Maren Schikler, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist & Guest Contributor
When deciding to take a vacation, one of the most important questions is what type of trip do you want to take? Are you aiming to relax, explore, or adventure? I’d like to invite you to consider the benefits of taking an “adventure vacation.” My partner and I recently went to the Dolomites in Italy with the focus of hiking. Along the way we explored tiny towns, relaxed in saunas, and connected our bodies with nature. I noticed that this entire adventure trip felt similar to the coping tool “5,4,3,2,1.” This trip contains plenty of examples of things I could name for all 5 senses of sight, touch, sound, smell, and taste. I believe that taking an adventurous trip with a focus on spending time outside positively impacts our mental health, allows us to notice our body, and creates the opportunity to encourage ourselves and grow more confident within our capabilities.
In 1987 Dr. Francine Shapiro was walking outside in nature when she realized her eye movements as she focused on the path began to change negative thoughts she was experiencing when thinking about painful moments. This became the start of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, also known as EMDR. In addition to EMDR, somatic and mindfulness based therapies are becoming more recognised for their benefit to focus attention on the connection with our bodies, in contrast to solely processing in traditional talk therapy. As a therapist during my sessions I often help clients work on grounding back into their bodies, and assist them with recognizing the different physical cues they’re feeling. You might listen to a mindfulness exercise that encourages visualizing a place in nature where you feel safe and at peace. Choosing a nature vacation allows for so many opportunities to later use for visualization and reflect on your trip long after you leave it.
One of the memories I will use in my own future visualization exercises will be the images I gained from hiking in The Dolomites. The most striking environment we experienced were the hikes of Tre Cime and Cadini di Misurina. The combined hikes were over 8 miles and 2,000 feet of elevation change. We started our day at 5 am for a sunrise hike to Cadini di Misurina, navigating the trail in absence of light before dusk. I kept noticing the stillness and silence before the rest of the world woke up. While hiking up (and I do mean up) the slopes of the Italian Alps, I started paying attention to the change in my breath as the altitude rose, the heaviness in my steps as we proceeded upward, and the moments of awe as I took in the stunning scenery around me. My partner and I stood on top of Cadini di Misurina for an hour to watch the sun strike the peaks opposing the famous view point. While watching the sunrise I was full of gratitude that the sky was clear of clouds allowing the sun to bathe peaks in light. I could feel the temperature from the coolness of the wind become warmer as the sun rose and offered us warmth. You never quite know what will happen while adventuring outside. Nature contains multitudes of opportunities to experience the external world and reflect on your internal experience.
The Tre Cime hike was physically challenging, giving me the opportunity to push myself. The difficulty of the trail forced me to name the moments I needed to pause along the way, grounding me in my body. There were parts of the trail where it felt like we would never get to the top of a switchback. I could feel my frustration build at the pain in my legs, but I remembered to pause and breath to recenter and remind myself how far we had come. This mirrors when I sit in a session with a client helping them to identify the feeling or emotion, where it might be showing up in the body, and how to bridge the gap to regulate. It doesn’t benefit a client to go at a speed they aren’t comfortable with, in the same way while hiking I was mindful of the pace my body could endure. There were unexpected sensory experiences on the Tre Cime hike, like chiming of cowbells or the trickle of an alpine steam. It was such a magical experience to hike in the Alps with clear skies, beautiful views, and the faint ringing of cows feeding on the alpine slopes. As I tired throughout the hike I began to move at a slower pace, but I was able to practice an affirmation to keep myself feeling positive. The sense of accomplishment to finish the hike left me feeling strong both mentally and physically.
After returning from the national park we decided to refresh our bodies by going to a sauna. We took in the views of the valleys between the south tyrol mountains on a scenic hour drive to the spa. The Corte Spa offered multiple saunas, a pool, several outdoor resting patios, a cold plunge, and a unique demonstration of a wellness practice called Aufguss. Aufguss is a sauna ritual involving a Aufgussmeister (instructor) pouring essential oil infused ice cubes on the hot stones creating steam in a Finnish sauna. The Aufgussmeister then fans, spins, and moves the air around the space using a towel to focus the hot air on the participants. The practice is said to release endorphins, create “fresh air,” and awaken the senses. The two rituals I participated in included scents of peppermint, cedarwood, and sage. Music filled the space creating the environment for complex towel choreography. I felt myself entranced by the movement and so comfortable and relaxed I closed my eyes. It was one of the most unique experiences I have had. The scent of the oils, the rush of the heat from moving air, and the spectacle of the towel movement. The heat released all the soreness from a full day’s effort and grounded me into the ritual. The changing scents and humidity reminded me of a grounding tool I use in my office with a diffuser and essential oils.
Ultimately, adventure travel serves as a powerful, real-time opportunity of mindfulness-based practices we cultivate in therapy. The challenges we face gave us a sense of accomplishment and pride in the effort we put forth. Stepping onto the trail requires us to actively engage our senses, accept uncertainty, listen to our bodies, and offer ourselves encouragement when facing moments of physical or emotional discomfort. Experiencing these grounding moments in nature not only builds confidence, but it also creates lasting internal resources to build resiliency that we can draw upon long after the journey is over— I know I’ll call on the memory of this adventure and reflect on these moments for the rest of my life.
If you liked this article, check out our guide to adventure tourism and how to have an adventure that’s right for you.