Abstract
This chapter explores the psychological and relational implications of participation in an intentionally unfamiliar, relationship-based, five-day excursion through the backcountry of Glacier National Park. Narrative accounts, provided by several participants, serve as a backdrop to explore themes of shame, maturation, female socialization, competence, and body image. The objectives, obstacles, and outcomes of such a journey are revealed through the participants’ voices as well as a clinical lens. A therapeutic relationship with the wilderness environment can be healing and can foster growth in the psyches of young women wrestling with issues of body image, insecurity, and relational distress.
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Boilen, S. (2018). The Backcountry of the Female Mind: Young Women’s Voices from the Wilderness. In: Gray, T., Mitten, D. (eds) The Palgrave International Handbook of Women and Outdoor Learning. Palgrave Studies in Gender and Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53550-0_29
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53550-0_29
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