As nature intended
Kerry Kott is a medicine woman with a difference.
Interview by Paul Rouse…
Trying to put a label on Kerry Kott, to explain in simple terms what she does for a living, is as difficult as attempting to define her approach to naturism.
On the latter, she is adamant. There is no definition. And no approach.
“I believe it is innate to be naked,” she states. “If we literally and figuratively strip everything away, it’s just a body. Full stop. We all have one. I think back to some of my earliest memories, and even today, am still of the opinion that children are ‘naturists’ because they want to be naked. It’s what feels good. As children, we run around with our buttcheeks out, and dive into the water free of clothing that will just bog us down.”
She goes on to explain that her formative years were spent in a small town in Michigan, close to nature. “I spent my childhood playing outside and being with animals. It’s interesting that growing up with nature meant that it wasn’t a ‘thing.’ It just is. It was just a part of me. It’s what I knew. I hunted, and gardened, and knew that food - and life - came from the Earth.
“When I was 19, I had major surgery and had a part of my colon removed. The doctors wanted to put me on steroids and a host of other medication, but deep inside of me, I knew that wasn’t the answer for me. That’s how I got into Chinese Medicine.”
Gifts
Which brings us to how Kerry at least describes herself: her own labels, if you will. They include physician of oriental medicine, intuitive herbalist, medicine woman, wild woman nude embodiment facilitator and nude in nature photographer.
“Chinese Medicine includes acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping and bodywork, amongst other therapies,” she explains. “After getting my licence, I also explored other healing modalities, and the gifts I shared with my patients were a blend of training and intuition.”
After dedicating eight years to the practice however, based in Tampa in Florida, she felt the call of the wild again. “I was living full-time in a big city, and decided I just didn’t want to spend so much time indoors anymore. So my first step was to organise a series of Silent Nature walks. It was incredible. I remember at my first event, 30 people showed up. It amazed me how many people were eager to be in nature, together, and in intentional silence. I then spent the next few years diving deeper into my heart to find ways of sharing medicine in the open air.”
At around the same time, on a trip to visit family back in Michigan, “I was inspired to go into the woods and take nude photographs of myself. It was a portal opening: exciting, erotic and healing in equal measures. It took my relationship with myself, my body and nature to a whole new dimension. I did self-portrait photography for about another four years before I then made two major decisions. Share it with others. And move back to my home state.”
Privacy
When it comes to her favourite location in which to be naked, Kerry has plenty of choice. “Anywhere in nature,” is her simple answer. “At my homestead in Michigan, I have complete privacy and the wilderness. I really love gardening naked and soaking up the sun. If I had to pick a nudist beach, it would be Blind Creek Beach in Florida. It’s all nature. No buildings surrounding it, and a long stretch of sand, perfect for walking. They have beach ‘ambassadors’ and I’ve made some incredible friends there.
“Being naked is a true sensory experience. Clothes really restrict our senses, and I only wear them when absolutely necessary. It’s a part of what I believe it means to be a human being. And the more time I spend naked, the more I want to be naked, the more I feel relaxed in my body.”
She carries this philosophy through into her work.
“I have three pillars to my business: nudity, wild nature and photography. I encourage people to engage with nature through the naked body. It’s raw, earthy and primal. My practices are rooted in connecting with ourselves and our bodies, without shame. I don’t set out to convince anyone of anything, but to turn a light on, and enable them to discover what’s true for them. What does that offer them? Freedom. Permission to be. Clarity. Compassion. Openness.
“I study a lot - plant medicines, self-sexual practices, massage. I’m usually reading something. And I’m always learning from my clients. But my greatest teacher is nature. I learn from the silence and the solitude here, and the animals around me.”
Kerry sees her photography - both of nature itself and nudes in nature - as complementing her work. “It’s another form of medicine. It raises awareness for clients, enabling them to see aspects of themself they may not have seen before. To let people in on their own beauty. And to learn not to judge themselves too harshly.”
Message
“What is my main message?” she asks rhetorically. “That’s probably the irony. There is no message. I’m just here to share. Take it or leave it. This is very authentic to me. I don’t believe in putting things in boxes. It’s so contrived. Nothing is ‘right’ or ‘wrong.’ Be whoever it is you want to be, in this moment. The ‘message’? Simple. There is nothing ‘wrong’ with you. All you need to do is recognise that getting the best out of your life involves dealing with ingrained judgements, and handling fear.
“I’m pleased to say I get a lot of positive feedback. Many of the women attending my events can’t wait for the next one, and another opportunity to get naked in nature. And the shifts in their relationships with their body, their sexuality, making choices to follow their heart in their careers, have often been profound.”
Kerry started organising her Wild Woman retreats in 2022, in Florida, and has now branched out to cover a wider variety of topics (including Womb Wisdom, Wild Wisdom and Earth Yoni) in locations across the USA.
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Kerry on…
Non-sexual touch: We encourage it. Creating an environment for this offers safety. Many women have come to my events and never been naked outside of taking a shower, changing clothes, or having sex.
Sexual expression: Sex is not on offer, but sexual energy and expression is welcome. I don’t believe it is separated from anything we do. It’s so inherent in our body, pulsing through us every day. It’s a life force.
Embodiment: This involves allowing the energy within to emerge, and guide movement and emotion. Anger, fear, joy: they all need to be expressed in the moment. Embodiment is not about ‘knowing’ what to do or how to feel, it’s about allowing the life force within to guide you. It’s a practice that allows people to get ‘in’ their body and ‘out’ of the head. Energy and emotion need to be able to flow.
Taboos: Yoni sunning, gazing, breath empowerment, breast massage… these bring compassion and awareness. There is so much wisdom in our genitals, so much unexpressed energy. I like to take the taboo out of taboos.
Intentional silence and solitude: these are always integrated into the events. Stimulation and guidance are necessary. But it’s a whole new world when we are left completely with ourselves, with no distractions.
Photography: I like to capture humans BEing just as they are in their natural habitat of nature. So I capture moments, spaces within women that they’ve never seen before, because they haven’t witnessed themselves deep in crying, release, pleasure, peace. The photography always evokes two responses - “wow, I’m so beautiful” and a disdain for perceived imperfections.
