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Your support expands access to nature-based experiences that strengthen well-being, build community, and protect the places we all depend on.
Our Mission
Hiking My Feelings began on a mountaintop east of San Diego, CA in 2018 – a mantra, battlecry, and most importantly a replacement to the eating and drinking that had once been go-to methods for handling the reverberating emotions of lived trauma.
Since that day, we’ve been on a mission to improve community health by creating opportunities for people to experience the healing power of nature.
Our Work
Our programs and events cultivate a judgement-free space where transformational healing is possible. We introduce people to mindfulness and the healing power of nature, and the results are lasting improvements to mental, physical and spiritual health.
This is more than learning how to set up a tent, this is wilderness wellness. Through guided self-discovery exercises, in-the-field education, physical movement, and storytelling, we heal and transform our relationship to self so we can show up more powerfully for our communities.
We know that when there are spaces where vulnerability is recognized as a strength and compassion is the norm, deep healing is possible.
What unites us? A deep desire for healing and a growing awareness that self love isn’t selfish.
Our Impact
Each healing act we take for ourselves ripples out to our community and planet. Daily we see the fallout of the mental, physical, and environmental crisis that defines our era, but we know there is another pathway forward.
When we give ourselves the opportunity to reflect and find inspiration in what we’ve experienced on our Trail of Life, we can get intentional about how we spend the rest of our time on this planet in these bodies – integrating the lessons learned into our personal lives and communities.
The results? Empowered individuals taking a stand for the wellbeing of their communities and planet.
Everything we do is designed to support participants as they embark on this journey to blaze a trail to self-love.
Your generosity makes this possible.
Hiking My Feelings relies on the generosity of donors to bring our mission to life. To date, thousands of people across the US have experienced the healing power of nature with our organization, and we’re just getting started.
We never want finances to be a barrier to beginning the healing journey and your contributions allow us to provide the Hiking My Feelings®, Wellness in the Wilderness, and Reciprocity Rx™ programming to individuals who are ready to take the leap, regardless of financial status.
Zelle: Donate@hikingmyfeelings.org
Make checks payable to Hiking My Feelings, Inc. and mail to:
8690 Aero Drive
Suite 115 #4045
San Diego, CA 92123
Love Letters from Our Community
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“While chatting with a fellow hiker I randomly brought up my sexual assault. I went on and on about it until I paused myself. This was the first time in many years that I could speak about my sexual assault and not cry. This was MAJOR. This retreat brought out 3 major breakthroughs for me: my Cervical Cancer, my faith and my sexual assault. I am very blessed to have attended this retreat, blessed to have met such wonderful human beings and blessed to have come across Hiking My Feelings. From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for what you do.”
PROGRAMS COMPLETED
Blaze Your Own Trail to Self-Love
Hike + Heal Catalina Island
Hike + Heal Glacier National Park -
“The community element of this program had the most impact on me. Having a safe space to be vulnerable and honest about my feelings/struggles/fears gave me the strength to face them. And even though the program has technically ended, I have a loving community and a deep well of resources to draw from as I continue the life-long work of self love.”
PROGRAMS COMPLETED
Read & Reflect
Blaze Your Own Trail to Self-Love
Hike + Heal Catalina Island
Hike + Heal Joshua Tree
Hike + Heal Yellowstone National Park -
“Hiking has always healed me. Hiking Catalina with Hiking My Feelings, and a community of humans who arrived with their own battle wounds and stories healed me in a way I needed most. Although I may never see some of these people again, many I will. And all of them will continue to take up space in my existence as pieces of what has shape-shifted me into becoming braver to exist in ways that I may have thought to be impossible to reach as I was deep in my navigation of change. So much gratitude for this experience, this community, and this reconnection with myself-in nature-one step at a time.”
PROGRAMS COMPLETED
Hike + Heal Catalina Island -
“I am not sure I will be able to fully capture in words all of the ways that BYOT positively impacted me! The weekly meetings had the biggest impact and were definitely a safe place for me, where I felt supported and that my voice and experience were valued. All of the activities and topics provided encouraged me to dig a little deeper to learn more about myself and heal from my trauma. I feel that being part of this community has motivated me to elevate my walks in the park to more challenging hikes in the woods. I am truly a believer that #hikingmyfeelings works!”
PROGRAMS COMPLETED
Read & Reflect
Blaze Your Own Trail to Self-Love -
“Life-Saving Testimonial”
My first experience at a HMF event was Catalina Island, which is uniquely stunning, something I hadn't seen before a long with Kaleo Wassman (Pepper) and KBong singing songs around the fire, witnessing green shooting stars, a black panther prowling the hillside behind us, etc. These are all memories etched into my mind and bring a smile to my face whenever I think back. The wake up call received during this event was even more unique and it impacted my life, it woke me up from a 10-year depression and was life-changing. It showed me that all we have to do is be in the moment and be honest with yourself... you have limited time, make it count!
Well 5 years, almost 5,000 walking and hiking miles and many HMF events later, I still remember Catalina and am applying what I learned there...that you can change your life in a second and it's your choice everyday!Sydney, Barry and past HMF event participants I met along the way... Thank you, my life is different today because of you!
PROGRAMS COMPLETED
Hike + Heal Catalina Island
Take a Hike, Diabetes
Hike + Heal Sequoia National Park
Hike + Heal Joshua Tree National Park
Hike + Heal Zion National Park