Wilderness Marriage Therapy  

The April edition of Outside Magazine had an article about a couple who took a backpacking and climbing trip together as a form of marriage therapy.  While the outcome wasn’t entirely positive it is worth a read – and instructive in thinking about how to maintain connection in a relationship.  

The couple in question had met through outside activities and much of their early relationship was forged through sharing such activities.  After they married and had children they found much less time for sharing activities in general and certainly little for the kinds of outdoor trips they used to do.  This is a too common pattern for many married couples.  Children, work and other responsibilities squeeze out the activities they used to share.  Sometimes, as was the case with this couple, one or both may stay involved in the activity but they stop doing it together.  This often leads to a weakening of the connection they feel and can even breed resentment.

The couple in the magazine planned a backpacking and climbing trip together, activities they hadn’t shared in a long time.  And while Mother Nature didn’t totally cooperate, they didn’t read much in the marriage improvement book they brought, and they were dealing with some other serious issues, the shared trip did bring some closeness.

What can you bring back into your relationship that will help you reestablish a connection with your partner?  Even if it doesn’t go perfectly it may bring a closeness you haven’t experienced in a while.