Dear Pacifica Community,
As we move through the month of April, we are invited to pause and reflect on two meaningful observances: Earth Day (April 22) and Stress Awareness Month. While I reflect on how to share and acknowledge this day and month with you all, I am curious about the deep connections between personal well-being and the world around us.
In our fast-paced and often stressful lives, the natural world offers a steady presence. Whether it’s a walk beneath the trees, tending to a garden, or simply noticing the sky outside your window, time spent in nature has been shown to calm the nervous system and foster clarity and renewal. These simple moments can be powerful antidotes to stress.
The natural world mirrors our inner world—it grounds us, reflects our rhythms, and reminds us that we are part of something larger. Caring for the Earth, then, becomes not only an act of sustainability but a form of soul-tending. This month, we encourage you to take even a small moment to step outside, breathe deeply, and feel the presence of the living world around you. Let it be a reminder: you are not alone, and healing often begins with connection—both to ourselves and to the Earth that sustains us.
At Pacifica Graduate Institute, we believe that promoting sustainability, protection, and restoration, as well as connecting with the awe and wonder of nature are essential parts of our mission of tending the soul of the world. We believe in the power of education to inspire positive change in the world and meet the urgent environmental challenges we face. Our programs encourage students to explore ecological sustainability, environmental justice, and social responsibility.
Ecopsychology at Pacifica
Pacifica’s M.A./Ph.D. Program in Depth Psychology with Specialization in Community, Liberation, Indigenous, and Eco-Psychologies Program (CLIE) understands “ecopsychology as a corrective to Western psychology’s neglect of the impact of built and natural environments on the human psyche and on communities, and of the human impacts on the environment. Since the well-being of humans and the natural world are inextricably connected, ecopsychologists are critically needed to heal human/nature divides, creating pathways for human/nature/animal relations, as well as working to create the increased awareness that is a necessary step to the restoration of habitats and the creation of built and natural environments that are sustainable.” To learn more about CLIE’s ecopsychology visit here.
Pacifica Extension and International Studies: Earth Allies: A Jungian Ecopsychological Approach to Connecting with Land and Soul
The Earth Allies process encourages people to connect deeply with the World around them for healing of both person and place. This revolutionary process encourages people to identify the parts of their landscape or animals they are attracted to and then determine what stories they have to share. To heal the planet, we need new myths—not only to reconnect us to the planet, but also to discover parts of our Selves. The Earth Allies help us do that work. Based in Jung’s theories on archetypes and the individuation process, Earth Allies are plants, animals, minerals, stones, and parts of the landscape on which a person lives. In this 4-Week Webinar, Dr. Pamela Hancock will explore the overall importance of Nature in Depth Psychology and how we can evolve as a result. This unique Earth-based system can then be used by participants each month to reveal important messages and bring awareness to the land. The process can also be harnessed by therapists to bring in an ecological dimension to their practice and help heal the souls of their clients by holding up a mirror to the world around them. Participants will also be lead through the guided visualization process in a workshop at the end of the series. Earth Allies begins in August. Register now here.
Pacifica’s Stewardship of the Land
Since 2022, Pacifica Graduate Institute has reduced our carbon emissions by 66,894 pounds, conserved 83,914 gallons of water, and saved 28,499 pounds of wood by using a digital contract system to replace paper contracts printing, mailing, and filing. This act alone compares to saving 215,400 pages of paper and conserving 85 trees.
Pacifica strives to be the best stewards of the earth and our campuses as is possible. Our Campus Operations team shares these facts with us:
- Groundskeepers are water conscious and focus on drought tolerant landscaping. They propagate cuttings of existing succulents on campus.
- Pacifica has converted to filtered water dispensers to supplement bottled water stations across campus. Students and employees are encouraged to refill water bottles rather than use one time use plastic bottles. At the Ladera campus there are 12 water dispensers, 7 at Lambert. The most recently installed machine tracks the number of bottles saved, which currently displays 7,199 saved to date.
Pacifica’s recent Campus Utilization Study focused on enhancing ecological sustainability across our campuses. This initiative ensures efficient and sustainable use of our physical spaces and embodies our commitment to environmental stewardship.
In honor of Earth Day, I invite you to join me in celebrating the natural beauty of our planet and renewing our commitment to protecting it for future generations. I encourage you all to consider participating in an activity that nourishes you or the planet—plant something, pick up litter, take a mindful walk, or simply rest in a natural space. Small acts of care, for ourselves or the Earth, can ripple out in powerful ways. Let’s work towards a more sustainable and equitable world and continue tending the soul of the world.
Santa Barbara Earth Day Events
National Stress Awareness Month
Warm Regards,
Deneatrice Lewis
Pacifica Graduate Institute
Vice President of People Culture and Belonging
Deneatrice Lewis, MS, is the Vice President of People, Culture, and Belonging at Pacifica Graduate Institute. She engages with students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and community partners to foster an inclusive culture. Overseeing Human Resources, she identifies challenges, crafts strategic solutions, and integrates Pacifica’s goals into HR and organizational development.
Deneatrice is an experienced HR professional with a background in both private and public educational environments. She has worked at the University of La Verne, American Career College, San Bernardino Community College District, Woodland Joint Unified School District, and Santa Barbara City College (SBCC). She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Leadership and Organizational Management, both with a concentration in Human Resources, from the University of La Verne.
Hired as Director of Human Resources at SBCC during the pandemic, Deneatrice advanced systems, processes, and relationships with integrity and compassion. In 2022, she became the interim VP of HR.
