Wellness Programs
SINGLE-DAY GUIDED HIKING AND WALKING GROUPS
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Studies show that walking in nature is highly beneficial for reducing stress, boosting mood, increasing heart health, lowering anxiety and depression, and numerous other health outcomes. For this reason, we sponsor walking and hiking groups that focus on topics of interest in our community. Trips occur in various locations within the DELMARVA region and range in length from 1 hour to a full day.
GUIDED BACKPACKING / MULTI-DAY DAY HIKES
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Our 3-day group backpacking trips are designed to help group members be more present in their lives and connect more deeply with themselves and nature. Trips cater to beginner and intermediate backpacking levels and are facilitated by staff with wilderness guide, first aid, and/or therapeutic training. They include pre-trip logistical meetings before embarking on journeys throughout the DEMLARVA region
DIRT THERAPY PROGRAM FOR TEENS
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We offer full-day nature-based retreats for professionals in high-burnout industries to help them access solitude, perspective, and the present moment. Retreats include education about the physiology of stress, the detriments of productivity culture, the role of nature in healing. We offer cognitive, somatic, and solution-focused strategies for reclaiming time and energy in life.
NATURE-BASED BURNOUT RECOVERY RETREATS
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We offer full-day nature-based retreats for professionals in high-burnout industries to help them access solitude, perspective, and the present moment. Retreats include education about the physiology of stress, the detriments of productivity culture, the role of nature in healing. We offer cognitive, somatic, and solution-focused strategies for reclaiming time and energy in life.
EQUINE-ASSISTED THERAPY (EAT)
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This is an experiential approach to healing and gaining insight about the self. It involves a collaborative relationship between a participant, a mental health professional, an animal specialist, and a trained horse. Common goals of EAT sessions are to help an individual find relief from stress, manage symptoms of depression and anxiety, improve communication skills, build trust, secure wellness, or learn how to regulate their emotions.
RITES OF PASSAGE PROGRAMS
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Rites of passage ceremonies are traditionally rooted in earth-based cultures and practices enacted out in the wild. We offer programs rooted in these traditions for participants ages 16-60 to support them in marking important life transitions. Rites of passage usually involve ritual activities and teachings designed to strip individuals of previous roles and ways of thinking and to prepare them for new ways of being and knowing in the world.
COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH BOOK CLUBS
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We sponsor free book club events open to the community in order to do our part in addressing social isolation and normalizing discussions about mental health. Groups are typically 6-8 weeks long with 60-90 minutes meetings. Meeting locations are at local community spaces, including coffee shops, libraries, and outdoor public spaces when weather permits.