Wisdom of the Pack with Erik Wardell
A Journey of Confidence, Connection, and Inner Strength
Middle School Cohort | Ages 12–14
A Gathering Space for Boys Becoming Young Men: Confidence, Connection, and Inner Strength
Ages 12–14 | 5 Wednesday gatherings
Details:
Wednesdays, 3:30–4:45pm
5 gatherings: November 4, 11, 18 & December 2, 9
No gathering: November 25 (Thanksgiving week)
This is a closed group format that begins on November 4th. Each scheduled meeting session will build on the previous, and we hope that your son can join for all 5 meetings.
Location: True Nature, The Kiva
There comes a time in every young man’s life when he begins to ask: What kind of man do I want to become?
Wisdom of the Pack is a small-group gathering for boys navigating this important threshold. It isn’t a class about how to be a man, nor is it therapy. It’s a space to experience brotherhood, deepen self-awareness, find your voice, and explore what it means to grow into manhood.
Through stories, myths, and archetypal characters, we use timeless narratives as mirrors for the journey of growing up. We’ll read stories together and explore what each boy sees in them: What do you see in this character? What reminds you of your own life? What challenges you? What are you curious about? There is no right interpretation. The wisdom comes from what each boy discovers for himself and from what emerges through the group.
Alongside story and myth, we’ll weave in honest conversation, mindfulness, movement, time in nature, and reflection. Together, we’ll explore courage, integrity, emotional awareness, resilience, belonging, and a kind of strength that doesn’t need to prove itself.
At the heart of the experience is a simple idea:
We discover who we are together
This is a place where boys don’t have to perform, have it all figured out, or be the loudest or toughest in the room. They simply get to show up as themselves, be witnessed by their brothers, play some games, and begin to discover who they are and who they’re becoming.
Who Is This For?
Wisdom of the Pack is for boys ages 12–14 who might benefit from a little more space to slow down, connect, reflect, and find their footing during a meaningful stage of growing up.
Maybe he's naturally introspective.
Maybe he's struggling to find his place.
Maybe he's confident but doesn't always know what to do with his emotions.
Maybe he loves being around other boys but is craving deeper connection.
Maybe he's beginning to wonder what kind of person, and eventually what kind of man, he wants to become.
He doesn't need to arrive with a particular problem.
He just needs to be willing to show up.
Testimonial
“When I first signed my son up for Wisdom of the Pack, I honestly didn’t know what to expect — and my son, who tends to be resistant to new activities, surprised me by not pushing back at all after his first session. That told me something was different.
Since then, he’s attended two of Erik’s groups, and each time he comes home with something to share — a piece of wisdom, a new connection with another kid, or just a genuine excitement to tell me what he learned. I’ve noticed a real shift in his maturity since he started, and as a parent, that’s the kind of growth you hope for but don’t always see so clearly.
Erik has created a space where boys actually want to show up and engage, which speaks volumes about the trust and respect he builds with them. I’m so grateful for the impact Wisdom of the Pack has had on my son, and I’d recommend it to any parent looking for that kind of positive, character-building community for their son.”
Meet Your Guide: Erik Wardell
Erik Wardell is a men's work facilitator, mindfulness guide, and mental health educator with a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Rooted in presence and purpose, he creates spaces for people, especially men and boys, to reconnect with their inner wisdom, navigate life's challenges, and remember the wholeness that’s already within them. Guided by love, curiosity, and a deep reverence for the human experience and the natural world, Erik invites others to slow down, go deep, and celebrate this little miracle we call life.
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This offering is part of our Youth Programming, an educational initiative of the Connection is the Medicine Foundation. We are a non-profit foundation dedicated to co-creating opportunities for people to connect – with self, community, and the natural world – so they can discover meaning, purpose, and happiness in service of our shared consciousness. We envision a world where connection is embodied as a core value that nurtures wholeness within and between us all.
To learn more about our mission-driven work, the foundation, other programming experiences, and our founders Eaden and Deva Shantay, please visit www.connectionisthemedicine.com.
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Please view our Etiquette and Refund Policies.
If you have any questions, you may contact Megan Miller, Director of Education and Programming at megan@connectionisthemedicine.com or 970-765-4412