Maya Young

After 30 years as a clinical psychiatrist specializing in trauma recovery, Maya discovered backpacking as therapy following her husband's death at 55. What began as grief management evolved into a passion for documenting how different cultures approach mental wellness through crafts, community, and connection to nature. Now semi-retired, she splits her time between clinical supervision at a community center and extended backpacking journeys, often bringing along her adult children or grandchildren to foster intergenerational appreciation for cultural immersion.