Dr. Dana Kilsanin
Growing recognition has begun around Fayetteville in regards to Dr. Dana Klisanin, and her transformative approach of integrating the arts, nature, and mind-body practices to support whole-person well-being. Rewilding: Lab, nestled within the heart of Fayetteville, is a holistic approach to transformation. They believe that the key to whole health lies within our relationship to the natural world, and I had the privilege of interviewing the founder to understand what this truly means, and how it’s impacting the community.
The founder, Dr. Dana Klisanin, is an incredibly accomplished leader. Earning her Ph.D. in psychology, contributing research to 30+ peer-reviewed articles, earning accolades from the American Psychological Association, and even being named one of the “50 Leading Female Futurists” by Forbes— her passion drives the understanding of this topic, and can be felt upon introduction.
The office, located at 300 W Mountain St., was overflowing with natural light, collected seashells, and fresh coffee that was offered upon my arrival. There was an immediate sense of peace within the atmosphere, which I can only truly attribute to Dr. Klisanin. The initial goal was to better understand what specifically Rewilding: Lab is doing, yet through the information shared, the end of our conversation resulted in a period of self reflection on how I can implement this into my daily life.
Dr. Klisanin stated “I founded Rewilding: Lab because I wanted to bring more awareness to the important role that nature plays in our lives, and our mental and emotional life in particular.” If you are anything like me, the first curiosity you may have is what the term ‘Rewilding’ even means, and Dr. Klisanin explained this through the example of scientists reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone National Park. “It is an approach to ecology. For example, in an area that has been deforested, you want to bring the ecosystem back to what it was previously.” She expressed. “Rewilding is typically about putting nature back into places that have lost it”, and as this applies to humans, it means implementing a connection to nature into our daily routines to fully flourish.
This is exactly what her mission and goal is. Dr. Klisanin shared how nature has always been a point of appreciation within her life, but the true call to dive deeper into Rewilding did not start until the COVID-19 Pandemic. “I was investigating something called the ‘antifragile mindset’, which is an approach to difficult circumstances.” She observed that during this period of isolation, more people were turning to activities surrounding action, such as spending time outside or completing arts and crafts. Another point of inspiration was attending a Rewilding workshop in Ireland, and thus “the workshop, in tandem with the research, all finally came together to make me ask: How can we rewild ourselves?”.
Rewilding: Lab offers whole-person transformation, with things such as innovative workshops, wellness coaching, community engagement and research, and even volunteer opportunities. Dr. Klisanin made it a point to express that although she is certified in forest therapy, she took a different direction than just calling her mission ‘nature therapy’. It appears as though this is a surface-level term to describe what she is doing, as it is not only nature therapy, but also an investigation of culture, biology, evolution, and genetics.
Dr. Klisanin explained her interest in a hypothesis introduced by EO Wilson, an acclaimed scientist known for developing the field of sociobiology. The Biophilia Hypothesis is the belief that humans are genetically predisposed to be attracted to nature, and that the connection to nature is inherently within all of us. I felt excitement and pure passion in her voice as she questioned how far this hypothesis truly goes, prompting my curiosity as well. Science has proven that things such as trauma can be passed down genetically, and play into the development of humans. It is also important to note that humans of many different cultures have historically had a relationship with nature, so therefore, Dr. Klisanin questions “what if we have a cultural transmission of these ways that we used to honor the earth?”.
In short, the discussion of Biophilia and epigenetics explain why Rewilding is more than just nature therapy. It is a scientific discussion of how connecting to the outside world is inherently within us, and not just a pseudoscience taken on by free spirits. In a time of mental health crisis, Dr. Klisanin questions how the lack of nature within daily routines and the emphasis on screen time is not only making us disconnect from each other, but more so disconnect from ourselves.
“I chose rewilding because for me, it’s much more than just being in nature. It is connecting with our own humanity, and the ‘more than human’ world. We are nature too, and the loss of this connection is not just to the outdoors but to ourselves.”
Dr. Klisanin is transforming not only the world of science through her research, but actively guiding members of our community towards a new path to self-discovery. She emphasized the importance of this by comparing the stereotypes around mental health in the past versus today. “I want people to know that this is not pseudoscience. There is environmental science that supports how the earth and nature enhances our lives, and there is a large body of research backing this as a healing method.”
Whether you are a nature lover or the latter, there is an abundance of insight to be gained from both Dr. Klisanin and the work she promotes. Her knowledge on this topic is vast and indisputable, yet she carries a humble wisdom and patience within teaching it to others. I cannot express enough how rejuvenated I felt following my conversation with her, whether it was a reignition of the spark that connects me with nature, or whether it was from hearing a new avenue for peace and hope in a chaotic world. Regardless, I suggest everyone takes away the fact that nature is abundant, and so is our exploration of our connection to it. Loving and understanding the world around you is a gateway to transferring that understanding to yourself, and what better place to start this journey than the Natural State of Arkansas?
Dr. Dana Klisanin is best reached through both the Rewilding: Lab website, or her social media pages. She aims to conduct more workshops in the Spring, and continue researching the depth behind this topic. In honor of her, I suggest you step outside after reading this, and experience the world around you with the knowledge it is a mirror of you.
Ryanne FitzGerald
Contributor
Ryanne FitzGerald is pursuing her Advertising and Public Relations degree at The University of Arkansas, and is a new Star Shopper intern. From her bio:
I ultimately set out to study advertising and public relations because I enjoyed how it mixed business with creativity, and I knew if I did not end up in a field in which I’m passionate that I would be sure to burn out. I have always been a creative person, and I would even go as far as to say it is the overarching quality of me that bleeds into everything I do. It is not limited to any form, whether its music, dance, fashion, painting, cinematography, poetry, crafting or more, I will be drawn to it. This is what pulled me to advertising in the first place, as I found old commercial jingles growing up took more precedence in my mind than learning about times tables during my formative years. I am a firm believer in everything being art, down to the lines created by a trail of ants or the way littered trash mimics wildflowers.
