Mountainman Ecotherapy
A men's therapeutic group finding stillness, strength, and connection in the wilds of West Virginia.
Limited Spots Available! Register by July 7th.
You're carrying a lot. And you've been carrying it alone.
Maybe social situations leave you exhausted and second-guessing yourself. Maybe you freeze when you need to make a quick decision, especially when others are watching. Maybe you've avoided conflict so long that you're not sure how to navigate it anymore, or you've pushed people away without quite meaning to.
This group was created for adults who are ready to do something about it.
You might be a good fit if you recognize yourself here:
Social situations feel unpredictable, and you often don't know quite how to read the room or what to say next
You freeze or shut down when you need to make decisions quickly, especially when other people are involved
You want closer relationships but aren't sure you have the tools to build or sustain them
Conflict or disagreement with others, even minor ones, leaves you anxious long afterward
You tend to either defer completely or dig in too hard, and neither approach feels right
Schedule with our Client Care Coordinator to find out if this group is right for you.
Nature has always been the best teacher. We're just going back to class.
Mountainman Ecotherapy is a five-week therapeutic group that takes the work outside, literally. Each Sunday morning, a small group of men gathers in the West Virginia landscape to slow down, observe, and reconnect. With nature. With each other. With themselves.
Led by Jason Ruehl at Mind Body Wellness, this group draws on the principles of ecotherapy – the evidence-based practice of using time in nature as a therapeutic tool. But this isn't a hike with a therapist. It's a guided, intentional experience where the natural world becomes the framework for real emotional work.
No experience with therapy or the outdoors required. Just a willingness to show up.
Spots are limited to 6 participants. Reserve your intake session today
Group Details:
Starts:
Sunday, July 12th
When:
Sundays, 9:00 – 11:00 AM
Format:
4 sessions, open but limited cohort
Who:
Men and masculine-identifying adults, 18+
Location:
In-person, outdoors, Morgantown, WV
Limited Spots Available!
Fee:
Pay What You Can
We believe cost should never be a barrier.
Pay What You Can:
Sponsor Wellness
(I'm in a good place and want to support others)
$60 per session
Sustain Wellness
(This rate works comfortably for my budget)
$35 per session
Support Wellness
(Every dollar counts right now)
$0-$20 per session
The July 5th cohort is forming now and registration closes July 7th. Contact our Client Care Coordinator today to claim your spot
Your Guide Through the Adventure
Jason Ruehl is a lifetime outdoorsman with 10 years of experience in outdoor education, teaching students as young as 3 years old. He is trained in animal tracking, wilderness first aid, and eco-somatics. His main interests are fungi, animal behavior, and non-flowering plants.
Registration closes July 7th. Reach out now and we'll connect you with Jason.
Four Weeks. Four Lessons the Land Has Always Known.
Each session follows the natural landscape as its curriculum, and each week builds on the last. Here's what the arc looks like:
Week 1 — Introductions & Observation (July 12th)
We begin with the most fundamental skill most of us have forgotten: how to actually see what's around us. Using all five senses, the group practices active curiosity, sitting with the question "What is this?" without rushing toward an answer or a label. We share what we notice. We slow down. We arrive.
Week 2 — Make the Big Things Small (and Vice Versa) (July 19th)
A boulder has endured centuries. A tree has watched generations pass. This week we use detailed observation of large things to practice perspective, what geologists call deep time. Then we turn that lens inward: what's troubling you today? How does it look a week from now? A month? Sometimes the big things shrink when we give them enough space.
Week 3 — Lessons from Water (July 26th)
At the water's edge, we watch. We move through three kinds of water: the stillness of the marsh, the depth of the main pond, the force of the spillway and we observe how each one behaves differently while remaining, fundamentally, water. We explore the Taoist concept of Wu Wei: knowing when to move with the current and when to resist it. Circumstances change us. Events shape us. But we are still water.
Week 4 — Grow Where You Are (August 2nd)
A plant pushing through rock didn't choose its conditions, it simply grew anyway. Some circumstances make growth harder. Some make it easier. But growth happens. This final session is about relinquishing the path: the group chooses where we walk, and we move without a fixed destination or goal. We sit with what Viktor Frankl knew even in the darkest of places: that peace is available to us, if we know how to look for it. We close by finding our own transcendent moment and carrying it back with us.
This cohort begins July 12th and fills quickly. Talk to our Client Care Coordinator to get on Jason's calendar.
How Each Sunday Morning Unfolds
Each 2 hour session follows the same general flow:
Meet at the trailhead: the group gathers at the parking area
Grassy area check-in: a brief, grounded opening before the journey begins
The walk and the lesson: moving through the landscape with intention, guided reflection along the way
Return and close: bringing it back before parting
What You'll Carry Back With You
By the end of five sessions, participants walk away with more than memories of a good morning outside:
A healthier relationship with your own emotions – practical techniques for regulation that don't require a couch or a clipboard
Shared experience with other men – real connection built in a space where vulnerability is welcomed, not penalized
A new relationship with the natural world – and the grounding that comes from knowing where to go when life gets loud
The ability to be present – in your body, in a moment, in a conversation
An appreciation for what tenacity looks like – in nature, and in yourself
July 7th is the last day to register. Take the first step today and talk to our Client Care Coordinator
The Right Fit Matters: For You and For the Group
This group is a great fit if you are:
A man or masculine-identifying adult, 18 or older
Ready to engage with your emotional life in a new way
Adventurous and willing to get a little dirty
Able to walk or roll approximately one mile on uneven outdoor terrain
Open to shared experience with other men in a therapeutic setting
This group may not be the right fit if you:
Are under 18
Are unable to navigate approximately one mile of outdoor, uneven terrain
Are unwilling to engage with the natural environment (including weather and wilderness conditions)
Hold or express views that are discriminatory toward others' identity, sexuality, or background
Not sure if this is the right fit? Our Client Care Coordinator can help you figure that out; no pressure, no commitment. Just a conversation.
Before the Journey Begins
Because this is a small, intentional cohort, we take time upfront to make sure it's a genuine fit.
The Intake Session
Joining Mountainman Ecotherapy begins with a one-hour individual intake session with Jason. This session is billed as a full session at a full intern fee of $75. It's a chance to get to know each other, answer your questions, and confirm the group is the right next step for you.
*We are using the pay-what-you-can model, meaning no one will be turned away due to financial hardship.
Pay What You Can
Group sessions operate on a Pay What You Can model – because we believe cost shouldn't stand between you and this kind of experience. You and Jason will have a candid conversation about what's sustainable for you during your intake.
What to Bring
Each participant will receive a checklist before the group begins. Plan on:
Sturdy footwear (shoes, boots, or hiking sandals – no flip-flops or crocs)
Small backpack or daypack
40 oz of water or more
Hat or head covering
Rain jacket
Optional: magnifying glass, binoculars, camera for nature photography, journal, snacks
Please come prepared.
The July 12th cohort is forming now. Reach out to our Client Care Coordinator to schedule your intake with Jason.
The Trail Starts Here
The first step is a conversation. Reach out and our Client Care Coordinator will gather some information, answer your initial questions, and – if it's a good fit – connect you with Jason to get started.
Spots are filling fast — group begins July 12
Mountainman Ecotherapy is a therapeutic group facilitated by a counseling intern with a licensed therapist present. It is not a substitute for individual therapy. All outdoor activities are conducted with safety as a priority. Participants are responsible for arriving appropriately equipped per the provided checklist.
