Many schools respond to misbehavior by assigning detention, where students are required to sit still and keep to themselves. But one school counselor in Maine, Leslie Trundy, is offering a different option: detention hikes. Trundy’s novel approach captured national media attention when she began offering students the option to join her for hikes on nearby trails. A year-and-a-half into this novel offering, the results are compelling: Fewer students have been receiving detention since the new option was introduced, and teachers have observed more positive engagement in the days following hikes. While there has not yet been a formal research study to quantify the impact, detention hikes appear to be a meaningful, relational alternative that supports students while connecting them to the benefits of time in nature and physical movement. From Isolation to Connection There is a stark contrast between the environments of traditional detention and a hike. The experience of detention can be isolating, as teens are restricted from talking with peers as they sit in a classroom as a consequence for their behaviors. But this isolation does little to teach students skills or support their well-being and sense of belonging-factors that can contribute to improved behaviors. But a detention hike offers students an experience that facilitates connection to their peers, the school counselor, and to nature. Trundy notes that most hikes begin with some level of guardedness, but as the group hikes alongside each other, conversations flow and defenses soften. “What happens on the hike is that there’s a moment where we start to connect through this shared experience,” she explained. “Students loosen up. It feels like they’re rediscovering a childlike quality-less of the hard shell of a teenager, more playful and relaxed.” These hikes also strengthen a student’s connection to the school. “I have a stronger relationship with the kids I’ve hiked with,” Trundy added. “Now I can say hi in the hall or check in with them.” Evolutionary Mismatch Many students end up in detention because the school environment requires something that runs counter to their biological wiring: staying indoors, sitting still, and focusing for many hours. “Often the reason a student is in trouble is because being confined indoors, and having to maintain their attention and focus all day, and then doing what’s asked of them is tough,” Trundy says. From an evolutionary perspective, we humans, and especially teens, are wired for movement, exploration, and time spent outdoors in stimulating, novel, and rejuvenating environments. Throughout human history, the mind and body developed in reciprocity with the natural environment-nourished and regulated by sunlight, fresh air, and physical activity. The school environment often requires the opposite: stillness, sustained focus, and quiet, in a constrained environment- creating an evolutionary mismatch. But a hike provides the conditions that the mind and body were designed for: natural light, fresh air, physical movement, and connection with community. Time in nature supports emotional recalibration. The environment itself becomes a part of the intervention to support meaningful shifts toward regulation for stressed students. From an Ecopsychology Viewpoint Ecopsychologists celebrate Trundy’s innovative work because it aligns with what the field already knows: Time in nature is foundational to well-being. The human nervous system is intimately connected to the natural world, evidenced by research that shows a reduction in stress hormones, improvements in mood, decreased impulsivity, and enhanced emotional stability while in nature. Research by Gregory Bratman and his colleagues shows that hiking reduces rumination and decreases activity in the part of the brain associated with negative thoughts and self-criticism, allowing hikers to turn their attention outward rather than being internally focused. The Attention Restoration Theory explains observations made by teachers: Students engage more in class after hikes, as they refresh their cognitive resources and ability to concentrate. Nature Metaphors and Identity Expansion Hiking exposes students to challenges like rain, rugged terrain, or the cold. Trundy uses these uncomfortable elements to reflect: “I help the kids understand that it’s going to be alright, and we have the gear to handle it. That in itself is a great metaphor for life: not everything is perfect, and yet we can often do incredible things in the midst of adversity.” Adventure therapy research supports this concept: Reasonable challenges promote self-efficacy, build resilience and perseverance, and may lead to positive identity expansion. When a student faces the discomfort of the weather, they may internalize a new message: “If I can do this, maybe I can handle other hard things in my life, too.” The Environment Facilitates Well-being The Children & Nature Network (C&NN), a research-informed nonprofit, notes that “time in nature can be a powerful antidote to the negative impacts of trauma and stress in children’s lives.” Drawing on a curation of studies, C&NN highlights that nature-based interventions such as hiking can reduce impulsivity, support healthy identity development, strengthen a sense of community, and foster a sense of belonging.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/move-the-body-heal-the-mind/202511/what-happens-when-you-replace-detention-with-a-hike