Eco-therapy with Cole

09/17/2026

Cool 😎

09/03/2026

We’ve heard it a thousand times… but some of us don’t/cant’t/won’t learn until we are in the middle of a literal experience of “the only way out is through”. Backpacking teaches you that sometimes moving forward is the only option. It’s in these moments we face parts of ourselves we never knew were there, and learn what we are capable of. Suddenly the trivial dramas of life hold less weight, and our capacity grows.

09/03/2026

A reminder that many of the most beautiful sites are only visible to those who are willing to keep moving past obstacles, challenges, and discomfort. It’s so easy to see resistance or difficulty as sign to redirect, give up, or focus elsewhere. But what if the real magic is found when we move past that? Our nervous system likes the familiar, that’s why the things we know are bad for us feel so damn comforting. Everyday we have to remind ourselves, that growth requires a little bit of difficulty at times, and that is a part of the fun in life. And if we’re lucky, we will occasionally lift our gaze, brush ourselves off, and see ourselves in gorgeous places and mesmerizing circumstances that once weren’t even conceivable.

Image from a recent hiking/mountaineering trip in Norway above the Arctic Circle. Some of the best views were not documentable because we were in the thick of it. But boy of boy, do I feel more rich within because of it. Thankful to the earth for its many beautiful lessons.

challengingtimes

09/02/2026

✨Facilitator & Workshop Highlight✨

✨ Cole Hooley | Ecotherapy 101: Nature & Mental Wellness ✨

An introductory workshop exploring how connection with nature supports mental health and nervous system regulation. Blending research with simple, experiential practices, participants will learn accessible ways to use nature as a resource for grounding, resilience, and well-being.

Cole Hooley, MSEd is a mental health counselor, yoga teacher, Reiki Master, and founder of Middle Path Wellness. Her work integrates trauma-informed care, somatic practices, ecotherapy, and yoga to support nervous system regulation and overall well-being — bridging ancient wisdom traditions with modern psychological research.

| | www.middlepathwellness.org

08/29/2026

08/24/2026

In 2023, I started what has become an annual tradition. Every August, I set out on an adventure in the wilderness.

Over the past four years, that has looked like:

• A 9-day solo trek through the 100 Mile Wilderness in Maine, carrying everything I needed on my back — August 2023
• A week-long solo trek completing the New York section of the Appalachian Trail — August 2024
• A three-week solo cross-country road trip through numerous National Parks, including a 4-day backpacking trip on the John Muir Trail in California — August 2025
• And this year, hiking and backpacking above the Arctic Circle in Norway, this time with a group of friends of friends — August 2026

Each year, I’m reminded why I’ve become so deeply passionate about Ecotherapy as a form of mental health support and trauma healing. It’s in the wilderness that I learned the true meaning of “the only way out is through.”

These experiences continue to teach me about resilience, nervous system regulation, discomfort, awe, connection, and what can happen when we give ourselves enough space to unplug and meet ourselves somewhere outside of our usual routines.

As I settle back in after this year’s journey, I’m feeling rejuvenated, inspired, and grateful to bring these experiences back into my work.

My books are opening back up for Fall 2026 for Ecotherapy sessions as well as telehealth holistic psychotherapy sessions in Pennsylvania.

If you’ve been thinking about beginning or returning to therapy, or exploring a more nature-based and holistic approach to mental health support, reach out! Otherwise, let this serve a reminder to unplug and get outside.

08/24/2026

💕

Look who's back after about 100 years 🦦💛

A motion-activated camera along New York City's Bronx River recently captured a North American river otter — believed to be the first one documented in the Bronx section of the river since the early 1900s. The surprise appearance comes after decades of work by community groups, conservationists and public agencies to clean up the once heavily polluted river and restore wildlife habitat.

River otters depend on healthy freshwater habitats, so researchers say the sighting is an encouraging sign for the river's recovery. Beavers also returned to the Bronx River in 2007 after being absent for more than 200 years. Scientists caution that one otter doesn't necessarily mean a population has moved in — but after a century without a documented sighting, it's a pretty exciting visitor.

06/04/2026

05/11/2026

I don’t know who needs to hear this but…

05/09/2026

Grounding