About Sally Carless, M.Ed.

I have been recording and tending my own dreams for many years. Dreams have been some of my most profound teachers; the images that have visited in my dreams have been a valuable source of wisdom and guidance for many years now.

I love helping people connect with deeper knowing and wisdom. I love “walking beside” people as they take those first (perhaps tentative) steps towards what is calling to them most deeply. I am deeply touched when I see people stepping up to live their lives in an authentic way – to answer the call – acknowledging the fear and hesitation and obstacles and doing it anyway.

I have had the privilege of spending time with some amazing teachers and mentors. Steve Aizenstat, founding president of Pacifica Graduate Institute and a true master of the craft of dream tending, has had a very strong influence on the way I tend dreams. I first began studying with Steve in the early 1990’s. I have also been blessed to have found a therapist/spiritual mentor with whom I have been able to explore the depths of my own life and dreams in a safe supportive environment. I completed a years’ graduate study in counseling psychology at Pacifica, and have done intensive study with Jean Houston as well. It is through my experiences with people like these that I have been able to witness not only the power of the dream images and the voices that call to us all, but also the power and importance of the “container” that is created between the dreamer/client and the dream tender. It is that learning that I bring to my work tending the dreams of others.

I have had close relationships with several American Indian teachers and healers which, along with deep friendships, have provided me the opportunity of observing shamanic sessions and participating in ceremonies over a period of many years. These experiences have also influenced the way I view healing and the way I tend dreams. I am also influenced and aided by Buddhist teachings and practices, and am a Reiki Practitioner.

In addition to my dream tending work, I am also the founder, director, and Chief Visionary Officer of Global Village School, a progressive K-12 international homeschool diploma program focused on peace, justice, diversity, and sustainability. We work to nurture and protect the passion and enthusiasm for creating a better world that comes so naturally to so many young people. With a creative, flexible approach and emphasis on individual learning styles, Global Village provides the kind of education that supports students in truly being themselves, encourages them to follow their dreams, and helps them to become wise and capable stewards of the planet and each other. My work with students and their families allows me to call on the same kinds of skills I evoke while tending dreams; it is a similar process of deep listening – tuning in to the essence of who they are, and what is trying to emerge.

I have many years' experience in alternative education including administration, teaching, curriculum development, American Indian Education, outdoor education, and program development. Along with a Master's Degree in Education (Curriculum and Instruction) and a B.A. in Wilderness Recreation, I hold a California Teaching Credential. I have given presentations on peace education, learning styles, and homeschooling at various locations in the U.S. as well as in Thailand, India, and Australia. I am a regular contributor to the Ojai Post and the Global Village Voice. My writing has also been published on/in places such as CommonDreams.org, HopeDance, and Paths of Learning.

I love music, and play guitar, mandolin, and sing. I feel a deep connection to the Earth, and spend time outdoors – gardening, hiking, or just sitting - whenever I can. I live under the oaks in the foothills of Southern California with coyotes, bobcats, and bears (and a handful of people) for neighbors. It is a perfect place to cultivate the peace and stillness that I bring to my practice of dream tending.