LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk 34 There is a point on the trail, somewhere between the lift of a 30 -pound pack and the first stretch of un- even Adirondack ground, where the usual noise of life begins to fall away. For Audrey Costa, founder of Deep Rooted Wellness, that threshold is not incidental. It is the work itself. Costa leads immersive retreats deep in the Siamese Ponds Wilderness of the Adirondack Park. One sig- nature experience runs July 2 at noon through July 5 at 2pm, a three-night, four-day backcountry journey designed for small groups of women moving through land, memory, and meaning together. What unfolds is part guided wilderness experience, part therapeutic container, and part reorientation to the self. These retreats are intentionally intimate, shaped as what Costa calls "sacred containers" for connection, support, and honest reflection. In a region long associ- ated with both rugged solitude and quiet restoration, her work adds another layer to the Adirondack story of healing. At the center of it all is a simple premise she returns to often. "Everyone is on a journey, and everyone is healing from something." From there, everything else follows. Costa brings more than two decades of experience in health, wellness, and nature-based practice into this work. She holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of the Cum- berlands, a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Health from Wesley College, and is a New Jersey Certified Teacher of Health, Physical Education, and Elementary Education. Her professional preparation also includes CPR/AED and First Aid (BLS), Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA), and certification as a Men- tal Health First Aider. That combination of clinical grounding, physical education, and crisis readiness shapes the way she moves through the wilderness with her groups. Safety, embodiment, and emotional care are not separate lay- ers of the experience. They are woven together from the start. Her mission is to help women of all ages and abilities reconnect with balance, vitality, and self-acceptance. That work can look like navigating stress or processing trauma, but it can also be something quieter, learning how to feel at home in one's own body again. "I believe that wellness is a deeply personal and ever-evolving journey," she said. "Having overcome my own life challenges, I've made it my mission to support others in creating meaningful change." Her approach draws on empathetic listening and motivational interviewing, helping clients bridge the space between where they are and where they want to be. "We build a personalized plan," she said, "that fosters self-acceptance, resilience, and growth." And then, in a line that anchors much of her philos- ophy, "You only have one life. Let's make it the best one, together." Costa did not come to the Adirondacks as a back- drop. She came to it as a place that actively shaped her way of working. "I've been up there and not seen anyone for four or five days straight," she said. "It's not the High Peaks. It's the wilderness areas. It's the remoteness. The openness. The ability to wander." In places like Siamese Ponds Wilderness, there is no single direction that demands obedience. Trails split. Decisions return to the body. Attention becomes a kind of compass. "You come to a trail crossing and you ask yourself, which way do I want to go? " she said. That openness is part of what makes the Adiron- dacks such a fitting setting for inner work. The land does not dictate a single path. It invites awareness. Rooted in the Wild: Audrey Costa and the Deep Rooted Wellness Practice in the Adirondacks By George Cassidy Payne Photos provided by Audrey Costa Audrey Costa deep in the wilderness.

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