Date of Award

Summer 8-23-2025

Document Type

Doctoral Research Paper

Degree Name

Psy.D.

Organizational Unit

Graduate School of Professional Psychology

First Advisor

Laura Meyer

Second Advisor

Brian Beaumund

Third Advisor

Michael Karson

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords

Psychotherapy, Thru hiking, Ultralight backpacking, Early career clinician, Therapist-in-training, Therapeutic technique

Abstract

This paper explores several principles of ultralight backpacking as metaphors for developing one’s therapeutic technique. The tenets of ultralight thru hiking, when interpreted through a clinical lens, offer early clinicians insight into the importance of moving through fear and leaning into exploration, discomfort, and authenticity while on the journey of becoming a therapist. The experiences of numerous thru hikers are synthesized into five principles: Don’t Pack Your Fears, Be Present for the Journey, Slow Simplicity, Embrace the Suck (and The Stink), and Trail Legs. These principles do not define ultralight as carefreeness but rather offer a metaphor for the careful sifting of one’s practice down to its essentials: the relationships formed both with others and with oneself.

Copyright Date

6-6-2025

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Emma Bossier

Provenance

Received from author

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

27 pgs

File Size

197 KB

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