How Melissa Boland found healing in nature
Melissa Boland at Avonport Beach, N.S.
For Melissa Boland, 2017 should have been one of the happiest times in her life. After all, she was newly married. Ironically, it was one of her lowest.
“I’ve lived with chronic depression and anxiety since I was young. I sought support in traditional talk-therapy approaches but I never really got to the root of the issue,” says Melissa, who lives in Middle Sackville. Fortunately, with the help of a psychologist, she realized that what she was missing in her life was a meaningful connection to nature and relationships with others not related to work or family.
Drawing on her skillset as a social worker with Nova Scotia Health’s Community Health Teams and coupled with a growing awareness that she needed to spend more time outdoors, Melissa started a monthly walking group, called Women in Nature Together (WINT). The group has been designed as an opportunity for self-care and a place that is inclusive of ability and female gender identity.
“While I wanted to get out in nature more, I didn’t want to go by myself for safety reasons,” says Melissa. “Add to that, I didn’t want to join a regular hiking club because I didn’t think I’d be able to manage the financial commitment. The clubs also seemed more formal and intimidating for where I was in my journey.”
“We’ve become too accustomed to sterile conveniences. The result has been a disconnection from ourselves about what it is to be imperfectly human.”
Melissa’s grounding philosophy is that when we’re connected to people and nature, we can be our healthiest and most authentic selves. Furthermore, she believes that being in nature is a necessary break from our busy, technology-filled lives. “We’ve become too accustomed to sterile conveniences. The result has been a disconnection from ourselves about what it is to be imperfectly human.” Now a certified hike leader with the Outdoor Council of Canada, Melissa says, “WINT provides an opportunity to be more connected to the earth – the place which feeds us and gives us the air we breathe and all that we need to survive.”
The walks are offered monthly and usually last 60 to 90 minutes, depending on how the group feels and the weather. Melissa performs trail-safety checks ahead of time to give participants an idea of what to expect when they join.
Walk participants have different ability and stamina levels. Some are reaching the end of rehabilitation from an injury and want to get out with others, some have never walked a path before but love nature, and some are avid walkers and hikers. It takes some planning to find the right pace.
Melissa describes the pace as comfortable. “I ask for a volunteer to walk at the back of the group, called a ‘sweeper,’ and we communicate through walkie-talkies if the pace needs to change or there are safety concerns. I always encourage participants to inform me or the sweeper if they need a break or change of pace,” says Melissa. “I also look back often. When we break, I try to break long enough so that the last person to walk up to the spot feels comfortable and rested before we carry on.”
Melissa says that WINT walks cover fairly accessible terrain. That means there are few tripping hazards and small hills only.
Some of Melissa’s favourite places to walk are:
“In the summer, I prefer the coast,” she says. “The ocean breeze helps keep the risk of heat exhaustion down. Atlantic View or Salt Marsh Trails are my favourite.”
“In the spring/fall, I enjoy Sackville Lakes Provincial Park, and BLT Rails to Trails. If I’m walking for myself (not leading a group), I’ll also take on more rugged hikes like Mount Uniacke Estates Museum and Park.”
“In the winter, I love the loop at Shubie park in Dartmouth. It’s well maintained for a good walk through most of our winter months.”
Melissa has some advice for others who may want to start their own group in other parts of the province:
“Check and see if you can piggy-back off another organization,” she says. “Legally, it’s best to have event insurance when hosting hikes.”
Consider the trail: “In terms of accessibility, while crusher dust is ideal for walking, it’s not as accessible for folks who use manual wheelchairs.”
Search social media first: “Look for all the versions of what you hope to create. If I had searched “Girls Hiking” on Facebook, I would have found a similar group that would have met my needs, like Curvy Girls Hiking.”
Connect with Hike Nova Scotia. Melissa says, “They provide many training opportunities. Sometimes there is free and/or reduced cost for a yearly membership. They have lots of suggestions to help you host a safe event. They also have an awesome free walking program called NS Walks which trains folks to host walks that are less intense than WINT.”
Want to join in the fun? You can find WINT on social media. Join the Facebook group, a popular spot where folks can ask other members if they’d like to meet-up for a walk somewhere they’re comfortable.
To learn more, follow WINT’s Facebook and Instagram pages or, if you’re not on social media, you can send a note with any questions to womeninnaturetogether@gmail.com.
