Where are they now? Catching up with Mercy Integral Ecology Emerging Leaders Fellow, Juliet Talarico
March 24, 2025
One of the first cohort of the Mercy Integral Ecology Emerging Leader Fellowship Program (Fellowship), Juliet Talarico, has reflected on how the Fellowship has shaped her journey as a leader in integral ecology education, connection and practice.
For much of her life, Juliet has had a connection with integral ecology and the Mercy story. A member of Young Mercy Links since 2015, she attended a retreat run by the former Rahamim Ecology Centre in Bathurst, before taking on a year-long internship at Rahamim in 2018. Juliet then worked at Melbourne’s Mercy Hub. Her background is in biological science majoring in ecology. Her study naturally prepared her for the scientific understandings, but her curiosity about spirituality, creativity and connection with the community of creation urged her to further explore all connected fields.
Juliet was one of four fellows in the first year of the program in 2022. Since then, she has worked in the field of bush regeneration and later became a full-time botanist for a private consultancy, studying plants and advising companies developing land to retain ecological integrity. She also works casually as an environmental educator for National Parks Victoria, Nature Stewards, and her own newly established enterprise, Terra Leaders, though which she facilitates education programs and retreats.
Many experiences from the fellowship have stayed with her. One aspect of the program was the three immersions. Juliet explained, “For me it was this rare opportunity to have space to think about how I feel about Earth’s degradation and what I need to do. It provided me with the time and resources to deeply consider that. In our busy lives it’s really hard to find that reflective, contemplative time.”
During the Fellowship, participants are assigned a mentor with whom they meet once a month. This was significant for Juliet. “It stays with me still. The time with my mentor felt quite sacred, having that relationship helped me to see what I can do because she’s an example of someone who already lived that out.”
A third aspect was the spirituality. “The fellowship was nurturing for my spirituality as it linked Earth and spirituality together. It has further enriched me to do all the work I do as a botanist and as an environmental educator. For me, the Mercy spirituality and our actions have always been connected to the natural world. The only reason I do these things is because I feel within myself that it is really important and the spirituality gives me a lot of momentum and energy to persist.”
These spiritual practices are still a part of Juliet’s daily life. “I’m still journalling in nature which is a simple practice but the thing I can consistently do, sitting on my balcony or in my room but looking out my window at the lake I am surrounded by. Because I live in a city I have to make things sustainable and realistic. Any opportunity I can get to be outdoors I have been taking and this fills me with so much joy.”
Juliet’s culminating personal project featured a dance she performed expressing her love of the community of creation and her place within it. She shared that, “the space available through the fellowship and supportive people around you enables you to feel comfortable to show creative outlets, a safe space to allow creativity as it was really encouraged. You’re not going to get that in your day-to-day job, which is fine, but I just loved that freedom of expression.”
Juliet has reflected on her work as a retreat facilitator for Young Mercy Links, adults and many school groups.
“I was an intern coming in and learning and now I’m leading programs that people will actually commit to doing. I am really heartened by how the people I have met in the Mercy community have been so generous with their time to support me – so many people who have been instrumental in my journey through their sheer generosity and wanting the message of Mercy to live on. To me the message of Mercy is particularly linked to care for Earth. That’s something that really resonated with me through my life and my career, just how generous everyone has been. Now I can independently advocate for this work and bring this message to schools, teachers and students.”
Written by Sally Neaves, Integral Ecology Animator/Mission Ministry Resource Coordinator.