Dancing with wolves

Photo: Lexie Larson // Neighbors of Park City.

Heber local Sausha Seus raises wolves for the silver screen and the soul.

Heber native Sausha Seus was, quite literally, raised by wolves. The daughter of world-renowned animal trainers and conservationists Doug and Lynne Seus—best known for raising and training Bart the Bear, the famous Hollywood grizzly—Sausha grew up surrounded by wildlife on her parents’ expansive property in the Heber Valley. Among the many animals, it was the wolves, living in family-style packs, that became a defining part of her childhood. “From the time I was six months old my parents had wolves, so to me they were just a natural part of being in a family,” she said.

In her twenties, Sausha attended Southern Utah University, receiving a degree in sociology and political science, finally returning home to take care of the many wildlife while her parents embarked on one of their many Hollywood film commitments featuring Bart the Bear, in this case, in the blockbuster Legends of the Fall. The elder Seuses also had twelve wolves and an assortment of other wild animals in their care, including cougars, foxes, badgers and raccoons. Sausha answered their call, saying “I’ll gladly stay home and take care of my animal family.”  

While she continued her family legacy of raising wildlife and training animals for television and film, as well as running a dog training, boarding and grooming business, Sausha also was busy raising her three children. But wildlife was strong in her blood and in 2020 she formed her business, Wolves of Wasatch, to continue her parents’ tradition of training and advocacy.  With a host of offerings to the public and with loftier goals in the works, Wolves currently offers opportunities to connect with nature and learn more about a species so often misunderstood. From a two-hour excursion hiking her 47 acres with her two wolves––known as Apollo, and the newest member of the pack, a four-month-old cub named Wizard––to corporate events tailored to businesses who learn to incorporate wolf mentality into their team structure and bonding, Sausha is a huge believer in wolves’ natural ability to heal and be teachers. “Wolves by their nature are natural healers and with guidance and a desire to go deeper, people can experience true magic,” she said. “More than half the people who leave are crying happy tears, and that is so fulfilling for me.”

While many people opt for just the hike and learning more about wolves, Sausha, who has also been ordained as a chaplain, offers an expanded experience for people to face past trauma and experience deeper healing. “Healing is my heart center, and I can use my skills as a chaplain, and my talent with wild animals, to connect with people. Once that connection space is open, people can start healing from the inside.” Sausha explained that using wolves as a modality to that end goal is a truly unique journey. “I really honestly just let the wolves operate and mediate, and every experience is different,” she said. “There’s really no other word for it than pure magic. There’s a sort of divine quality to this type of healing and wolves are already connected to a higher source, so it just transpires in such a beautiful way.”

Her two-hour tour can be tailored for specific groups or specific goals, whether for healing, awareness, or education. A recent tour featured lessons on ecosystems and wildlife conservation tailored for a youth group. 

Sausha has also begun partnering with “Drum Utah” to incorporate drum circles into her wolf experiences, which is based on native American therapy and healing modalities, and which is an initiative that is a first step on the way to her larger goal. Springboarding from her parents’ organization, Wasatch Rocky Mountain Wildlife, she would like to realize her dream of creating a retreat center complete with the many Native American wildlife which she knew as family growing up and offering the public a sanctuary to heal among nature. “My ultimate goal is to offer multi-day wolf and wildlife experiences and to eventually create a retreat center for people to come back to themselves into nature and heal,” she said. “It’s about coming full circle to what my parents started. I have to follow my passion, and that’s my goal.”

On her journey to that goal, Sausha is formatting more extensive experiences, including days-long retreats on her Daniels’ property which incorporates healing body and soul work, sound baths, yoga, and polar plunges, crater soaks, breath work, and of course, wolves. “Wolves can and will teach us to look inside ourselves, to be fully present and to establish good boundaries,” she said. “They teach us once again to connect back to our primal selves and open up our hearts to heal.”

For more information visit www.wolvesofwasatch.com and Wolves of Wasatch on Facebook.