Of Wolves, Rivers, and Us

In Yellowstone, the return of a handful of wolves reshaped an entire ecosystem—even changing the rivers. Our inner lives work the same way: restore one key relationship, and everything reorganizes. In this post, Dr. Mark Pirtle explores how attunement acts as the “one right action” that brings balance, vitality, and creativity back online—and invites readers to join the Book Launch Team for his upcoming book, The Healing Mindset.

Hey friends,

There’s a story I wrote about in the introduction of my upcoming book, The Healing Mindset, that tells what happened when wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park.

In the 1990s, scientists reintroduced a small number of wolves after nearly seventy years of absence. No one could predict what happened next.

The wolves began to hunt deer again, which gave plants and trees a chance to regrow. The vegetation stabilized the soil. Birds returned. Beavers came back and built dams. Fish flourished. Even the rivers shifted course, carving new, deeper, and healthier pathways through the valley.

One right action and the whole ecosystem responded. That’s how living systems rebalance themselves. The same principle applies to us.

When we start doing just one right thing, our entire inner landscape begins to reorganize. Stress lessens. Vitality returns, and creativity starts to flow again.

That’s what attunement does. It’s our human way of calling the wolves home. I write about attunement a lot. You could say I'm an evangelist for it. What is it? Sensing into yourself, others, and situations with acceptance, care, and a wish for a higher good. When such skillful awareness leads, harmony is not far behind.

Here’s a gentle question: Where might a single act of attunement help begin to restore a healthy flow in your life?

This is the kind of system-wide transformation I explore in my upcoming book, The Healing Mindset. I’m gathering a group of early supporters to help bring it to life.

If you're interested 🌿 Join my Book Launch Team:
You’ll receive early access to the Introduction, behind-the-scenes updates, invitations to live events, and a signed copy when the book releases.

Together, we can help others rediscover healthy balance—one upstream shift, one wolf, one river at a time.

👉 Join the Book Launch Team

Wishing you abundant health, happiness, and prosperity,
Mark