The Counseling Center partners with UREC to offer two Wilderness Therapy Programs as well as Eco-Wellness hikes. 

The Fall Climbing Empowerment Trip will be held on Saturday, 10/24/26, from 8am-5pm. This one-day trip is specifically for students who identify as survivors of interpersonal and/or sexual trauma. This trip is a collaboration between the Counseling Center, UREC, and Victim Advocacy. Participants will include one to two Counseling Center clinicians, a Victim Advocate, one to two certified guide(s) from UREC, and five to ten students. Over the course of this trip, in addition to hiking, outdoor education, and therapeutic activities, students will have the opportunity to engage in rock climbing (no prior climbing experience required). Survivors will not be asked to share about traumatic experiences during this trip - discussions will focus on healing, resilience, autonomy and self-empowerment. Contact Counselor, Laurel Brubaker (brubakle@jmu.edu), for information on how to register for the trip.

The 2027 Spring Wilderness Therapy Program is a five-day, four night therapeutic adventure program in the George Washington National Forest during the week of spring break (3/15/27-3/19/27). Participants will include two to three counseling center clinicians, two certified guide(s) from UREC, and up to 8 students. Over the course of this trip, students will backpack through the wilderness and experience outdoor education sessions and therapy process groups. Activities include but are not limited to learning proper shelter and camp building techniques, Leave No Trace Education, and proper water filtration techniques as well as process groups, intra- and inter-personal skill building, natural interventions, and self-reflection. The purpose of this program is to use adventure as a platform to improve relational skills, build self-confidence and self-efficacy, and increase healthy coping skills. Contact Melinda Fox (fox3mm@jmu.edu) or Laurel Brubaker (brubakle@jmu.edu) by Monday, 3/1/27, for information on how to register for the trip.

Interested in participating in a one day (12-5pm) UREC guided hike with eco-wellness exercises led by the Counseling Center? We have three of these walks coming up during the Fall 2026 semester.

Learn more and register through UREC's sign-up: 

• Eco-Wellness Hike at High Knob (Friday, 9/18/26, 12-5pm) 
• Eco-Wellness Hike at Massanutten Peak (Friday 10/23/26, 12-5pm)
• Eco-Wellness Hike in Shenandoah National Park (Friday, 11/6/26, 12-5pm)