Nicolette Sipperly PhD

I am a mentor, teacher, painter, scientist, and freelance bespoke gardener. My work lives at the intersection of art, ecology, and inner work, and is guided by the companionship I have found through plants, the wisdom of the body, and a deep belief in the collective power of human creativity.

For eight years, I worked as a plant scientist, exploring mountain ranges and wildflower blooms while studying plant diversity and evolution. Along the way, I painted plants and landscapes as a way of listening more closely — to the natural world, to my body, and to my own creative voice. In my scientific presentations, lectures and workshops, I began integrating meditations, painting and storytelling to share not only what I was learning about plants, but how relationship, curiosity, and self-expression shape meaningful research.

Learning to see myself as part of nature fundamentally changed my life. Time spent in purposeful solitude with trees, mountains, and rivers softened patterns of isolation, anxiety, and overwork, and strengthened my sense of belonging and direction. This experience deepened my desire to share approaches that reconnect learning, creativity, and well-being — especially in academic and creative environments.

One of my greatest strengths is helping people recognize their natural gifts and see a clear path forward. The methods I use in my mentoring have been shaped through lived experience as much as formal education. While I completed a PhD, traditional academic structures often conflicted with my nervous system and learning style. I was frequently pulled between intellectual curiosity, creative impulses, and the realities of being human.

Rather than separating these parts, I began developing integrative approaches to learning that honor context, curiosity, embodiment, and lived experience — not just productivity or memorization. What emerged was a form of education that closes the gap between mental health and meaningful work, and treats challenges not as obstacles, but as sources of insight and innovation.

An essential and often overlooked aspect of education is our relationship with the body. I spent years struggling to sit still, navigating movement through trial and error, and internalizing cultural ideals that prioritized intensity over care. Eventually, physical and emotional burnout required me to learn how to listen to my body and trust its intelligence.

Through this process, movement became a tool for nourishment, integration, and presence rather than control. Today, I use movement as a way to support learning, process ideas, and release patterns that no longer serve. I see the body as the interface through which we learn, create, and relate — and a foundation for all intellectual and creative work.

In all of my mentoring, teaching, and creative offerings, you will find an emphasis on embodiment, relationship with the natural world, and practices that support sustainable engagement with learning, creativity, and life.

If you are curious about more details of my professional file, here is a link to my CV