Meet The Cavewoman
Michelle Rigling, PhD, M.Sc.
Counselor & Sacred Medicine Guide
Before Michelle became as a counselor, teacher or guide, she was an imaginative child, rambling through the woods, talking to trees and telling tall tales to whomever would listen. During the first several years of her career as a social worker and program manager she struggled to stick to a conventional approach, knowing that some things were missing: nature, soul and intuition to name a few of them.
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Michelle found a home in Transpersonal Psychology - a space that honors the wisdom of the body, the ​longings of the heart and the callings of Soul. As a Counselor, Eco-Therapist, and Trauma-Informed Sacred Plant Medicine Guide she supports others who also know there is something more, something deeper, something mysterious and rich underneath the surface of our lives. Her clients learn to reconnect with their intuition, reclaim imagination and navigate mystical experiences such as dreams, visions and altered states of consciousness that occur in connection with nature, plants, and mushrooms.
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Michelle has advanced training in Depth Psychology, Mythic Medicine, Shadow Work, Way of Council, Plant Spirit Herbalism and Psychedelic Medicine.​ She offers in-office and virtual sessions, council circles, retreat immersions and online groups.​​​​
Michelle is also the director of both The Wild Medicine Conference and The Midsouth Women's Herbal Conference. (These events have their own websites).​
Scroll down to read more of Michelle's story + a full list of educational qualifications, trainings, and supportive experiences.
Team Members
Jess Mangano, M.Ed, (T) LPC-MHSP
Jess's approach to personal growth is rooted in the notion that therapy is foundational to our souls' work. She believes each person can have a deep, intuitive connection to their own inner world, but this world is often obscured by the trials of everyday life as well as the manifestations of trauma such as depression, anxiety, chronic stress, or profound grief. Jess supports others by helping people awaken to their inner wisdom and healing abilities as well as inspiring us to find connection and community in the natural world.
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Jess has completed training in EMDR, Psychodrama and Experiential Therapy. Outside of the counseling room, she finds joy in herbalism, cooking, reading, and hiking.
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Jess currently offers coaching, retreat facilitation and Way of Council through The Cavewoman Way.
Michelle Rigling, PhD
Bio & Education
Michelle grew up on 40 wild acres in Tennesse where she spent her time playing in the woods, telling tall tales, and learning how to listen to her intuition under the guidance of her mom. While she has several degrees and certifications, she considers her most important and relevant "training" to be a childhood filled with story, adventure, and freedom, enhanced by the time she has spent as an adult in close communication with the wild ones - trees, stones, animals such as her black bird friends, and an occasional talkative river.
Michelle has over 16 years of social work, counseling, and coaching experience in trauma-informed settings. She spent about 8 years working in community-based social work agencies, gaining experience in clinical interventions, trauma responsive care, and evidenced based recovery. Along the way, she recognized that most interventions and practices she was trained to offer people ignored spirit and soul and rarely recognized or engaged intuition. She felt a pull towards a wilder, more soulful approach to healing and wholeness and started exploring transpersonal psychology and soulcraft practices. During this time she returned to graduate school where she obtained a PhD in Transpersonal Counseling while also receiving training in trauma-informed sacred plant medicine (including psychedelics), wilderness-based immersions and ceremony.
University Education
PhD Transpersonal Counseling
M.Sc. Transpersonal Counseling
MBA Business Administration
BS Metaphysical Sciences
BS Psychology
Board Certification
AADP, 2022-Present
Spiritual Roles
Ordained Minister, WOHC
Initiated Priestess
Certifications
Certified Eco-Therapy Guide
Way of Council, Carrier/Guide
Dialectal Behavior Therapy, PC
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, PC
IAW Life Coach, Int. Certification
Liberating Structures, Facilitator
Family Systems, Group Facilitator
HealthRhythms, Drum Facilitator
Herbal Body Shamanics ©
WRAP © Facilitator
Certified Hypnotist
Psychedelic Trip Sitter, DB
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Sacred Community
Midsouth Women's Herbal, Founder
Celebrate Your Existence, Founder
Chattanooga Red Tent, Co-Founder
Wild Medicine Conference, Co-Founder
Trainings & Apprenticeships
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120+ CE Hours in Psychedelic Medicine
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Trauma-Informed Psychedelic Medicine Guide Training
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Ceremony Apprenticeship with Chief Haru (Kuntanawa Nation)
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In-person immersions with Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés
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In-person immersions with Animas Valley Inst.
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Supervision under a Child Trauma Academy Fellow
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CPS © Training with Dr. Stuart Ablon
Let us push on now, and remember ourselves back to the wild soul.
~ Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés
What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?
~Mary Oliver