Healing in the Wild: Overcoming Trauma Through Outdoor Therapy

"Healing in the Wild captures the powerful connection between outdoor therapy and overcoming trauma. It’s not just about recreation; it’s about survival, resilience, and rediscovering a sense of mission. Whether it’s lining up a putt or tracking a path through the woods, these moments in the wild can be the difference between despair and hope." - Don Rea Jr., President, PGA of America

There are wounds that do not bleed—wounds of the soul that cannot be stitched or treated with medication. Trauma, moral injury, grief, and loneliness can leave invisible scars, shaping the way we see ourselves and the world. But there is a path forward.

Healing in the Wild is more than a book—it invites you to step outside, reconnect, and rediscover the resilience within you. Through powerful storytelling, cutting-edge research, and deeply personal insights, this book explores how nature provides a unique path to healing.

As a Veteran, I’ve walked this path myself. I’ve seen how the wild doesn’t just heal—it transforms.

Written by Healthcare Ethicist and Integrative Chaplain, Dr. Carter Check, this transformative guide examines the connection between trauma, isolation, and the pursuit of meaning. It dives into the unseen fractures of the soul—moral injury, guilt, shame, and despair—and reveals how the wild offers the lessons we need to heal.

In these pages, you will discover:

How outdoor therapy can help you break free from trauma’s grip
Why loneliness is the most dangerous risk factor—and how to combat it
The role of spirituality and purpose in emotional resilience
How nature fosters reconnection, hope, and transformation

This book is for veterans, first responders, and anyone seeking inner healing, a renewed sense of purpose, a way to navigate grief, and a path to overcoming PTSD through nature.

Healing isn’t about quick fixes. It’s about taking the first step—and then the next. Whether through mountains or rivers, solitude or community, the wild offers something modern life often forgets: a space to breathe, to listen, and to heal.

You are still here. And as long as you are here, hope is within reach.

Let the wild do what it does. You might just find that the best parts of you—the parts you thought were lost—were never gone at all.

If you're ready to embark on a journey of healing, start reading today.