Available May 13th, 2025

Healing in the Wild: Overcoming Trauma Through Outdoor Therapy

Are You Carrying Wounds No One Can See?

There are wounds that do not bleed—wounds of the soul that cannot be stitched or treated with medication. Trauma, grief, and moral injury leave invisible scars, shaping the way we see ourselves and the world. But healing is possible.

In Healing in the Wild, Healthcare Ethicist and Integrative Chaplain Dr. Carter Check explores the powerful connection between nature and inner healing, having walked this path himself as an Army Veteran. He has seen firsthand how the wild doesn’t just heal—it transforms.

Through compelling storytelling, research-driven insights, and real-life experiences, this book reveals how nature offers lessons in resilience, purpose, and renewal.

Inside, you’ll discover:

✔ How outdoor therapy helps break the cycle of trauma

✔ The hidden dangers of loneliness—and how to overcome them

✔ The role of purpose, spirituality, and connection in healing

✔ Why the pursuit of hope is the key to transformation

Healing doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in movement, in nature, and in the moments that reconnect us to life. You are still here. And as long as you are here, there is still hope.

If you’re ready to take that first step toward healing, this book will show you the way. Let the wild guide you home.

Does this sound familiar?

You’re carrying a weight no one else can see. You’ve learned to push through, to keep moving forward, but the exhaustion, the guilt, and the unanswered questions never really go away.

You know you need to heal, but you don’t know where to start. Traditional therapy hasn’t worked, and talking about it doesn’t change the past. You need something real—something that gets you out of your head and back into life.

You feel disconnected—from yourself, from others, from a sense of purpose. You’re surrounded by people but still feel alone, like no one understands what you’ve been through. You miss the brotherhood, the mission, the clarity of knowing exactly who you are.

If any of this sounds like you, join the waitlist.

Meet the author

Dr. Carter Check

"Moral injury is the unseen wound that takes lives in silence. Dr. Carter Check has made it his mission to change that."

Dr. Carter Check, a former Army Cavalry Scout, is a healthcare ethicist, clinical chaplain, and nationally recognized leader in moral injury care, ethical resilience, and upstream suicide prevention for Veterans, first responders, and healthcare professionals. Having personally faced moral injury, he is dedicated to ensuring no one suffers alone.

Carter pioneered one of the first structured moral injury programs in federal healthcare systems, now a national model for mental health and suicide prevention. His REAL (Reclaiming Experiences and Loss) Manual is used in multiple healthcare settings to help Veterans process trauma, rebuild purpose, and reclaim meaning. Rooted in companioning, this approach ensures that those facing moral injury are supported, not just treated.

A bestselling author, speaker, and researcher, Carter’s book Healing in the Wild introduced outdoor therapy as a transformative tool for trauma recovery. His research on moral injury, suicidality, and co-regulation continues to shape national mental health strategies. He is an Associate Professor of Moral Injury at Oral Roberts University and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Healthcare Ethics to expand the conversation on moral health, identity, and post-traumatic growth.

Beyond his professional work, Carter finds healing in the wild—hunting, boating, competing in 3D archery tournaments, and guiding Veterans on the Ocoee River. As a PGA HOPE Ambassador and outdoor guide, he integrates golf, archery, and adventure-based therapy to help others reconnect with purpose.