LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk 36 One of Costa's most repeated metaphors is the backpack itself. "There's the feeling of the heavy pack," she said. "And then it comes off. We talk about that. Heavy and light. Emotion works the same way." Fatigue, grief, anxiety, joy, each becomes something that can be noticed, carried, and sometimes set down. The body becomes a kind of translator for experience. The Adirondacks have long been tied to healing traditions, from historic "fresh air" treatments to contemporary wellness tourism. Costa is aware of that lineage, but her approach moves differently. "For some people, sitting still is actually traumat- ic," she said. "We don't assume stillness is always the answer." Instead, movement becomes part of the healing process. Effort, terrain, and uncertainty become tools for regulation and reflection. The land does not simply soothe. It also challenges. When conditions change, Costa uses those moments as teaching points. "It challenges black-and-white thinking," she said. "We might adjust the route. We might change the mileage." On one trip, when a participant struggled on a climb, the group chose to turn back. "That mountain will always be there," she told them. "We don't have to do this today." The decision became its own lesson in care and adaptability. Costa is equally attentive to the land itself. The Adirondacks are defined by the idea of For- ever Wild, a philosophy of preservation and restraint. For her, that ethic aligns closely with how she struc- tures her work. "It speaks to boundaries," she said. "How we take care of land and how we take care of each other." She emphasizes Leave No Trace principles, uses established campsites, and limits group size to reduce impact. "I pick up trash when I see it," she said. "That's part of it. Responsibility goes both ways." When participants return to their everyday lives, Costa hopes something subtle but durable stays with them. "A sense of self," she said. "Women forget them- selves. I hope they remember they are worth time and attention." And if the Adirondacks themselves could speak into the experience, she believes the message would be simple. "To be in the moment." For Costa, that is not just what the wilderness of- fers. It is what it teaches. t To learn more about Audrey's work, visit https://www.deeprootedwellnessnj.com/ Costa and her clients enjoying the view of a pristine lake in the Adirondacks.

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