Five Great Local Trails
Fall is just starting to show up in the Atlanta area, and there is no better time to get out with your partner, see the changing leaves and strengthen your couple connections by doing something physical together. Below we will highlight some of our favorite parks and meaningful things to chat about while on your walk.
Woodstock Parks
Downtown Woodstock has some well-paved trails and provides a great place to bike or hike. Old Rope Mill Park travels along the Little River and provides paths for couples to hike along the river or, if you are more daring, mountain bike along the slopes above the river.
Roswell Parks
The Chattahoochee River has many great parks along its route through Atlanta; however, the Roswell Riverwalk Trail is particularly nice because it travels along the river and even provides boardwalks over some marsh-like parts of the river. Put on your walking shoes, grab your dog, and start a great chat while seeing the changing season at the river. If you do not want to walk by the river Leita Thompson Memorial Park is another excellent place to take a walk or run in the woods and see the changing leaves.
Buckhead Parks
Though Buckhead is at the heart of Atlanta, it still has many great trails at the north point inside the perimeter. Two of our favorites are White Water Creek and East Palisades Trail. Both travel along the Chattahoochee River and provide scenic views and great woodsy trails.
Things to Chat About on Your Hike
While you are working to build more connections in your relationship, here are a few things to keep in mind for discussion on your trail hike.
Have a dreaming chat. Share things you would like for the next phase of your future, and imagine what it will be like and where you want to be in your family life and vocations.
Share life updates: Share your biggest life realizations over the last month with one another. Encourage each other to grow and share as you notice things happening in your world.
Discuss new discoveries. Discuss things you discovered about yourself or your partner over the last six months. Talk about something you’ve appreciated and then something you hope to improve upon in the coming months.
Be sure to get outside and see the leaves and their vibrant colors before it’s too cold, and take advantage of these moments to build meaningful and enduring connections in your relationship. Every investment you make in connecting pays profound benefits in improving your overall relationship satisfaction.
If you uncover some areas in your relationship where you need help connecting at a deeper level, please reach out to us. We’re here to help!
Written by: Jennifer Stuckert, MA MFT, LPC, ACS, CPCS, NCC, Clinical Director
jennifer@restorationcounselingatl.com, ext. 111
Jennifer uses distinctly Christian counseling to help struggling individuals, couples, and families. Since 2009, she has served as the director and supervisor of the staff of Restoration Counseling of Atlanta. She has two decades of counseling experience, helping people gain relief from life challenges. Jennifer uses biblically sound methods with a specific emphasis on adaption according to personality and learning styles. She is also certified in EMDR.