Nature’s healing paths: A conversation with Travis Puglisi
Not all who wander are lost. In our third blog post honoring Mental Health Awareness Month, we speak with Travis Puglisi, owner and operator of Wandering Mojave Hiking Services. A resident of the desert for over 20 years and longtime supporter of the Mojave Desert Land Trust, Travis is also a strong advocate for mental health awareness. We talked about the positive effects of hiking, mental health, and the challenges of desert life.
Interview: Social worker Melissa Grisi on cultivating a relationship with nature
To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month, we spoke with high desert therapist Melissa Grisi. A licensed social worker for twenty years, Melissa integrates a range of psychotherapeutic methods into practice, including connecting with nature. Melissa talked about the importance of getting outdoors and cultivating a relationship with nature for one’s mental health.
Overcoming barriers to nature
Connecting to the outdoors can have a profoundly positive, lifelong effect on wellbeing, individually and communally. One way MDLT fosters this dynamic is through educational events. MDLT continually conducts field trips, hikes, and lectures for K-12 students of the Morongo Basin to forge a deeper connection between people and place. From a Star Party in Mojave Trails National Monument, to a walk through our Mojave Desert Discovery Garden, to an exploratory birdwatching hike through Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, 2023 has been a year of outdoor educational firsts for many area students.