I have had the honor of becoming dear friends with the amazing woman and author, Cindy Ross. She has a new book called, Walking Toward Peace, which is about we veterans who have turned to the outdoors and hiking as a way to help ourselves heal. I am honored to be one of the veterans she has chosen to feature in her new book and hope that my story of thru-hiking of the Appalachian Trail will inspire others to get outside. Cindy has written several other amazing books, so I am sure this one will not disappoint as well. You can pre-order the book on Amazon, it releases on 1 April 2021
"Walking Toward Peace shares the intimate stories of veterans who, post-deployment, have wrestled with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Through a process called ecotherapy, spending time in nature to promote healing and mental health, they have found new tools to deal with issues that have resulted from combat experiences: survivor’s guilt, nightmares, lack of trust, depression, hypervigilance, thoughts of suicide, and lack of purpose. Some veterans profiled here have gone to extremes, spending months on long-distance expeditions, like hiking the 3,100-mile Continental Divide Trail or canoeing the 2,320-mile Mississippi River. For many others, however, brief excursions in the outdoors offer an opportunity for healing. Author Cindy Ross examines current research and perspectives of professional therapists and provides information on organizations devoted to healing veterans in the outdoors. Each featured veteran is depicted in an illustrated portrait. Veterans share their stories, frequently as they sit by a campfire, describing wartime traumas and their present lives. Through their collective voices what becomes clear is that anyone suffering from any form of PTSD may discover the powerful comfort and healing that can be found in the outdoors."
