Why Adults Need Camp, Play, and Real Rest

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Welcome to the show. Kai, I want to start with a picture that feels a little too familiar. You're on the couch, phone in one hand, Netflix on in the background, maybe answering one last email in your head. It looks like downtime. But your body is still ON.

Kai Mercer

Ah yes. The sacred ritual of fake relaxing. My favorite genre of rest is "technically sitting down but spiritually still at work."

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Exactly. And that is different from real fun. Real fun is the kind where you lose track of time. You laugh without planning to. You feel like yourself again. Somewhere along the way, a lot of adults stopped doing that. We started treating joy like a reward we get later, after the inbox is clear, after the chores are done, after we finally catch up.

Kai Mercer

And "later" is the scam, right? Because the inbox is NEVER clear. The laundry regenerates. The calendar breeds in the dark. So the promise becomes, I'll rest next week, next month, after this project. Then burnout shows up first.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Yes. In my work, that is what I see all the time. People are not just tired. They are mentally overloaded, emotionally drained, and so used to pushing through that they don't even notice their nervous system is overloaded until something breaks down. Sleep does not fix that by itself. A weekend of chores does not fix that either.

Kai Mercer

Wait, grab that phrase you used -- "nervous system overloaded." Because I think people hear that and go, okay, am I just stressed, or is this bigger?

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Good question. Bigger. I mean the body has stayed in a constant state of activation for so long that stillness feels unfamiliar. Even rest starts to feel uncomfortable. So people fill every quiet moment with input. They scroll. They multitask. They stay productive. They perform. And that constant performance is exhausting.

Kai Mercer

So when people hear "adult summer camp," they might think this is just expensive nostalgia with matching T-shirts. But what you're really saying is, no, this is relief from decision fatigue and performance mode.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Yes. That's why adult summer camps and retreats are taking off. Not because adults suddenly want to pretend they are twelve. It's because these spaces remove some of the things that wear us down. You do not have to plan every minute. You do not have to be available. You do not have to optimize the experience. You show up. There is food. There are activities. There are boundaries around work. There is permission to participate or just breathe.

Kai Mercer

That "you show up" part is huge. If I have to build the perfect recovery weekend with a color-coded spreadsheet, I have missed the point. Recovery should not feel like a side hustle.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Correct. And for a lot of people, that structure is what helps the body finally exhale. Less stimulation. Less pressure. Less pretending. And underneath the campfire and canoe energy is a very serious need. People want their minds to get quieter. They want a break from constant input. They want to remember what it feels like to enjoy being alive, not just manage being alive.

Kai Mercer

That's the line. Not just manage being alive. I think a lot of listeners are gonna feel that in their chest.

Kai Mercer

Okay, so let's get concrete. "Adult camp" is actually a bunch of different things, and the names alone are doing a lot of work. Camp No Counselors sounds like summer camp got a grown-up budget.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

It kind of did. Camp No Counselors is a three-day all-inclusive camp with games, lake time, themed parties, and connection built in. Club Getaway is another classic social camp style. They've got zip lining, water sports, fitness classes, and also the option to just relax. That matters. The point is not forced fun. The point is choice without pressure.

Kai Mercer

Club Getaway having zip lining AND "or just sit down" is honestly very healing. Like, thank you for honoring both my inner camp kid and my lower back.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Right. Then there are connection-focused retreats. Camp Social is built for women who want connection without a lot of pressure. Real conversation. Real friendship. Campowerment leans into personal growth with camp energy. So you get a mix of healing, empowerment, and play.

Kai Mercer

Let me sharpen that. Camp Social and Campowerment are not really about collecting more contacts. They're about getting something deeper than small talk. For the person who says, "I don't need more people. I need REAL people."

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Exactly. And then you have wellness resets. BookRetreats has all kinds of options in the United States, from yoga retreats to quiet reading escapes. And I love that reading retreat idea because it says, very clearly, doing less is allowed. Soul Camp is another example. That one blends mindfulness, movement, and emotional reset in a camp-style setting.

Kai Mercer

BookRetreats giving people a quiet reading escape... I'm not gonna lie, that one is speaking directly to the part of me that wants a blanket, a book, and legal protection from notifications.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Yes. And for some people, reset does not mean quiet. It means challenge. That's where adventure-based experiences come in. NOLS Adult Expeditions use wilderness experiences to build resilience and confidence. And then there's Adult Space Academy through the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. You can literally train like an astronaut.

Kai Mercer

Wait -- Adult Space Academy is the one I cannot forget. Train like an astronaut? That's not a retreat. That's a full identity shift by Tuesday.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

It is memorable. But here's the deeper point. Whether someone chooses Camp No Counselors, Soul Camp, NOLS, or Adult Space Academy, the playful branding is not the whole story. Underneath it is a serious mental health need. People want less activation. Less input. Less decision-making. They want to stop being "on" all the time.

Kai Mercer

And not everybody needs the same medicine. One person needs lake games and themed parties. Another needs silence. Another needs a mountain. Another apparently needs astronaut training. But the core need is the same. Quieter mind. Softer nervous system. More room to breathe.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

And this is where I want to make a very clear case for play. Play is not childish. Play is regulating. It can help the nervous system settle. Laughter helps. Movement helps. Safe connection helps. When adults play, they often reconnect with parts of themselves that got buried under responsibility.

Kai Mercer

I love that you said "regulating," because that word changes everything. If I go paddleboarding, dance badly at a camp party, or laugh so hard I snort -- which is, unfortunately, possible -- that is not me being irresponsible. That is my system getting some relief.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Yes. And if you're listening and thinking, okay, but what kind of reset do I actually need... let's make this simple. Go with your gut. First question. When you think about getting away, what sounds best? A, laughing, being social, meeting new people. B, deep conversations and meaningful connection. C, quiet, calm, reading, journaling. Or D, pushing yourself, trying something new, being outside.

Kai Mercer

That's a good first filter. Social buzz, real connection, deep rest, or challenge. Okay, hit me with question two.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Your current stress level feels like what? A, I am bored and need energy. B, I feel disconnected from people. C, I am mentally and emotionally drained. D, I feel stuck and need a challenge. Then question three. What do you actually need right now? A, fun. B, connection. C, rest. D, growth.

Kai Mercer

So if somebody gets mostly A, that's the social camp reset. Camp No Counselors or Club Getaway. If they get mostly B, that's more like Camp Social or Campowerment. Mostly C means wellness reset, like BookRetreats or Soul Camp. And mostly D is the adventure lane. NOLS Adult Expeditions or the unforgettable Adult Space Academy.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Exactly. And the bigger reminder is this. You do not need to earn rest. You do not need to collapse before you are allowed to step away. You do not have to hit burnout to justify a break.

Kai Mercer

That part. Because a lot of us are still acting like rest needs receipts. Like we have to present evidence in a tiny courtroom. "Your honor, I have suffered enough to take a weekend off." No. No, you don't.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Sometimes the healthiest thing you can do is step away early enough to come back clearer, calmer, and more like yourself.

Kai Mercer

If your gut has been whispering that you need a reset, maybe listen before it starts yelling. Thanks for being here with us.

Dr. Julie Sorenson

Take good care of yourselves.