Oh hey there.
We probably agree it’s unlikely to know someone in a few paragraphs. So, how about a few things that are true:
My name is Sydney Badger.
I grew up on lakes and rivers and regular doses of time on the water (frozen water inclusive) make me feel good. I’ve worked in the outdoor industry since I was a teenager. Skiing and surfing fill my soul. I get what it’s like to be borderline addicted to an activity. In fact, I focused my masters degree on it.
My career has chased the question of what it takes to be well. I’ve guided canoe trips, taught yoga, coached skiing, facilitated cooking classes, taught wellness programming, hosted retreats, catered backcountry expeditions and cooked at lodges. I’ve worn a lot of hats. It definitely hasn’t been boring.
I was introduced to my own nervous system after a ski accident. I had a concussion. I was connected to the world of Somatic Experiencing. My work very quickly became about a lot more than my head injury.
What moved the needle most was having support to work with my nervous system. It was so impactful I decided to change my career for it.
Back to Earth Counselling
Back to Earth is a Virtual Private Practice based in BC, Canada. Working virtually allows me to bring this specific area of work to people near and far.
My practice is focused on adventure oriented folks because I wanted to give back to “my people”. I know what it’s like to commit your soul to these all consuming endeavours. Whether you’re employed in the industry or spend your free time in it, it’s a universe not everyone understands. It comes with growth, accomplishment, risk and consequence. It’s a world of its own.
Back to Earth is about getting to know how we’re wired. We are each a living, breathing road map for all of the formative experiences in our lives. We are mammals who evolved with clever adaptations that prioritize safety and connection. Whether we’re aware of it or not, when we feel under threat, things gets weird.
This work is about clearing off the ‘gack’ that gets in the way of being ourselves. We’re not broken, we don’t need fixing, we just develop some ways of being - internal programming if you will - that might not be useful to us anymore.
Our bodies let us know when stress shows up. Our nervous system is very capable of recalibrating itself once we learn to learn to read it, communicate with it, then give it some safe and purposeful space. That’s why it’s helpful to do this ‘work’ with someone else. Think of it like having a guide into your own inner working. It takes teamwork to work through it.
Check out some past presentations and tools in the Resource Hub.
Most people want to see credentials.
I get it. Here’s a list:
Graduate Degree: Master of Counselling, City University, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC #20738) with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors
Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) with Somatic Experiencing International
Undergraduate Degree: Honours Bachelor of Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism (HBOR), Leadership Specialization, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
Adventure Tourism University Exchange, Charles Sturt University, NSW, Australia
Wilderness First Responder (WFR), 80hr, 13 years
Canadian Ski Instructors’ Alliance (CSIA), Level 3
Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA), Operations Level 1
Start with a consult.
Consults are a (free) opportunity to say hi, talk about what you’re looking for, and see if we are a good fit for counselling sessions or consulting work. They happen over Zoom.
To set this up, either use the form below or email me at email me via backtoearthcounselling@gmail.com.