Expressive arts and movement to free the river of emotion
How We Work
Creative craft and ceremony to celebrate the beauty of each person
Council practice to listen and be heard in safety and truth
Mindfulness and somatic awareness to track the wild moment
Why This Work Matters
There is a brief, bright window between childhood and adulthood — a threshold where the heart begins to ache for
meaning, identity, and belonging.
In most modern cultures, this passage goes unmarked. Girls are left to find their way through social pressure, self-doubt, and the noise of the world, often without wise guidance or a space to be real.
At Wild Rivers Collective, we are rebuilding the village that remembers how to hold this passage with care.
Our programs offer intentional mentorship, creative expression, and ceremony that help girls and teens make meaning of what’s happening in their inner and outer worlds — physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.
What would our world look like if every girl was met at the threshold of adolescence with kindness, curiosity, and capable mentors to walk beside her?
Our Guiding Principles
Village-style Mentorship
Consistent, relational guidance that honors each young person’s individuality.
Nature As Teacher
The rhythms of the natural world remind us how to belong, grieve, rest, and renew.
Council & Ceremony
Practices that awaken empathy, self-trust, and reverence for life.
Story, Myth, & Song
Timeless mirrors for our inner landscapes and collective wisdom.
Social Skill-building
Creating opportunities for authentic communication, self-inquiry, and interrelational problem solving
Expressive & Soul-based Arts
Space for emotion, imagination, and creative risk-taking.
These are not extracurricular activities; they are the foundations of a healthy culture.
Each circle we hold is one small act of remembering how to raise the next generation in connection with themselves, each other, and the living world.
The Communities We Serve
Wild Rivers Collective serves girls and young feminine youth from primarily rural communities including Silverton, Mt. Angel, Molalla, Scotts Mills and surrounding communities. We also currently serve Portland-area neighborhoods, as well as Corbett, OR.
Many of the families we work with are navigating economic hardship, geographic isolation, or limited access to supportive mental health and enrichment resources, including families supported by the Oregon Health Plan (OHP). Our work is intentionally low-barrier and relationship-centered, offering consistent spaces of belonging, emotional tending, and creative expression for young people whose voices and needs are often overlooked within traditional systems.
Our Fall 2025 mentorship cohort in the Silverton community was fully funded through a $10,000 grant from the Willamette Health Council, allowing all participants covered under OHP or SNAP eligibility to attend at no cost and ensuring equitable access to care-centered, preventative youth support.
We are currently seeking funding support for our upcoming programs, and welcome sponsor relationships as well.