Following a decade of poor work-life balance leading to burnout, Jon recognized that outer political change without inner transformation was limited, if not potentially destructive. Embarking on a journey of self-discovery, he emerged as a leadership coach, helping activists become more powerful change agents by cultivating greater self-awareness and presence in all of life’s experiences. A crucial part of his healing journey revealed the painful separation he experienced from the natural world and the value of slowing down to recognize our profound interdependence. His deepening love of self and nature was the inspiration for a retreat center devoted to supporting those seeking personal and societal transformation.

Karin’s love of the natural world has its roots in an English childhood and a Swedish mother’s love for the outdoors. England’s age-old ‘walking rights’ on country land gave Karin an internalized sense of the value of public access to natural beauty. In her early 30s, she became a student of the Diamond Approach and earned a degree as a psychotherapist, developing a respect for the healing power of group work in a loving and supportive holding environment. Pursuing her life-long curiosity in human development, gender, truth and the evolution of consciousness, Karin has come to see our historical moment as a call for reconnection with the ‘feminine principle’ both within us, regardless of our gender, and in our connection to the natural world.

In the last 15 years, Jon and Karin’s vision has been supported and guided by many people and perspectives. A chance encounter in Patagonia with Doug Tompkins, a visionary leader in the deep ecology and regenerative land management movement, inspired them to become students of permaculture learning from esteemed teachers at Occidental Arts and Ecology Center. Additionally, Lindsay Dailey, Tribal EcoRestoration Alliance (TERA), and the worker owners of LIFT Economy all have shared profound wisdom, principles and practices related to regeneration and the next economy. While honoring these mentors and the indigenous roots from which they have each drawn inspiration, Jon and Karin have begun the work of caring for and cultivating Whispertree’s land.