Healing, Unlearning, and the Climb Ahead: My Journey to Mount Rainier and Beyond

Standing at the Summit of Mailbox Peak, with Mount Rainier in the distance—a reminder of the journy ahead, both on the trail and within myself.

Hi there! Welcome to My Stranded Adventures.

I’m Jessica Strand, the voice behind My Stranded Adventures, a space where I explore healing, resilience, and transformation—both personal and collective. Whether you’re here for inspiration, deep dives into systemic issues, or practical advice for your own journey, I’m glad you found your way here.

I’m documenting my path to healing, training for one of the biggest challenges of my life—summiting Mount Rainier—and unpacking the ways our personal struggles are often shaped by the world around us.

How It All Began: A Healing Journey

My journey to healing began when I finally decided to confront not just past trauma, but the beliefs and conditioning that had shaped my life. But this shift didn’t happen overnight.

Over a decade ago, I started questioning the political and societal narratives I was raised with. I saw injustices that didn’t align with what I had been taught, and cracks began forming in my worldview. But even as my perspective changed, my unhealed trauma kept me stuck in cycles I didn’t know how to break. I could see the problems, but I didn’t yet have the tools—or the self-worth—to step out of the patterns that had shaped me since childhood.

It took years to fully acknowledge that trauma doesn’t just affect emotions—it impacts decision-making, relationships, and even the ability to embrace change. Until I started truly addressing my past, I found myself trapped in survival mode, falling into familiar but destructive cycles, unable to fully step into the life I wanted.

When my dad passed away in 2022, I buried myself in work, trying to outrun my grief. For nearly two years, I ignored the pain, but eventually, I reached a breaking point. I couldn’t keep running. I needed to heal—not just from my father’s death, but from everything I had spent a lifetime suppressing.

Through trauma therapy, self-reflection, and a commitment to breaking old patterns, I finally started finding the right path forward—one where healing wasn’t just about personal growth, but about understanding how trauma, politics, and societal structures are deeply connected.

Why Hiking

Nature has a way of stripping everything down to what really matters. Standing on a mountain, feeling small against the vastness of the world, has helped me gain perspective—not just on my personal healing, but on the systems and narratives that shape our lives.

Hiking has become my sanctuary, a space to challenge my limits, reconnect with myself, and break free from the fear-based mindset I was raised with. Every trail is a step forward—both physically and mentally.

Why Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier isn’t just a mountain to me—it’s a symbol of growth, resilience, and rewriting my story. My dad summited Rainier on his 23rd birthday, and now, 50 years later, I’m training to follow in his footsteps. But this climb is about more than honoring my dad—it’s about proving to myself that I am capable of achieving something extraordinary.

This isn’t an overnight goal; it’s a four-year journey to build the strength, skill, and endurance needed to summit. It’s a challenge that pushes me outside my comfort zone—one that mirrors the inner work I’ve been doing to heal, unlearn, and rebuild.

A Holistic Approach: Mind, Body, and Perspective

Training for Mount Rainier and healing from past trauma aren’t separate journeys—they’re deeply connected. To move forward, I’ve had to approach wellness from a holistic perspective:

1️ Emotional Healing – Processing past trauma through therapy, unlearning fear-based beliefs, and creating a healthier relationship with myself.

2️ Physical Training – Strengthening my body for the demands of the mountain while also rehabilitating injuries from years of imbalance and compensation.

3️ Expanding Perspective – Understanding how personal and collective healing intersect, and exploring how fear, power, and societal narratives shape our lives.

Beyond the Trail: What You’ll Find Here

This blog is more than just a training journal—it’s a space where I share:

• Memoir & Personal Storytelling – Unpacking my past and the lessons I’ve learned.

• Hiking & Mount Rainier Training – The physical, mental, and emotional side of preparing for a summit.

• Political & Societal Deep Dives – Exploring the broader forces shaping our world.

• Reflections on Society & Culture – Connecting personal experiences to bigger themes.

  
  

I’ll be covering everything from the role of fear in politics, the psychology of unlearning, the intersection of trauma and activism, and the ways systems influence personal healing.

Join Me on This Adventure

I hope this space offers you something—whether it’s inspiration to start your own healing journey, motivation to challenge yourself, or a new perspective on the world around you.

I’ll be sharing my experiences through TikTok, Instagram, this blog, Substack, and Medium, covering:

• Training insights & hiking tips

• Reflections on trauma, growth & self-discovery

• Deep dives into the systems that shape us

• Stories of resilience—both personal & societal

  
  

Healing, change, and transformation don’t happen overnight. But step by step, conversation by conversation, we can climb toward something greater.

Thank you for being here. Let’s keep moving forward—one step at a time.