Have You Considered Hiking As A Form Of Therapy?

Finding mental health care is a challenge. Not just in Phoenix, but all over the United States. Even if you have good health insurance, it’s likely that you’ll soon discover most therapist are out of network. Costs, schedules and finding the right therapist can make it impossible to find the help. However have you ever considered, hiking therapy?

What is Hiking Therapy?

Hiking therapy is strapping on your hiking shoes, and hitting the trails. During tough times, one of the best remedies that we can do…is to go out into nature and taking one step in front of the other. Do to both, the physical aspect of walking and then being outdoors in nature…it calms the mind in ways no prescriptive drugs could ever do.

Benefits of Hiking Therapy

Clears the Mind

Brings Out More Creativity

Makes You HAPPY!

Confidence

Sense of Accomplishment

Calms Anxiety/Reduces Stress

Lowers Risk of Depression

Peaceful Escape

Sense of Responsibility to Protect & Preserve Nature

Benefits of Hiking Therapy

Clears the Mind

Being in the fresh air and hearing the sounds of wildlife has a way of drowning out all that self talk our monkey minds do. All the five senses become awakened and gives our brain a chance to fully be in the present moment.

Brings Out More Creativity

Being out in nature can inspire the mind and boosts imagination. Be sure to pack a notebook and some pens/pencils in your hiking pack to capture your inspirations.

Makes You HAPPY!

The physical exercise of hiking increases our brains endorphins, which makes us feel happy.

Confidence

Following along with a sense of accomplishment, being out doing some hiking therapy ultimately raises self confidence.

Sense of Accomplishment

It doesn’t matter if it was the hardest hike of your life or the easiest. Hiking creates a self of accomplishment, no matter what trail you do.

Calms Anxiety/Reduces Stress

Hiking therapy gets your mind away from the mundane of life and instead puts you in a place where you can focus on the present moment. Not to mention the physical aspect of hiking also resets your minds to calm anxiety and reduce stress.

Lowers Risk of Depression

The more hiking therapy is implanted in your routine the more it begins to lowers risks of depression. for this reason, it may be necessary to have an established hiking day througout your week or make it a goal to do multiple hikes a month.

Peaceful Escape

Going out and doing some hiking therapy allows you to escape the daily grind. It offers us a break in a place with amazing views and fresh air that reengerizes the soul.

Sense of Responsibility to Protect & Preserve Nature

Hiking therapy is a great reminder of how important it is to protect natural areas. Without our Phoenix hiking trails would we really have a place to escape too? By stepping onto the trail, we remember just how important it is to protect these areas.

Next time you’re not mentally doing so well…give hiking therapy a try. It doesn’t have to be a strenuous or challenging trail. As long as there is a mixture of walking and nature…it’s guaranteed that you will feel better once done with the hike.

Where to Go for Hiking Therapy in Phoenix

Hiking therapy can be done anywhere. However, here is a suggested list of our Phoenix Hiking Trails.

Phoenix Hiking Essentials

Over 200 hikers a year have accidents along the Phoenix hiking trails. The desert is a beautiful wide open space but with that also comes a bit of danger that all hikers need to be aware of and be prepared for.

To give you the best hiking experience be sure to bring these following essentials with you on your Phoenix hike

• Water
• Sunscreen/Sun Protected Clothing
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Salty Snacks (electrolytes)
• Durable shoes