Meet Kiara, your Forest guide
Nice to meet you!
I am Kiara (she/her), the person behind all things My Mossy Heart. Vulnerability is a key element in the work that I do here, so it is important for me to peel back the curtain and let you in on who I am.
I would describe myself as a sensitive, joyful, loving, passionate creature of the Forest. I love to write, spend time with my loved ones, and take macro photos of the Forest. I find fulfillment in authentic moments of connection with other people.
Some of my core values are:
Compassion and empathy
Respect for and connection with Nature
Humility and open-mindedness
Personal development and trauma healing
Social justice, human rights and climate justice
Authenticity and self-expression
Body acceptance and liberation
This path as a Forest guide and embodied portrait photographer opened up to me when I least expected it. My offerings are a culmination of all that I believe in, and what I am most passionate about. These sessions are a collaborative space of connection with the self, each other, and with the Natural World that we are part of.
I am so grateful to spend my time focusing on the beauty of the Natural World. The work that I do here is my love letter to Mother Nature and to humanity.
This work is my calling because…
I am deeply familiar with the pain that comes from body shame
When I was a child, I loved running around naked, experiencing the world through all of my senses. All-too-soon, however, I internalized the toxic messaging about bodies that was around me. I learned that my body was supposed to look and feel a certain way, and that my value came from my ability to please others. I felt that I was failing my duty to be an exciting object. Shame took hold of me so young.
In my early 20s, I started questioning the scorn I held towards myself. Exhausted from years of pinching skin, dieting, and self-loathing, I wondered if the shame was mine to hold. I allowed myself to become angry about all of the lost time and emotional energy that went into hating my body. I became angry about my body being objectified and sexualized when I just wanted to exist. Anger was the catalyst that woke me up from the illusion and showed me that I (along with everyone else) deserved so much better. Since then, I have been working to rewire my brain and cultivate more self-love and body acceptance. It is not a linear journey, and there are times where I struggle to face the mirror. However, I now know that I deserve to be comfortable in my own skin, whatever form it takes.
I believe that everyone deserves to feel at home in their body - to see themselves as a beautiful expression of Nature. Western beauty standard are based in fatphobia, racism, ableism, misogyny, colonialism, and transphobia and they are lies that need to be dismantled. People also deserve to celebrate their bodies without the pressure of performing sexuality. I am passionate about creating space where people can release body shame, come home to themselves and to Mother Earth.
I have found healing from trauma and mental health struggles through Nature
My relationship with the Nature has been my solace through many of life’s darkest moments. I am comforted by the complexity and resilience of the Earth and her creatures. I find hope and a source of creativity in the Natural World.
Indigenous cultures have long known of our belonging and interconnection with Nature. As a result of colonialism, the technological revolution and the prominence of cities, many of us have grown up severed from the land. Scientific research has supported what many of us have known intuitively: spending time with Nature makes us happier and healthier.
These sessions offer are an opportunity to connect more deeply with Mother Nature, and tap into your own innate Wildness. I have witnessed the profound, healing impact of this offering time and time again. I am honored to hold space for my clients to connect more deeply with Earth.
I believe that having a personal relationship with the Natural World makes us better caretakers of the Earth
It is no secret that our planet is struggling. As climate change advances, the fate of all of Earth’s inhabitants is uncertain. Species and habitats are being lost at an unprecedented rate, and we are currently in the sixth mass extinction. In human environments, already vulnerable communities will be most heavily impacted by the adverse effects of climate change (food insecurity, natural disasters, water shortages, unsafe temperatures, etc).
Looking at the state of Mother Earth is incredibly painful - but we cannot afford to give up. Jacques Cousteau says “we protect what we love.” Our personal connection with Nature motivates us to be better stewards of the land. Sharing our love for Nature with others is a form of activism that will inspire further protection of the Earth.
This work is a love letter to Mother Earth and her inhabitants. May we never give up.
The path that led me here
Mother Nature was my first love.
As soon as I learned to walk, I was exploring my backyard playing with spiders. Much of my childhood was spent playing in the mud, befriending critters and admiring the diversity of life. When I was 9, I wrote about going on a secret trip to the Amazon rainforest. My mom always nurtured this passion - she hired an entomologist to come to my 6th birthday party, got me a microscope for Christmas, and in spite of her own fear, gifted me several pet insects over the years. Her support cultivated an unstoppable ambition within me, and for that, I am eternally grateful. Along with my fascination with the Wild, I had a love for creative writing. As early as elementary school, I would spend hours writing poetry, short stories, and journaling. For some time, I dreamed of becoming an author.
A budding scientist
My teen years were rough and I lost touch with myself for a while, even forgetting my passion for Nature. When I was ready, authors such as Jane Goodall and E.O. Wilson led me back home to myself. After graduating high school I went to UW to pursue education in biology. Throughout my education I struggled with imposter syndrome and managing my ADHD - I even considered dropping out at times. I’m so glad I didn’t. I loved learning about biology. Some of the greatest experiences of my life were only possible because I was a UW student. I spent a month interning in the remote Peruvian Amazon jungle at non-profit, Hoja Nueva (I could write a novel about how this time changed me and my life, forever) . I conducted scientific research on fence lizards and published a scientific article (you can find me on google scholar with my real last name). And I spent a couple seasons as a field biologist, doing snorkel surveys of steelhead and bee surveys in California. While it is true that my background in science afforded me incredible opportunities, I came to realize that my relationship with Nature was more spiritual and emotional than Western science would allow me to express.
Kiara, the photographer?
By 2022, I had been doing photography for several years. I got my first camera before my trip to the Amazon and then fell into (and in love with) portrait work. I spent years collaborating with aspiring models, experimenting with different styles and refining my technique (you would not recognize my older work). After a while, I felt aimless in my artistic expression and took a year hiatus. When I came back to portrait work, I made a rule to only shoot outside because that was where I was most inspired. I also decided to focus less on the aesthetics of my imagery, and more on creating from a personal place. This reframing of photography led to much deeper creative fulfillment. And after a particularly rough field season was cut short, I needed to make money and decided to take clients. I was so moved by these initial client sessions and the impact of connecting with people in the Forest that my career goals shifted entirely. I felt that through this work, I could have a more tangible impact than through science alone.
