Biography of Jody Grose (Healing Bear)
Jody Grose is the founder of Return to the Fire, an
organization passionately committed to men's healing and growth. Return to the
Fire provides a variety of opportunities for men: weekend workshops on a private
island in New Milford, CT; nine-week workshops that meet in the spring and the fall in
Newtown; CT, and canoe trips for men and father-and-son teams. Jody also does individual
counseling, and is passionately committed to and actively creating a strong men's
community in Connecticut. Men's work has been a central focus for Jody since 1984.
Jody has been a middle school teacher in Westport, CT, since
1980. His
area of expertise is in special education and he is the eighth-grade resource teacher.
Jody was attracted to Native American culture in 1987, during a
profound time of personal transition. In the summer of 1987, he traveled to the
Rosebud reservation in South Dakota to learn Earth honoring ways of the Lakota Sioux
nation. This Journey solidified his ties to Native American spirituality, a strong
theme in the work that Jody does with men.
Jody resides in Newtown, CT, with his wife, Kathy, and their two teenage
children.
Joining Jody for the Father/Son trip is Paul Gemme. Paul is also an avid canoeist and is certified in Adventure Education and First Wilderness Response. Paul brings a powerful spirit-filled element to the group experience that will make this adventure memorable and enjoyable. Paul is impassioned with 18 years of experience in teaching others how access their own higher, creative Self using drums, flutes and other Native American techniques.
