Following the Breadcrumbs: Reflections on a Year of Transition

A Fall sunrise above my solo site in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado

Just over a year ago, I started Gain the Ridge Consulting —in the midst of one of the most disorienting transitions of my life.

“A Good Run”

I was coming off a major ending, both personally and professionally. The identity I’d built for over two decades seemed to vanish overnight. I felt sadness and confusion, but also relief and peace… Pride for what we accomplished but also an ache for what had been. As my former business partner said, “It was a good run.” Indeed it was.

"What now?"

This lingering question haunted me.

After a long exhale and a road trip to Alaska with my wife and boys, I came home and woke in the middle of the night in a panic. At 2 a.m., I found myself scrolling job sites—Glassdoor, Indeed, classifieds—searching for anything that might call to me. Nothing did.

So I followed the only instinct that felt right: go back to my wilderness community. So, I attended the Wilderness Therapy Symposium just a few months after Open Sky’s closure. It felt like walking into a room where everyone knew something had irrevocably changed. Not a celebration, not a wake—something in between. A collective grief tinged with anxiety and angst. A shared knowing that our field would never be the same.

There were opportunities to uproot my family and stay in the industry elsewhere. But the ties binding me to Durango were strong—my wife’s hard-earned practice, my child’s one-of-a-kind school, and a growing desire for a life that wasn’t burdened by the constant on-call demands and incessant interruptions. My nervous system needed a different path.

Support in many forms

Not sure, I did what I often do. I went alone to the wilderness, sat quietly, wandered and asked for guidance.

Just before this trip, I pulled a book off the shelf that my dad had given me years ago—Hero on a Mission by Donald Miller. The title had once felt too corny to open, but suddenly it was exactly what I needed. It helped me examine the roles we fall into as characters in our own story: hero, victim, villain and guide. It encouraged me to write my own eulogy—not morbidly, but as a compass for a meaningful life. It nudged me toward morning routines, practicing gratitude, and building narrative traction.

Then came a chance encounter with a spiritual guide who told me to “follow the breadcrumbs” and not to believe the self-limiting stories I was telling myself and to shed old identities and trust. My parents, now in their 80s and still doing what they love, have long shown me the power of following your heart and doing what you love. I realized it was time to heed this message again.

And yet, truth be told, it is and has been hard. Discouraging. Confusing.

But glimpses of what’s possible and unexpected opportunities came. And, guides kept appearing to lend a hand or give direction.

My dear friend and personal cheerleader Amanda Thomas introduced me to Lisa Gerber, who helped me articulate my purpose, my calling, and the wealth of wisdom I could offer. And, gave me guidance on building momentum and keeping my head up and gaining confidence.

Will White invited me onto his podcast, Stories from the Field, which opened a door I didn’t know I needed—to speak openly and cathartically about Open Sky’s closing and to reflect on the monumental shift in wilderness therapy.

Will also suggested a book that gave me a much-needed perspective, From Strength to Strength by Arthur Brooks. The book landed with force: as I crest 50, my gifts haven’t faded—they’ve transformed. Crystallized intelligence. Hard-won wisdom. A new kind of creativity. A reminder that some of my best years may still be ahead.

Unexpected Opportunities

Then after the podcast aired —unexpectedly—my first client, Rob Meltzer reached out. I have been honored to walk alongside him as he works to weave together a unique approach to therapeutic consulting and lifestyle coaching while continuing to advance the field of wilderness therapy.

Referrals started to trickle in. A colleague passed my name to Colorado Timberline Academy, leading to my first organizational consulting engagement. Two small business owners in the behavioral healthcare space reached out for business and life coaching. Three leaders, each of whom I genuinely admire, entrusted me to provide leadership coaching and help them clarify their values and vision and improve their overall effectiveness.

And, then, the incomparable Lori Armbruster helped me refine my brand and messaging and I formally launched the Gain the Ridge Consulting website in Spring 2025.

This year, I devoured books, took courses, and became a certified leadership coach. I presented at the Wilderness Therapy Symposium and YATA, joined Deer Hill Foundation’s board, and became a member of Fort Lewis College’s Outdoor Leadership Risk Management Committee.

And, this Fall, Will White and I started facilitating The Growth Guild, a peer cohort of leaders in behavioral healthcare invested in growing and learning together.

And Yet, Success Still Feels Distant

When people ask how business is going, I often pause. By objective measures, it is not yet successful. Every penny has been put back into the business.

I would be lying if I didn’t also admit that I’m sometimes discouraged. The landscape is shifting. Budgets are tight in our field. And, my wilderness therapy resume doesn’t translate the way it once did. The path ahead still feels uncertain.

But...

When I listen to my gut rather than my mind’s story, the truth is: the work I am doing is incredibly gratifying. Fulfilling. I feel lucky that people trust me with their stories and leadership and to help guide their organization. And, I believe I am making a difference and trust I will continue to.

When I zoom out, I see that both outcomes of this experiment—success or failure—would still shape me into someone wiser, stronger, and more grounded than I was a year ago.

What I've Learned a Year In:

Keep putting one foot in front of the other.

• Keep reaching out to friends and colleagues—grab coffee, connect, ask questions, be genuinely curious and connect them with others.

• Keep growing, learning, and listening.

• Focus on what’s within one’s control.

• Spend time with those who matter most like family and friends. After it's all said and done, our relationships bring the most joy and fulfillment.

• And, don't take your health for granted. Health is wealth and so take care of yourself.

...And Above All, Practice Gratitude.

Each morning my fitness trackers asks, “Express gratitude?”

And while I don’t check the box every day, I often do. As Donald Miller writes: victims and villains aren’t grateful. Heroes are grateful.

Gratitude keeps the hero moving and from falling prey to the poisonous mindset of victims and villains.

Someday, when I look back on this chapter, I believe I’ll see that it was a heroic one—not because of what I built, but because I took a risk to pursue my dream and made a positive impact on others.

And for that, I’m grateful.

Keepsake given to me by my dear friend and colleague Derek Daley