Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Elections bring challenges and also opportunities to connect with self and others in new ways. In fact, election season requires this level of awareness and calm presence. This time can be intense and triggering to our health, especially at this moment. Research reveals this election, in particular, is causing stress to many, impacting mental health. While we get closer to voting day, it is even more vital that we attend to well-being and hold skillfulness and intention when it comes to mental health.

July 29, 2024

Caregivers need care. Healers need healing. As we seek to reduce the stigma of being a healer who needs healing, we create greater opportunities to serve those who serve. There are many ways we can do this but we must start by acknowledging the state of affairs, articulating the need, and serving those who are on the frontlines every day. We salute you.

June 12, 2024

By embracing the time together with openness and hope, families embark on a journey of healing and transformation, one adventure at a time. For families seeking deeper connection and lasting well-being, the great outdoors is powerful medicine.

April 8, 2024

In recent years, there is growing recognition of peer-based activities and support to promote mental health and recovery. Experiential, peer-based adventures in nature can ignite individual and group awareness, reduce societal stigma, and foster sustainable outcomes and community. This dynamic offers a complementary approach to clinical therapeutic interventions as the results harmonize with traditional mental health care for many reasons.

March 20, 2024

“We need the tonic of wilderness…. We can never have enough of nature.”—Henry D. Thoreau, Walden.

Adventure calls us into the here and now to explore the world around us and engage in activities that support mental health, stimulate the body, and create long-term connection.

Jan 4, 2024

The tangible results of spending consistent time in nature are evident and there are nuanced reasons why we typically feel better, physically, mentally, and spiritually. One of these is light. Daylight and sunshine directly impact mood, provide necessary nutrients, and tap into what it means at our core to be a healthy human. Different seasons encourage more time outside than others, which means at times one must get creative but there are immeasurable benefits to spending some time under the sky.

Dec. 12, 2023

The holiday season is a special time of year for many of us. It can also be challenging and triggering. While we manage our schedules and activities it is vital that we attend to our well-being and mental health. It can be easy to lose track of how we’re feeling, potentially dissociate at stimulating gatherings, or tune out to factors that can impacting our sense of calm.

Oct. 26, 2023

Consistent time outdoors can change our lives. Intentional time in nature allows us to tap into healing and well-being in a few different ways. We connect with ourselves and others, we unplug and re-set, and tune in to what’s happening on a profound level, internally and externally. The senses take over and the thinking mind quiets.

Aug. 29, 2023

Outdoor activities stimulate and inspire us and these positive results are increased when we share experiences with others. Many of us experience elevated feelings and emotions in nature and this elevated awareness can increase through interconnectedness. Furthermore, when we are striving for goals and sharing milestones with others, we may feel increased wonder and inspiration. Watching shooting stars with friends, noticing a whale breach, hearing the coyotes in the night. These experiences are powerful and transformative. This positive condition of mind and spirit can be initiated by adventure—a natural high.

Aug. 7, 2023

What do we mean when we say mental health, outside? Studies show that environment plays a significant part when it comes to our well-being and mental health. Traditional therapy conjures an image of sitting, indoors, but for some, traditional modes of talk therapy can be challenging. However, when we move our bodies outside, we can explore other ways of healing. This is profound, impactful work, especially at a time when screens tend to dominate the human experience.

May 17, 2023

When it comes to stress, psychological distress, and physiological symptoms, we simply can’t think our way out. When we have calmed down, the thinking mind can be helpful, but how do we get to the calm when we feel overwhelmed? This is the, for some, million-dollar question.

Oct. 18, 2022

Many of us experience elevated feelings and emotions when we are struck with a sense of wonder or inspiration outside. This heightened condition of mind and spirit can be initiated by awe, can be defined as inspired, elevated positivity—a natural high, as opposed to destructive hedonism or fleeting pleasures.

June 17, 2022

Water impacts our mental and physical health in various beneficial ways. The science backs this up as studies show that water can impact mood and generate elevated emotional states, benefitting overall well-being. This is why we seek the water. For many of us, it is the medicine.

May 11, 2022

Rock climbing positively impacts our mental health by training the mind and body to create this positive resilience loop. There are multiple techniques that can be utilized to help bring someone ground and land in their bodies in the present moment. When we attain this level of proficiency, we increase our capacity. But that’s not the only reason we climb.

March 29, 2022

When we learn new ways to care for ourselves, develop relationships with like-minded individuals, and feel motivated each day, it is far easier to create lasting change. This is how we find healing—in the ongoing community striving towards the same goal of adventure: wilderness outpatient. It’s the joy we experience outside, together, that keeps us coming back. Life is meant to be joyful. It is challenging, but also fun.

Feb. 8, 2022

Time in the field, one-on-one, for multiple days and nights, allows us to deeply connect with the client, their goals, their challenges, and their dreams. In addition, adventure immersions allow us to unplug, re-set, slow down, and adopt a natural pace in harmony with the environment. Immersive experiences help us to reflect on what is and what is not working in our lives and what shifts we may need to make. It also allows the crew of guides to hold space for themselves, along with the client, to demonstrate and model the ongoing need for deepening our connections to the skills we teach. Ultimately, when we are on expedition, the powerful lessons of the natural world create a perfect, backdrop for inspiration and transformation.

Nov. 1, 2022

The nature prescription changes lives. Now, more than ever, natural spaces are the place to be. Research is revealing that time immersed outside can boost our immune system, alter mental states, and increase our overall health. What’s more, outside we are able to find perspective and connect with a sense of awe, creating space for more experiential-based feelings, quieting the thinking mind.

Oct. 29, 2021

Happy hormones contribute to many different aspects of one’s health and wellness including decreasing stress levels and increasing feelings of belonging and purpose. The word hormone is a slight misnomer here in some instances but for the sake of discussion, these neurotransmitters can directly influence mood and mental health outcomes. Here’s a look at how we make the most of these natural mood-boosters.

June 1, 2021

The world is full of teachers, and many of them are not human. Rivers, forests, mountains, trees — they are the ancient teachers with keys to locked parts inside of us all. And when we allow a teacher to lead the way, we learn how to navigate the internal and external wilderness with skillfulness and ease. We need the guidance of someone who walks the path to help us find which specific key fits our specific lock. And I’m deeply grateful, every day, that I became willing to accept true connection.

Jan. 22, 2021

It is through communication, shared experiences, and camaraderie that we really find ourselves. When we explore nature, learn new skills, and engage in adventures together, we are brought to the immediate, into the moment and we grow. Furthermore, the willingness found in being open to learning new skills and tools puts us in a positive position for mental health and resilience. The flexible mind is a healthy mind. When we are teachable, we cultivate this flexibility. And in the dynamic of peer support, all parties reap the benefit.