Nursing major launches women’s empowerment program

Mental strain comes in all shapes and sizes. Even the toughest, strongest individuals sometimes experience difficulty dealing with their mental health.

What’s the best way to cope? Kimberly Eckenrode, a Bloomsburg University nursing major, just may have an answer.

And it all started with Quest, an outdoor adventure and recreation program serving BU students and the general public.

“I found that this was my healthy form of coping with stress, anxiety and even depression,” said Eckenrode, who first got involved with Quest as a first-year student. “When speaking with more women in the outdoor community, they shared their stories about people, especially those that are male identifying, who were causing some issues for them to enjoy the outdoors in their own way.”

Most of the time, according to Eckenrode, this was done through side comments about how women aren’t strong enough or capable of doing the most challenging adventures out there.

“I understood this was not everyone, but it was common enough for it to be a place of growth and change,” Eckenrode said. “When Quest ran a women’s climbing clinic, I was surrounded by all these wonderful women, at all experience levels, climbing together and encouraging one another. The atmosphere really did change compared to climbing trips where male figures were present.”

Combining her experiences with Quest and her passion for mental health, Eckenrode founded the Women’s Empowerment Retreat Program (WERP).

“WERP provides a unique opportunity for students to learn hands-on skills in a non-judgmental environment that’s open to questions and all backgrounds,” Eckenrode said. “For these retreats in specific, I plan to not only offer these hands-on experiences, but I’ll also teach the participants healthy coping mechanisms to utilize in the future.”

Although mental health coping mechanisms are traditionally taught in classroom environments, Eckenrode believes there are several types of learning environments students can be exposed to.

“I want to create a safe place for women to come and feel supported outside of the normal ‘academic’ realm,” Eckenrode said. “The goal is for them to learn the skills to experience their own outdoor activities independently but also have the ability to properly cope with any stress or mental illness they may have.”

Her hope is that WERP also creates a network of women empowering each other, providing advice, and a community that’s comfortable to be their true selves.