ERICA WHEELER

Programs for Connecting People and Place

Interpretive Training

Professional development for interpreters, guides, and educators.

Creative Writing

Classes, retreats, and mentoring to find your stories and hone your craft.

Community Events

Keynotes, performances and workshops that inspire connection.

Everyone has stories of place and belonging, waiting to be remembered and revealed. 

Let’s find yours.

For individuals, professionals and groups. Tap into deep, timeless stories of connection that will:

  • Unlock creativity

  • Cultivate belonging

  • Inspire caring 

↓ EXPLORE WORKING WITH ME ↓

Appalachian Trail Conservancy NextGen Summit, Mount Greylock, MA

For Individuals

✓Join a class
✓Attend a program
✓Host a concert or workshop
✓Listen to my music
✓Read the blog
✓Get the newsletter!

EXPLORE OPTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS →

For Communities & Organizations

✓Host an event that sparks connections to place, history, nature, and to each other.

EXPLORE OPTIONS FOR ORGANIZATIONS →

For Interpreters & Educators

✓Bring me to offer a staff training or to provide a keynote
✓Attend an online training or seminar.

EXPLORE OPTIONS FOR INTERPRETERS & EDUCATORS →

In today’s fast-paced world, we’re all searching for something deeper. 

Many of us feel disconnected—from ourselves, our surroundings, and each other. We pass through landscapes, hear stories, but rarely feel the power they hold. I call it an “epidemic of disconnect.”

It’s not enough to just visit or live in a place. 

We want something more:
connection, meaning, and belonging.

We can heal this disconnect and live more rooted to where we are and who we are.

For some, that means slowing down, listening, and reconnecting—with our surroundings and ourselves.

For others, it’s about inspiring people by crafting narratives that move them, designing programs that inspire action, and creating experiences that matter.

Hello! I’m Erica Wheeler.

I help people and organizations uncover the power of story and place for themselves and others. 

My approach blends creativity, reflection, and connection with practical tools and a proven framework to help you bring stories to life in ways that inspire and engage.

  • I’ve provided my Sense of Place & Story Framework as training for 45+ National Park Service sites and mission-driven organizations across the country.

  • I’ve been a keynote speaker at Governor’s Conferences on Tourism and major industry events.

  • My writing programs and mentoring have helped people find their stories, publish books, and share their work with confidence.

Whether you're seeking professional development or a nourishing creative experience, my Sense of Place and Story framework will help you discover deeper connections to places, find stories that matter, and gain the skills you need to share your stories powerfully.

Happy Clients

  • "We brought Erica in to help us master the art of storytelling and to learn how to share the meaning of these places even more effectively. When we worked with Erica before, it was one of the most meaningful experiences of my career. I was thrilled by seeing the growth in rangers and the inspiration they gleaned.”

    National Mall and Memorial Parks, Washington, DC

  • "I observed my staff applying Erica's approach and feel that the level of programs this year was just outstanding. Even our more "science based" interpreters brought in more of the emotional, reflective techniques. I personally used her techniques in my programs and found they were incredibly powerful every time, with all ages."

    Cape Cod National Seashore, MA

  • "Erica provided our interpretive staff with a fresh angle on interpretation, new techniques, and the opportunity to stretch and experiment. This training served as a solid foundation for our seasonal training and complimented prior training around audience-centered engagement techniques, peer coaching, and resource content.”

    Marsh-Billings-Rockerfeller NHP & Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site

  • "You are missing out if you aren't trying to book Erica for your upcoming workshop or training event. Her work with the ‘sense of place’ concept through her Soulful Landscape workshop provides excellent hands-on exercises in an area that is so often perceived as intangible, while her keynote was just the dose of inspiration we needed.”

    Chief of Interpretation, Arkansas State Parks and Tourism

  • "I am a conservation professional, and although I hadn't put my finger on it until the workshop, I had been struggling with a sense of loss regarding my connection to nature that first inspired me to work in this field. The workshop rekindled that connection. I left with the tools and resolve to more intentionally tap into the power of place as well as the inspiration to help others do the same."

    Claire Dacey, Naturalist, Artist, Historian, MA

  • "Erica creates a kind of alchemy in the room where even the most timid of us is inspired to find the writer within. She gave us new tools and reminded me of tools I once knew and had long forgotten. She inspired me to get back to an interpretive project I had put aside which I am now working on with renewed enthusiasm and focus."

    National Association for Interpretation

  • "We invited Erica out for a week to help celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Big Sur Land Trust with a variety of events. Her positive impact reverberated throughout our community and continues to this day. Erica's ability to connect people and place beautifully aligned with our mission to strengthen communities and inspire stewardship"

    Bill Leahy, Executive Director, Big Sur Land Trust, CA

  • "At the end of the 3- part writing prompt, I had enough material to write several powerful essays as well as a new idea for an inspirational card deck. If that wasn't enough, Erica listened to what I wrote and in less than a minute had whipped up a terrific song. If anyone can rally the preservation troops to get "a sense of place" off the endangered species list, it's Erica Wheeler."

    Giulietta "Julie" Nardone, Participant, Upton Forest State Park, MA

Interpretive Training

For interpreters, educators, guides, and others whose work involves connecting people to places, from museums to heritage sites, and from parks to other destinations.

Creative Writing

For all kinds of writers, from the curious seeker to published authors, who love exploring our connections to places and finding ways to bring stories to life while gaining a meaningful writing practice.

Community Events

For community organizations, conferences, and groups seeking to inspire meaningful connections and celebrate connections to ourselves, our surroundings and each other. 

The places you love have shaped you.
The stories you carry matter.

Let’s bring your stories to life!