top of page
Pacific Crest Trail Hikers
Mental Health Prep Group 2025

About This Group

This online support group is for people who will be hiking the Pacific Crest Trail as thru hikers or segment hikers in the 2025 season. This group helps hikers to process and prepare their mental health for the time they will spend on trail.

Group time is guided and structured and allows space for processing:

  • Expectations

  • Fears

  • Social support

  • Sense of Personal Meaning - What does time on trail mean to you?

  • Developing skills for managing pre-existing symptoms of anxiety, depression, or trauma

​

This group allows hikers to fill up their mental health tool box before departing on one of the most exciting and demanding trails in the country!

​

Mental Health & The Trail

The Pacific Crest Trail can test psychological resilience and adaptability as many elements of life on trail are determined by Mother Nature and external forces. Like many endeavors in life, there are likely to be pros and cons along the way.

​​This group allows space to process the upcoming challenges and rewards, the meaning and the costs.​​​

​

Meeting Information:

This online support group is offered on Wednesday nights from 5-6 PM Pacific Time via Zoom, beginning March 5th, and concluding on April 2nd (5 weeks). The fee is $50 per session. 

​

  • Due to current Oregon counseling laws, all participants must be physically located in the state of Oregon at the time of their virtual attendance.​

  • Group will need at least 4 participants in order to run, and will cap at 10 participants. â€‹â€‹

​

Group Format

​A group session typically follows a guided, structured format and consists of:

  • A warm welcome and grounding exercise 

  • Check ins- highs and lows of the week

  • Topic(s) for the session

  • Toolbox building- skills for mental health

    • mindfulness based stress reduction

    • CBT thought reframing

    • expressive reflections

  • Debrief

  • Grounding exercise

  • Closing 

​

All participation is voluntary, and participants are always welcome to say "pass" or opt out of any planned group exercises or discussions. â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹â€‹

​​

Privacy Protocol

There is an expectation that group members respect the privacy of their peers and do not share the personal information or stories of other group participants with people outside of the group. Showing up to group therapy is a vulnerable process and we want to respect this dynamic. Because there is a chance that group members may see each other outside of the group while on the trail, or in day to day life, we will discuss how to engage with these types of interactions so that all people are comfortable.

​​​​

Can I join?

Individuals who typically thrive in this group are:​

  • Comfortable in the group setting

  • Have a desire to maintain or improve their mental well-being

  • Are able to communicate needs, preferences, or request accommodations to the Facilitator

​

A screening intake session (one on one) is required before the first group session to ensure proper fit, alignment with goals, and to provide more detailed information about the group. The intake session is charged at the same rate as the group session. If it is determined that the group is not a good fit, a referral to an appropriate group will be made. Submit an email, call, or contact form to request a spot in the next group opportunity.

IMG_7678.heic

WHERE?

This group meets online via Zoom.

IMG_5620.jpg

WHEN? 

We meet on Wednesdays from 5-6 PM Pacific Time, beginning March 2025, and concluding in April 2025, when many thru hikers leave to begin their hike in California. 

IMG_5047_edited.jpg

WHO? 

This group is offered to Pacific Crest Trail thru hikers and segment hikers who will be on trail in the 2025 season.

Hikers
  • Do I need to commit to attending every group session?
    Yes, this is ideal for the group to build trust and to have enough participants to run smoothly. You will be informed of the time commitment before you sign up.
  • What do I need to bring to Pacific Crest Trail Prep Group?
    This is an online group and you will need to have access to stable internet and be present on the screen using a phone or computer. Most weeks you will not need to bring anything, although occasionally it may be helpful to have a pen and paper to take a few notes and participate in some reflective activities.
  • What are the benefits and risks?
    The benefits include: processing your expectations of the upcoming hike, gaining social support, identifying areas of anxiety to proactively prepare for them, processing your intentions and the meaning you assign to this experience, and practice skills for managing mental health while on trail. The risks include: Discomfort with processing, emotional vulnerability.
  • How long has this group been around?
    The Pacific Crest Trail Prep Group is being piloted in 2025 for the first time. Have no fear- Aimee has been leading various therapy groups, including hiking therapy, since 2020, and working with groups outdoors since 2009.

Contact:

​

Aimee Frazier

 

503.894.6478

​

Aimee@  PortlandHikingTherapy.com

​

3407 S. Corbett Ave

 

Portland, Oregon 97239

​

Hours & Locations:

Mondays: 10-4...............................Hiking Sessions

Wednesdays: 10-4..................................... In-office 

Thursdays: 10-4..............................Hiking Sessions

​​

  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

©2025 Portland Hiking Therapy LLC

bottom of page