Hikerkind Features
Sonia Jain
Meet Sonia Jain, a social worker and hiker living in Brooklyn, New York.
Hikerkind:
Introduce yourself.
Sonia Jain:
I'm Sonia Jain (she/her), a social worker and child therapist in New York with a background in exercise psychology and nutrition. I moved to Brooklyn four years ago from Canada and have been loving getting to know the city while also incorporating movement and exercise into my day-to-day.
Hikerkind:
Why do you hike? How does it make you feel?
Sonia Jain:
Hiking has taught me a lot on slowing down and taking care of myself; in a city as busy as New York with endless responsibilities and activities, going on a hike or making an active effort to be outdoors can sometimes feel like a last priority. Getting outside, showing up for myself - my body and mind - and going on a hike has helped me be more compassionate and gentle with myself. As I continue to get to know myself, I know the best thing I can do in adversity and stress is get fresh air, be in the sun, and connect with nature.
Hikerkind:
What was your experience with nature like growing up?
Sonia Jain:
Hiking was not something my parents really had access to in India. I think the concept of hiking or just being outdoors can be very inaccessible and intimidating for folks. However, when my parents immigrated and married in Canada, they made a conscious effort to take us on hikes and get us enrolled in sports and outdoor activities. I owe much of my passion for exercise and movement to their aptitude to provide us with meaningful experiences. Canada is a country with some of the most beautiful hikes and I feel privileged to have lasting memories on walks in Nova Scotia to beautiful mountain hikes in Calgary. Nature has always and will always be something that makes me feel fortunate to be living on this Earth!
Hikerkind:
How does the outdoors inspire you and your work now?
Sonia Jain:
Needless to say, I love being outdoors and cannot stress enough how impactful having the sun touch my face and connecting with nature has on my mental health AND I continue to want to make movement and outdoor activities accessible for my clients and community. Integrating movement and mindfulness in my social work and therapy practice has been one of those ways to show and guide younger kids that little bits of movement and breathing can improve their mental and physical health. It might not be the solution, but my approach to healthcare has always been preventative and holistic. And for me, taking a walk in Central Park on my breaks or opting to bike or walk instead of transportation has been hugely rewarding and necessary for me to preserve my own mental health in a job as demanding as social work.
Sonia is wearing Midlayer_01 and Base Bra_01 in size small, and Base Shorts_01 in size medium.
