About Sally

Mother Nature

Nature is a place of wonder and beauty. From silly, clever squirrels to soul-stirring sunsets, Nature is a generous teacher both profound and entertaining.
The elegance of nature’s ecosystems provides a blueprint for living a holistic life. Each creature, billowy cloud, glittering star, leaf in the breeze, and colorful flower belong to the community and teach us in subtle and obvious ways how to live. Butterflies teach us about the beauty of change; flowers teach us to bloom and be ourselves. Squirrels teach us to save for a rainy day; nesting teaches us to create a home. Bees teach us to find the nectar. The sunrise shows us how to shine, while sunsets teach us to be our colorful selves then rest for the night.

I’ve always loved the outdoors. When I was a child, I dug up worms for fishing and collected caterpillars in jars. My dad took us camping to state parks, where we enjoyed the wilderness. When I was older, my mom took me birding and taught me to be quiet so the birds would come. As our presence blended in with nature, the birds began to land a few feet away, where we could observe. Enchanting moments like these drew me to nature again and again to experience the wonder.

Facing Death

I began taking nature photos in college. My grandmother proudly framed and hung my photo of scarlet ibises, which I took at the local zoo. My younger sister hung a photo in her room of two damselflies mating. I created books for my nephew. But despite my interest, the cost of photography equipment restricted my interest to a hobby. 

Then in 2007, my dad had a stroke. In my grief, I took a bike ride to the forest preserve to connect with nature. On the way, I had an accident.

When I hit the ground, which I don’t remember, I literally rose up out of my body and saw it lying on the ground.  “Am I dead?” I wondered. How could I be? I’m aware! Then my awareness turned up, away from my body, and I experienced pure love. 

I could feel the trees around me breathing. As I later learned, this is not an uncommon experience in shamanic cultures. And if you think about it, what’s often so relaxing about being in nature is how our breath entrains to the rhythm of nature. In point of fact, the Schumann Resonance, which is the earth’s electromagnetic frequency, is associated with relaxation, well-being, and healing. I was somehow tuned into this profound feeling and felt completely in sync with all of Mother Nature. If you’re interested, there is more to the experience, which I wrote about in one of my books, Golden Words.

I Can Walk Again!

It was nearly two years before I took an outdoor walk again. I was so happy, so grateful to be on my feet again, I cried and kissed the ground. If you love the outdoors as I do, you can imagine how healing it felt to be outside again. I began to spend as much time as possible in nature. We now know from science that nature communicates to us in many ways and helps us heal.

I began taking photos again. This time around I hoped to consciously connect with the love, wonder, healing energy, and inspiring beauty.

At times I focus on the sheer beauty of nature. At other times, I strive to communicate a message of conservation. Our Earth is a precious place and it’s at-risk. How can we help to save it?

I was thrilled when my photos won a few awards (Audubon’s Top 100, Chicago Botanic Garden’s Special Mention, and others) and people asked to buy my prints—they said they felt relaxing, healing energy when they looked at them. That’s how the name “nature’s healing images” was born along with this website and Facebook page.

Kissing Bunnies, Chicago Botanic Garden

“Goldfinch in Sunflower—I Am a Petal

photo taken at The Chicago Botanic Garden

Audubon Top 100

My teaching background

Besides being a nature photographer, I was a teacher, instructional coach, and university professor. I retired seven years after my accident to fully heal and began writing books and working as a private coach and spiritual hypnotherapist. My hypnosis practice focuses on Past Life and Life Between Lives Regressions as developed by Michael Newton. Info at: drsallystone.com

Education & Awards

My undergraduate degree is in Plant Sciences, Speech Communications, and Philosophy. After letting go of the idea that I’d be an organic farmer (circa 1980), I earned my Masters in Teaching, I was an elementary education classroom teacher for 8 years and coached in a K-5 school for nine years. I earned my doctorate in curriculum and social inquiry and taught at the university for five years (IL State and National-Louis). I taught undergraduate teacher education, Masters-level research classes, and a Doctoral-level writing research course. I won an Illinois State Teaching Award and a Christa McAuliffe Science Teaching Award for my teaching unit in ocean ecology. 

My Books

Writing and ecology were my specialities as a teacher. I helped hundreds of students write their own books and “publish” them into our classroom library. I dreamed of publishing my own children’s books one day, and, in 2017, I did!

My First Children’s Book

My first children’s book, I Am a Butterfly, is illustrated using vivid photographs of the monarch butterfly’s lifecycle and won a number of awards including a first prize Purple Dragonfly Award in the category of children books.

I Am a Butterfly is available on Amazon; signed editions can be purchased here.

School Visits (suspended during Covid)

I do school visits to teach children about monarch butterflies, which I raise at home in the Midwest from June through September. You can see photos from one of my school visits here.

Photo Classes

I’m available to take children and adults on mindful nature walks for observation and beginning photography. email me at hello@natureshealingimages.com to discuss.

Get Monarch Butterfly Resources

Click here for free butterfly teaching resources and a free 8×10 butterfly print. I also have free and paid teaching curriculum available on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Whether you’re in a famous place of beauty, like a national park, or simply in your own backyard, may your life be filled with Nature’s Healing Images.

Best wishes,

Sally

Ironweed going to seed 1a 0375

“Ironweed, Blue Skies Going to Seed”

photo taken at The Emily Oaks Nature Center

1st Place, Scenery

Some pages on this site contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

All images on this site are the sole property of Sally Stone. These photographs are protected by copyright law and may not be downloaded, printed, or reproduced without the express written permission of Sally Stone. The photographed wildlife on this website roams free (excepting rescues in captivity for their own safety). No wildlife in these photos has been baited.