Peace Journeys
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About Peace Journeys
Em Stecker, Founder and Principal Guide
Em Stecker started Peace Journeys to share her life-long passions for hiking, spirituality, and service.
Em started backpacking 30 years ago, and was hooked by the joys of reaching cool places on foot, living with just what can be carried, and feeling close to the Earth. She has hiked over 3500 miles on the Appalachian Trail, including a 1000-mile section in 2000 and all 2174 miles in 2007-08.
Combining her love of teaching with her love of hiking, she began teaching introductory backpacking with teenage and adult Girl Scouts in 1999. She has also led weekend and week-long backpacking trips for experienced teenage and adult hikers. She has served as lead instructor, trip leader, and primary first aid provider. She is currently certified as a Wilderness First Responder through SOLO, a leader in the field of wilderness medicine.
For Em, every trip into the woods is a spiritual experience. Spending months on trail, her long-distance A.T. hikes were profound, spiritual journeys. Em has been a seeker since her days as a teenager, when she sought a deep spiritual connection and did not find it in the organized religion of her upbringing. She also began to see how her personal spiritual beliefs did not align with that religion's teachings.
This awareness--of her deep desire for spiritual connection, and of diversity among spiritual belief systems--set her on a seeker's journey. As she explored various belief systems, she adopted ideas that felt true to her soul and her life experience. Over time, she wove the ideas that made sense to her into a personal spiritual belief system that has stood the test of time. That isn't to say that the tapestry is complete, as the seeker's journey is never finished.
Em Stecker started Peace Journeys to share her life-long passions for hiking, spirituality, and service.
Em started backpacking 30 years ago, and was hooked by the joys of reaching cool places on foot, living with just what can be carried, and feeling close to the Earth. She has hiked over 3500 miles on the Appalachian Trail, including a 1000-mile section in 2000 and all 2174 miles in 2007-08.
Combining her love of teaching with her love of hiking, she began teaching introductory backpacking with teenage and adult Girl Scouts in 1999. She has also led weekend and week-long backpacking trips for experienced teenage and adult hikers. She has served as lead instructor, trip leader, and primary first aid provider. She is currently certified as a Wilderness First Responder through SOLO, a leader in the field of wilderness medicine.
For Em, every trip into the woods is a spiritual experience. Spending months on trail, her long-distance A.T. hikes were profound, spiritual journeys. Em has been a seeker since her days as a teenager, when she sought a deep spiritual connection and did not find it in the organized religion of her upbringing. She also began to see how her personal spiritual beliefs did not align with that religion's teachings.
This awareness--of her deep desire for spiritual connection, and of diversity among spiritual belief systems--set her on a seeker's journey. As she explored various belief systems, she adopted ideas that felt true to her soul and her life experience. Over time, she wove the ideas that made sense to her into a personal spiritual belief system that has stood the test of time. That isn't to say that the tapestry is complete, as the seeker's journey is never finished.
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"I highly recommend Peace Journeys and Em Stecker. I have experienced Em’s incredible gifts first hand – as a colleague, friend, but most importantly, as a recipient. Her intuitive and heart-centered nature effortlessly creates safe environments for others to discover possibilities and surface unexplored opportunities. Her passion for people, experience hiking the AT and commitment to spiritual development coalesce into an extraordinary opportunity for people thirsty for something more in their lives. Time and time again, Em’s powerful questions and keen insights have enabled me to turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones. A journey with Em is an investment for a bright and bountiful future." --Julie Cusatis, Owner, Breakthrough Learning Associates
"I was lucky enough to meet Em almost five years ago and am blessed to call her my friend. There are few people in the world who hold the space for you wherever you are - without condition or judgment. Em listens wisely and lovingly, and always respects your journey. Moreover, Em has the organizational ability and forethought to consider not just today but all aspects down the road, making the project or event flow naturally, thoughtfully and thoroughly." --Courtney Tucker
"I wholeheartedly recommend Melanie 'Em' Stecker for her insightful coaching skills. Em served as a coach for me during my transition from corporate America to self-employment in a new field of endeavor. It was a challenging time for me. Our interactions kept me grounded and focused. Em accepted me for where I was, all the while holding for me the vision of where I could go. During each interaction, she created a sacred space so I felt as if I was the only person in the world that mattered at that moment. Her insightful questions inspired from me wisdom I didn’t know I possessed. It felt safe to not know quite how to move forward. Her listening and questioning helped me to move from being frustrated and anxious to being inspired and excited. Her project planning experience, her love of people, her communication skills, her compassion, and her connection to Spirit make Em a truly wonderful coach." --Karen Dold, Co-Owner of Move With Elan, a Feldenkrais Method® practice
