Private Mentoring — Music/Shop — Sense of Place Consulting Blog — Erica Wheeler, Sense of Place Consulting

This 6-week comprehensive interpretive training is designed to uplift and evolve your interpretive practice. Rooted in a sense of place, storytelling, and relevance, this immersive training offers interpreters—from new seasonal staff to seasoned veterans—a dynamic learning journey that enhances personal confidence, creativity, and connection and offers foundational skill building from a unique perspective.

Through an engaging blend of theory, reflection and innovative skill building, participants come away with a grounded sense of focus and purpose and leave prepared to deliver high-quality, story-rich interpretation across diverse settings.

Comprehensive – 6-Week Training Format

3 hours per week/20 hours total

$5,500 up to 15 participants

Section One: The Shift to Sense of Place Interpretation

Pre-Work: Introduction to Sense of Place Interpretation 

Begin your journey by exploring the foundations and purpose of sense of place interpretation. 

Week One: Rethinking Interpretive Foundations 

Gain a fresh perspective on interpretive principles and approaches to renew your connection with your resource. 

Section Two: Elevate Content and Delivery Skills

Week Two: Creating Meaningful Sense of Place Stories 

Develop foundational storytelling skills that connect visitors deeply to place and meaning. 

Week Three: Honing Delivery Skills: The Technique Toolkit

Build a practical toolkit of techniques for engaging, clear, and compelling storytelling.  

Week Four: Crafting Better Narratives : Sequencing, Context and a Sense of Place

Learn how to sequence and contextualize stories to highlight the power of place and the layers of time, story and perspective.  

3. Program Design and Delivery for Balance, Effectiveness and Ease

Week Five: Designing Well-Balanced Visitor Experiences 

Master seven steps to creating programs that balance education, engagement, and emotion.  

Week Six: Mastering the Art of the Program Arc: The Pocketknife Program 

Apply five essential tools to design interpretive experiences with flow, impact, and visitor motivation in mind.