#71 - The Te Araroa Trail and The Hike For Mental Health with Justin Helmkamp

Justin “2 Taps” Helmkamp is a Thru-Hiker who recently completed the southern section of the Te Araroa Trail in New Zealand.  He’s also an advocate for mental health and, when he’s not hiking a long trail, he spends his time working with teens and young adults in a Wilderness Therapy program.On this episode, we talk about his time hiking abroad in New Zealand, how to deal with constant wet feet, how to allow an adventure to take place, and how the wilderness can be a valuable tool for mental health.Justin is a cool cat and someone you’ll want to pay attention to.Show Notes and LinksIntroductionsJustin’s path to backpackingThe inspiration to hikeLearning to Thru-Hike from scratchDeciding to hike the Te Araroa in New ZealandDetails of the trailThe Approach to planning the Te Araroa TrailLearning to let adventure happen and building confidenceHow hiking  let’s you experience a placeLearning to hike New ZealandHow to deal with wet feetBeing comfortable being uncomfortableA note on backpacking footwearIs hiking becoming more popular?Hike for Mental Health and wilderness therapyFinding another purpose while out on an adventureWhy wilderness therapy worksLearning to be boredCan video or photography ruin an experience?Details on guided wilderness therapyHow the movement of hiking plays a role in therapyWhat can happen in your head when hikingAllowing yourself to learn from the outdoorsHow to follow up with Justin and what he’s doinghttps://www.hikeformentalhealth.org/https://www.instagram.com/justinhelmkamp/https://secure.hikeformentalhealth.org/np/clients/hike/campaign.jsp?campaign=103&fundraiser=9836Support the Show.Thanks for listening! Check out the links below to learn more, connect, and support the show. Website Join the podcast email newsletter Make a One-Time Donation (+ Affiliate Links) Monthly Podcast Support Courses Learn How To Backpack 6 Weeks To Solo Backpacking Thru-Hiking 101 Resources YouTube Instagram Facebook Groups emory@byland.co