Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail - Paige Kelly

Taylor Cole, from the University of Montana, wrote about her experience on the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail and how it served as a healing journal. She has found within her research that many individuals who have completed long-distance hikes, such as hers, have experienced many psychological benefits from their hike. Hiking in and of itself serves as a form of therapy due to the calming and reflective qualities of nature. This is especially beneficial for our society since many individuals cannot afford therapy prices or medication, and many areas are also having a shortage of mental health professionals, as the statistics of mental illness have increased significantly. Having hiking as a form of therapy will eventually lead to a hopeful decrease in major mental illness cases reported in the future.

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