Not Your Average Walk in the Woods
Years ago, not too long after moving out west from Ontario, I was invited on a hike with a few friends. I was in for a rude awakening when I quickly realized this hike was no walk in the woods… it was a steep, uphill climb that had my heart racing the whole way! Let me be honest here: I did not enjoy that hike. I was struggling both physically and mentally to make it to the top. It was this initial hiking experience that inspired me to combine what is now my love of hiking with my appreciation for therapy and host a Hiking Therapy Workshop. Let me explain…
Fast-forward a few years, I have come to appreciate hiking in a whole new way. Hiking has shown me that I have a mental resiliency that translates into other areas of my life, such as work and relationships. It has also connected me to my body in ways that I didn’t even realize were lacking. Since that initial hike years ago, I have become a therapist by trade and have been working in the field for several years now. What I’ve come to find is that therapy and hiking offer us a similar experience, if we’re willing: both are an opportunity to examine ourselves.
In my work as a therapist, my role in some ways is to hold a mirror up for another person so that they can take a closer look and get curious about what they see. You might seek counselling because you’re experiencing anxiety or depression, you have unprocessed trauma, perhaps you’re going through a tough transition, experiencing a loss of some kind, or maybe you’re struggling in your relationships... Whatever has brought you through the door is important to understand. Equally important is to understand how you are likely to make sense of and respond to the challenges you face.
Each of us has a set of beliefs about ourselves and the world that we carry around with us. These beliefs can be hard to identify because they are so much a part of us, and they’ve likely been with us for a very long time, so we don’t actually know what it’s like to live without them. These beliefs are crucial, because they affect every area of our lives: how we make decisions, how we respond to hardship, how we show up in relationships, how we feel about ourselves, how we perceive ourselves, others, and the world around us… the list goes on!
There is incredible value in identifying these beliefs. Even better is when we have a sense of where they came from – who or what might have taught them to us? As we begin to examine these beliefs, potentially with the help of a therapist, we can start to challenge them and decide not only if they’re true, but if they’re serving us, or if maybe they’re the cause of some of the distress in our life.
When I went on that first hike after moving out west, I was not only struggling physically, but internally I was being confronted by an inner narrative that sounded something like this: You’re so unfit! You’re the slowest one in the group. You’re holding everyone back. Everyone can tell that you’re having a hard time. This is embarrassing. Keep going, don’t slow down or take too many breaks... Now, as I reflect on that experience, and with the help of my training as a counsellor, I can see how my own limiting beliefs were surfacing that day. Essentially, I was believing that struggling is something to be ashamed of and it makes me weak. I was also believing that having andexpressing needs (ie. to slow the pace, take a break, have some water) will inconvenience to others. Instead, I was disconnecting myself from my body – silencing it and what it needed – for the sake of maintaining appearances… Stopping to think about this now, that is some pretty powerful messaging that I had been carrying around with me. My own limiting beliefs were surfacing that day, and you better believe those beliefs showed up in my day-to-day life apart from that hike! They impacted how I saw myself in relation to others, how I respond in the face of adversity, and whether I decide to step into challenges… These beliefs were not only untrue, but they were harmful.
During our first ever Hiking Therapy Workshop in September, I had the privilege of setting out on a challenging hike with a group of women. The invitation was to allow the hike to serve as a catalyst for identifying their own limiting beliefs. The hike itself held up a mirror, allowing us to get curious about what comes up for us when do challenging things. We engaged in several reflective exercises to really tune in to what our bodies were telling us, how we were speaking to ourselves, and what limiting beliefs we might be carrying with us in life.
It was a great day of not only self-reflection, but also enjoying the company of others amidst the beauty of nature. When we made it to the top of our hike, we were met not only with a spectacular view, but also with a sense of accomplishment for having challenged our minds and bodies. We took some time to acknowledge those limiting beliefs and examine if they are true or not… We practiced extending self-compassion towards those parts that tend to want to hold us back. On top of that, we simply had fun! The day was full of laughter and good conversation.
If this experience intrigues you, or sounds like something you could benefit from, please feel free to reach out to us at info@panoramawellnessgroup.ca so that you can be notified about our next Hiking Therapy Workshop.
Whitney Regan is a Registered Clinical Counsellor who loves nature and helping people connect with it and themselves.
