How Wellness Travel Can Heal and Restore

Travel has the power to transform, decrease stress, create meaningful connections, and improve our wellbeing. Wellness travel takes this to a whole new level and restores the mind, body, and spirit.

We have heard from countless clients that travel has allowed them to gain clarity, find purpose and meaning and begin the slow and challenging process of healing. They report that through reflecting on their journeys they are able to continue the healing and personal work after they return home. Having curated travel experiences for families who are healing from traumatic experiences and overcoming deep personal loss we have found that by stepping out of their daily environment and embarking on a travel journey they are able to explore their pain, and deeply reconnect with their travel partners and themselves.

At BTA we utilize various modalities to assist clients in their wellness journeys and create itineraries that encourage our travelers to prepare for the trips by becoming physically fit, eating clean, and strengthening their mental resolve. Some examples of these trips include trekking Machu Picchu in Peru, hiking trips in the Italian Alps, walking and hiking itineraries in Norway, and cycling trips in France. The wellness components of the journey blend seamlessly with adventure, discovery, and fun.

Many of our travelers embrace trips that provide a degree of personal challenges and find that these types of experiences help them set personal goals and remain committed to them. We also plan journeys around yoga and spirituality which take place in nature and incorporate screen-free time and digital detox. We find these journeys especially beneficial for our executives and medical professionals who report extremely high levels of stress, anxiety, poor sleep habits, and loneliness in their jobs and daily lives. Incorporating mindfulness components into travel itineraries allows our clients to gain mental clarity and focus as well as recharge.

We find a common theme in many of our clients who may not recognize the healing power of travel until they commit to the experience or even until they return from their trip. Our itineraries incorporate time for meditation and reflection and encourage travelers to journal throughout their travels. By writing their feelings and experiences they are able to honestly reflect on their journey throughout the travel and upon their return.

We have found that travelers report feelings such as “increased mental clarity” “improved concentration” “rejuvenation” “improved sleep” and “increased commitment to staying healthy”. Often the travel experiences are a catalyst for greater, lasting change. Our process involves preparation for travel which encourages the travelers to begin the wellness process months prior to departure and make a commitment to continue the shift after they return.

As the co-founder of a boutique travel company as well as a Registered Nurse and Certified Health Coach, the concept of wellness travel has always resonated with me. I have seen firsthand the way our society prevents people from getting healthy and perpetuates the “sick role”.

In my clinical practice, we prescribed yoga, water therapy, meditation, massage, and talk therapy for the majority of our patients. We studied their improvement and found amazing changes in pain scores, sleep, energy, anxiety, and depression. At BTA, we have taken this concept to the next level by providing journeys where wellness is the centerpiece and core mission of the trip.