🌿 What Is Clean Language & Should You Use It Outdoors?
In this introspective solo episode, Lewis reflects on Contempt to Curiosity by Caitlin Walker—an exploration of Clean Language, group metaphors, and truly non-judgemental communication.
What begins as a quiet Friday morning in the woods becomes a deeply personal and practical unpacking of:
What Clean Language actually is and where it came from 👂
Why exploring someone’s “inner world” is powerful—and risky
How metaphor can unify (or divide) groups 🌀
Practical uses of Clean Language in Forest School
Whether this approach is clunky-but-useful—or core practice
💬 Plus, Lewis shares a raw personal story of being on the receiving end of Clean Language coaching… and the surprising discomfort that followed.
🌟 Sponsors: TENTSILE & Chris Holland
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🍃 Chris Holland – Discover Nature Connection & the 54-Plant Guide—perfect for Forest School leaders. Use code FORESTPOD for 15% off at
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⏳ Episode Chapters
00:00 – Intro, birdsong, forest stillness 🌳
02:00 – Feeling isolated as a leader
04:00 – Housekeeping & community shout-out
06:00 – What is Clean Language? Who created it?
08:30 – Metaphors, coaching & autonomy
10:00 – The “clunky but useful” language tools
13:00 – Forest School Association anecdote
20:00 – What “Smell. Soil.” taught Lewis
27:00 – What Clean Language missed in his response
30:00 – Can metaphors create better group cohesion?
33:00 – Why Forest School needs shared metaphors
36:00 – Facilitating feelings, not just activities
40:00 – Cocktail bars & metaphor-building 🍸
44:00 – When “mycelial network” isn’t enough 🍄
47:00 – Clean Language as a practice addon—not a necessity
50:00 – Is this book for beginners or advanced practice?
📚 Mentioned in This Episode
Contempt to Curiosity by Caitlin Walker
David Grove’s Clean Language
Nonviolent Communication (NVC)
Forest School Association Strategy Weekend
Declarative language in outdoor education
“Mycelial Network” (metaphor bingo!) 🍄
💬 Join the Discussion
🌱 What metaphor would your Forest School group use to describe itself?
Do you already use metaphors in your practice—or avoid them entirely?
We’d love to hear YOUR stories. Drop us a message on social media or email admin@theforestschoolpodcast.com
🎧 Listen now:
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