Karen Schaler is the author of Travel Therapy: Where Do You Need to Go? A former embedded war correspondent in Afghanistan, she’s experienced the highs and lows of travel. I asked her how to get the most out of your next vacation.
Q: What’s travel therapy?
Schaler: It’s all about changing your attitude by changing your environment. By using travel therapy, visiting different destinations can help you deal with what you’re going through in life. Whether you’re going through a breakup, lost your job, stressed out, looking for a way to add some sizzle to your relationship or re-invent yourself you can use travel therapy to make sure you’re picking the trip that’s best for you based on what you need and want.
Q: Where did the idea come from?
I personally have been using travel as my therapy for years to not only help me get through the tough times but to also celebrate special occasions. I got the idea after I returned from working as an embedded war television correspondent in Afghanistan. I was going to the gym when I was grumbling about something insignificant and said out loud, “I need to get on a plane, I need some travel therapy.” It was like — bam.
I had been using the concept for years but had never put it into words. I knew I had to write about it so I could share the idea and hopefully help others pick vacations and special trips matching their emotions. So I finished the documentary I was working on about Afghanistan and quit my television career of more than 15 years. I knew there was more I could do and contribute so I cashed in my 401K and starting traveling and doing the research for the book.
Q: At a time like this, when travel — especially air travel in the United States — is awful, shouldn’t people be staying home when they want any kind of therapy?
Schaler: It all depends on your personality and where your head and heart is.
With travel therapy, there isn’t one answer that fits everyone, or one trip that has the answers. It’s all about picking a trip that fits what you personally need, not your best friend, or your neighbor, but you. For some people, getting on a plane and getting away is exhilarating and liberating and they barely notice the delays and travel headaches. While for others even the idea of air travel gives them hives.
Q: How do you know what trips to pick?
Schaler: Not every trip is for everyone in the book in each chapter there are fun, simple quizzes that help you narrow down the trips that are best for you. That way, you’re not just picking any random trip and ending up disappointed with your destination.
Q: Where should people not go if they’re looking for a therapeutic travel experience?
Schaler: Again, this depends on your personality and what you’re looking for. In the book, each chapter has a section called DO NOT ENTER giving you a list of places you shouldn’t go.
Q: For example?
Schaler: If you’re looking for a romantic escape, you don’t want to go to a family friendly resort where you have screaming kids killing your quiet time. However, if you’re looking to reconnect with your kids then a family friendly choice is the perfect option. Key to remember is one person’s idea of travel therapy could be another person’s nightmare. You need to pick the trip that’s right for you.
Q: Where is the most therapeutic destination for you?
Schaler: This answer changes depending on what I’m going through in life. When I was uninspired at work and looking for a challenge traveling and reporting in Afghanistan was the perfect place because it helped me realize life is short and never to settle.
When I was searching for a way to re-invent myself I found volunteering at an orphanage in Malawi was a life changing experience that helped me gain perspective and appreciation for everything I have.
When I want to really spend quality time with a boyfriend, I love sailing because I can truly disconnect with the world and reconnect with who I am with. Honestly, I find anytime I can travel and experience new place and meet new people I’m happy and thankful for each moment I have on the trip and can’t wait to write about it and share it with others. I really do love it that much. Good thing I’m a travel writer, right?
Q: Absolutely. So what advice would you have for those of us who are disillusioned by travel, who would really rather stay home? Can we be rehabilitated?
Schaler: Hummm…let’s see, what are you going to find at home. The same o’ll same o’ll? How has that worked for you so far? If your answer is “not so great” then get off the couch, turn off the TV, and pry your fingers off your BlackBerrys.
There’s a whole world out there waiting for you to explore. Anyone can change, you just need to take the first step and planning the right trip is key and can help you find your way in more ways than one!
Q: I want to ask you about when therapy goes wrong. Has that ever happened to you? What can you do about it?
Schaler: Of course we’ve all taken the wrong trips. It happens when you don’t spend the time doing your research and you come home disappointed and disillusioned.
Making sure this doesn’t happen was one of the inspirations behind writing this book. In this economy, you can’t afford to take the wrong trip, so I wanted to have one compressive book that helps you plan a trip and get it right the first time so you’re not wasting your valuable time and money.
In the rare case if you researched and planned and you still find yourself on the wrong trip try and think outside the box and be flexible. Spend time thinking about what you can change to make it better instead of just complaining about what’s wrong.
Q: Some therapies in the medical field have been discredited, like leeches and lobotomies. Convince me that this isn’t just another faddish cure that will go the way of transcranial electroshock.
Schaler: Travel therapy will never be a faddish cure because the benefits from travel are timeless. It will never go away because there is a whole world to explore and once you get started it’s hard to stop.
When people complain to me about something like being stressed out or sad about a breakup, I like to say, “Take two trips then call me in the morning.” Of course there is never one cure that works for everyone, but I’ve heard amazing stories from the travelers and therapist I have interviewed about how travel changed their lives. I know it has changed mine.
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Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. What I loved about the interview is that unlike many other people, she does’t try to tell you what you should do on vacation. Rather, she recognizes that we are all individuals with different likes and dislikes. What one person thinks of is a great trip is torture to another.
I have a couple of self-righteous know it all friends who believe that everyone should travel as they do. I think I’ll send them this book.
I certainly like the idea of travel therapy and have even discovered that one my own. I did have one question about this interview, though. How is travel therapy going to help you when you lose a job? I understand that travel can relieve stress. However, when people lose their jobs, they’re usually worried about how to pay the mortgage and feeding the family. Travel is going to be the farthest thing from their mind. Same goes for families with kids. No matter how much you earn or how many kids you have, there is never quite enough money to go around, let alone save for frivolous things. Have you looked at how much travel costs these days? It’s not cheap.
I guess my point is that for most Americans, travel therapy is an unrealistic idea. A fun idea, for sure, but completely unrealistic.
Oh I LOVE this idea. I hope Karen will develop her quizzes from the book into an online assessment test – I’d take it right now just to daydream a bit about my next trip. But in the meantime I’ll check it out in print. ;) Good post for the pre-holiday Friday. TGIF.
@Aimee
I beg to differ. Travel therapy is affordable. That’s the beauty of the idea. You don’t have to make the trip an expensive one. You tailor it to fit your budget. The trip doesn’t necessarily have to include air travel. It might as easily be an overnight road trip. Perhaps you stay with friends.
The reality is that most Americans take vacations. Didn’t we just have a huge column about Disney and its $500/nt rooms?
And in reality, today travel is much, much cheaper than it was a couple of years ago. My sister is going to the Caribbrean from California, round trip, including taxes for under $500. Last year the same trip was $800+. Travel is dirt cheap right now.
This is an excellent concept. It drives home the need for people to focus on their life values (not goals) and align living their lives in accordance with their values. I look forward to getting and reading Karen’s book.
FYI (not meant to overshadow Karen Schaler’s book) – There is an excellent book about finance and life values, called “Smart Women Finish Rich” by David Bach. He has written several more books including one for couples using the similar finance and life value concepts. His books cover how your finances will align with your life values once you figure out what they are. His books helped me heighten my awareness of how travelling is a huge life value for me, and each vacation was/is more therapeutic because of my heightened awareness.
To be honest, I don’t really think advice like “Disneyworld may not be the best place for a romantic getaway” is really worth $12.95.
That said, I do agree with the general gist of travel being a revitalisation.
I’m so jealous that Karen thought about writing this book before I did. I’m a firm follower of travel therapy, and, back in the pre technology days, just flippig through the OASD (do I remember correctly) flight schedule guide would lift my spirits. My friends and family could also see a distinct change in my personality when I was planning to travel –without telling them what I was doing, I would get calls that said, “you seem so much happier, you must be planning a trip”.
But, its not for everyone and there are some people for whom travel isn’t therapeutic, but stressful — but, frankly, as a fellow traveler who might run into them, I’m OK if they stay home!
Perhaps a driving and camping trip can include therapeutic benefits, but anything that involves tossing oneself into the clutches of the travel industry (hotel, air, cruise, etc) has got to be more risky than it could possibly be worth :)
My personal limits? Fly Southwest and stay at Courtyard by Marriot. Otherwise, steer clear of these bums, as frequently documented in Elliot’s blog.
Great post and interview. I never thought about Travel Therapy. I already know the spot for me — the UK all the way. Whenever I’m feeling “restless” or “antsy” I always dream about being in Edinburgh, Scotland or London, England. I visualize myself visiting Shakespeare’s birthplace and Stonehenge. Of course, I’m very fond of monarchies so I just love being in the presence of a Queen!
Very interesting interview. There’s nothing quite taking yourself far away from what you know to get some perspective and re-invigoration.
Changing your surroundings is, without a doubt, a form of therapy. Anyone know if any research studies have been carried out on this topic??
to thine ownself be true; really you
know the ideal vacation if you have done some traveling; would you really want a bed and breakfast if you know privacy is very impotant to you and you tend o be a fussy eater; would an eco tour appeal to you if you tend a vacation tobe pampered; would a volunteer vacation be your cup of tea if you are basically lazy and have enough problems keeping your own property clean; one need not buy a book ; just use common sense.