Meet Andy Miller
As a parent, I struggled with complex emotions while parenting a child through many crises that pale in comparison to the climate crisis. My child, now in their mid-20’s, traces their first environmental memory to a media photo shoot, at age 2, sitting underneath the oldest Douglas Fir tree in the world, slated for clearcut logging. Even as a climate-focused scientist, who had a kid with amazing exposure to issues, it was terribly difficult for us to cope with overwhelm and grief. Today, I see the challenges my kid’s peer group faces with the climate crisis and their sense of loss. I use this as a portal to help parents develop skills to be in better relationship with self, kids, loved ones, and the world.
Coaching came to me later in life, after a fortunate series of events:
Up till age 50, and even as a little kid, I was puzzled, yet honored, that so many people sought me out to tell their story and reflect on life. Finally, I was brave enough to ask why. The response? I listen, quietly and with empathy, asking thought provoking questions, without advice. I honed that skill to create a brave space where people feel safe to be vulnerable.
I spent decades studying wildlife and ecology, and learning from Aboriginal people, in the wilderness by day, and of listening to and reflecting on stories by night. You see, my science work entailed leading large groups into the wilderness, led by Aboriginal guides, to study wildlife and document Indigenous history and spirituality. But in the wilderness, storytelling came out in a deep and emotional way that often highlighted sadness and grief over threats to the planet and humanity.
The stories and contemplation consumed me. Decades of deep listening (to people, plants and animals) in the wilderness gave me an epiphany: return the emotional vulnerability gifted to me by a lifetime of story and reflection, by offering uplifting coaching, helping people prosper, thrive, hope, and believe, in an era of climate change, extinction, and threats to humanity. So, in my second 50 years of life, I transitioned to help clients prepare emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually, to handle whatever the future has to throw at us. Sorry to say, but there is a lot of crisis coming our way.
Happily, the solution to our inner climate woes is simple: Talk About It in skillfully guided reflection to regain agency and purpose, connect to self, get embodied, into your heart, enabling action. And that’s exactly what I do: guided “brave space” conversations at the intersection of you, your family, the planet, and humanity. You’ll laugh and cry. You’ll reach highs and lows. You’ll have light bulb moments. Once we learn to be in better relationship with ourselves, our feelings, emotions, and beliefs, we get better at aligning our values with our actions, find our community, and become integral in the lives of others.
Climate Earth Coaching works simply and beautifully, enabling clients to reach peace amidst the chaos of the world.
A few personal anecdotes:
I frequently go by my nickname, PATCH: Purposeful, Adaptable, Thoughtful, Communicative, Happy. That’s me.
I attribute my intuition/sensing/feeling gift to my loving father, a minister and ethics professor who honored my intellect, and to my creative mother, a creator of ethereal masks, who encouraged me to dialogue with nature.
I published a bird field guide while still in elementary school, and spent the equivalent of many years away from school studying endangered plants and animals with heroes and mentors.
I spent 15 years in university studying science, business, and social psychology, but then dropped out of my PhD, due to sadness and grief over the loss of nature. I went to work for mother earth.
I spent two decades as the Staff Scientist for one of Canada’s largest environmental organization studying threats to the planet, and developing solutions. Many parks and wilderness areas you enjoy were created, in part, because of my work.