Dr. Erica Gift, on rewilding & foraging, psychology & food choices, the science of meditation, pathological optimism, magic mushrooms & a Vanagon named ‘Butter’

Dr. Erica Gift is a professor of psychology at California State University in Northridge. She also informally is a botanist, and is a community educator on wild foods and bioregional herbalism.

She talks with Adam Williams about how she weaves her knowledge and passions for nature, food and psychology together. They also talk about rewilding, the science behind meditation and Erica’s “pathological optimism.” Among other things.

Like, Erica's six-month sabbatical years ago, in which she drove her 1982 Volkswagen Vanagon, named “Butter,” into the forests of the American West and sustained herself fully by foraging for food. It was a life-changing adventure that has permeated Erica's entire life since.

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We Are Chaffee's Looking Upstream podcast is a collaboration with Chaffee County (Colo.) Public Health and the Chaffee Housing Authority, and is supported by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment's Office of Health Equity. 

You can see show notes, read the show transcript, and learn more about the Looking Upstream podcast at wearechaffeepod.com and on Instagram @wearechaffeepod.

We Are Chaffee (wearechaffee.org) partners with KHEN radio (khen.org) in Salida, Colo., for local broadcasting of the Looking Upstream podcast.

Credits

Adam Williams, host, producer and photographer; Jon Pray, engineer and producer; Andrea Carlstrom, Director of Chaffee County Public Health and Environment; and Lisa Martin, We Are Chaffee Community Advocacy Coordinator.