Brian is a seeker, a giver, and a lover of life.  He has spent 10 of the last 14 years based in Durango where he has been forging ever deepening relationships to the San Juan mountains and the Utah desert.  He is endlessly curious about exploring the brain, mind, body connection, and loves to share the gifts that embodiment through yoga, meditation, and climbing have given him.

Brian aims to focus his life energy on learning, teaching, and guiding his fellow humans on the path of  maturation which entails connection to authentic self, wholesome community, and mother earth.

Brian is a Fort Lewis alum, graduating with a business degree in 2013.  During his time in college, Brian found connection and elation that money can’t buy through hiking, climbing, and backcountry skiing.  He decided the traditional business route wasn’t for him, but that there was also something missing from a life dedicated solely to personal adventure.

Wilderness Therapy proved to be the perfect nexus of passions and opportunities for his growth. It offered the beautiful outdoors that Brian had always loved and catapulted him into learning and understanding the universal psychological and emotional themes that make us all tick.  Brian spent 2 years and 3 months at Outback treatment in Utah, and 4 years and 4 months at Open Sky in Durango totalling well over 1,000 field days and becoming the most senior guide in the field at both programs.

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Brian has been dedicated to the inward journey for 5 years, Completing his 200 hour & 300 hour yoga teacher training both in India.  He has completed a 10 day silent meditation course, and keeps consistent daily practice.

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He is an avid rock climber, and will be taking his 10 day AMGA rock guide course in June. He has been a WFR since 2013.

Brian believes that a whole-hearted and connected life is available to all who have access to the skills and tools.  He believes that all need the vital skills of mindfulness, emotional regulation, and empowered connection.  He is grateful for the LifeWays platform in its effort to offer these skills and tools to more young people.

Chase is an AMGA Certified Rock Guide and has been working outdoor recreation, wilderness therapy, and adaptive sports since 2012. He has a BS in Recreation Management with an emphasis on Therapeutic Recreation.

Chase enjoys climbing big walls in Yosemite and teaching adaptive climbing techniques.  He is passionate about teaching people healthy ways to interact with the outdoors and exploring the wild places around the Western Slope.

Chris has been dedicated to the intersection of mental health, outdoor education, and mindfulness for over the last decade. This “triangle” of experience is at the core of the LifeWays Institute. Chris has lived, traveled, and guided across four continents. He spent two formative years in central Patagonia, guiding and working for Patagonia Frontiers as he “cut his teeth” in the outdoor industry. Since then, he has worked for The Mountain Institute, Camp Thunderbird, and Open Sky Wilderness Therapy. He has spent over 1500 professional nights in a tent, under a tarp, or sleeping under the stars. He has worked with students in wilderness environments ages 8-85 but feels truly called to work with young people transitioning into adulthood (ages 16-30).

Chris embodies the non-linear, often circular nature of a life path. He founded LifeWays because he believes young people should have greater access to therapeutic skills, to supportive adult relationships outside of the family unit, and learn how to integrate these experiences with movement, mindfulness, and the mystery and wonder of the natural world. Chris believes that with a deep connection to the wilderness and outdoor spaces, young people have the potential to embody a resilience, presence, and skill set that will benefit them regardless of what they choose to do with their lives.

Chris would not be here if it weren’t for the privilege of his upbringing and the opportunities to experience the full spectrum of human emotion while outdoors. Regardless of where you may be on your journey, Chris will welcome you to embrace your strengths, struggles, and uncertainties. Chris is dedicated to creating and maintaining meaningful relationships with all students regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, class, and religion. Chris is Licensed Social Worker working towards clinical licensure in Colorado. Chris also holds his Single Pitch Instructor certification from the American Mountain Guides Association, holds his AIRE Avalanche Rec 2 certification, is an Eagle Scout, and has been a registered Wilderness First Responder since 2014. Chris hopes that LifeWays clients embrace the absurdity, struggle, and profound beauty of this life as we all work together to find our path!

Danielle (she/her) has always called the natural world her home and greatest teacher. Growing up in Northern Colorado, she spent her life backpacking in the Rocky Mountains, frolicking in wildflowers, and dancing in the rain. The outdoors is where she feels most empowered, and she strives to provide that same experience to others. The earth keeps her youthful spirit alive as she embarks on the next chapter of her life as a LifeWays guide.

Over the past few years, Danielle has connected to the outdoor world in many different ways as a student, educator, and guide. She will be graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Adventure Education and Psychology from Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO, in May 2025. Throughout her college experience, she served as a Student Outdoor Leader for Fort Lewis College’s Outdoor Pursuits program, leading college students on various outdoor adventures and deepening their bond with nature. Additionally, she managed the college’s Peer Support program, where students provided one-on-one counseling-style sessions promoting wellbeing on campus.

In her Adventure Education major, she gained experience in leadership, risk management, and group facilitation through a variety of technical and inter/intrapersonal coursework. Her Psychology studies taught her skills in counseling, motivational interviewing, and human compassion. Together, these have empowered Danielle to provide transformative experiences for fellow students and youth alike. She is certified in Wilderness First Responder and Swiftwater Rescue and is working toward her Single Pitch Instructor certification. Danielle strives to promote mental health in the outdoors, always seeing nature as her best healer, and hopes to help those around her find their own unique connection to our beautiful world.

Danielle is deeply appreciative of her time at Fort Lewis College, as it opened her eyes to the uniqueness of humanity. She believes that everyone deserves to find where they belong. She remembers being a young girl beginning her journey in the outdoor industry and quickly noticing the preexisting challenges and stereotypes within a space that should be free of expectations and full of curiosity. After participating in an all-women’s backpacking course, she felt empowered by the strong female role models around her, which inspired her to explore social inequities in the outdoor industry and break down barriers for historically marginalized groups.

In college, she developed an Equity & Inclusion course to educate herself and other outdoor leaders on the importance of social justice in outdoor spaces. She then worked at an all-girls expeditionary camp to inspire young women to get outside and embrace their authentic selves. She also served as a Rock Climbing Supervisor at a summer camp, helping kids see that it’s possible to pursue what they love and learn from challenges—no matter who they are. As she continues to learn from the beautiful people around her, Danielle aims to increase awareness of her own biases and use her privilege to expand access and opportunities in the outdoors for others.

Deer is a wilderness and human development guide and poet storyteller in the American Southwest. He loves and labors to support youth and adults on their journeys of growth, healing, rites of passage andtheir soul’s path in relationship to the wild.

Deer’s primary lineage is as a “Soul Initiation Guide” apprentice with the Animas Valley Institute, a nature-based mystery school in the southwest. Deer trains in the Nature Based Map of the Psyche, Soulcraft, and guiding their vision quest/rites of passage model.

Deer has been a dedicated meditation and mindfulness practitioner for 9 years, as well as an occasional facilitator, primarily in the Vipassana/Insight traditions, and has participated in over 100 days of silent retreat around the world, with contemporary teachers and traditional monks, with special emphasis on blending practice and service to the earth.

Deer spent two years as a field guide for Open Sky Wilderness Therapy, is a certified Wilderness First Responder, and is certified in nature-based practices and eco-psychology by Rupert Marques: former School of Lost Borders trainer, worldwide rites of passage guide, and former teacher at the bi-lingual radical ecology Eco-Dharma Centre in the Catalan Pyrenees, Spain.

Deer honors the Kogui people of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range in Colombia, where he lived and worked helping to guide expeditions in the jungles and high coastal mountains for the Amazon Conservation Team’s efforts to help the Kogui reclaim stolen territory.

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Lastly, Deer received his Permaculture Design Certification from The Permaculture Academy and applied its teachings while living and working on permaculture-based projects around the world, including ancestral land practice research at Navdanya Earth University in northern India. He has his BA in Literature and Creative Writing from UCLA and is a student of worldwide mythology, storytelling, and traditional cultures. He is currently writing and seeking representation for a novel trilogy and has traveled to 30 countries, living in 9 before calling the southwest home. You can read more about him, his art, and offerings at www.mystic-wild.com

“Dr. Heidi McMillan is a board-certified pediatrician and member of the American Academy of Pediatrics whose passion is bringing quality care to where there is a need.  She received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and completed both her medical degree and her pediatric residency training at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. McMillan served in a physician shortage area in rural Utah as a National Health Service Corps Scholar from 2005 to 2011 prior to joining Pediatric Partners of the Southwest where she practiced both primary care and hospital medicine.  In addition to general pediatrics, Dr. McMillan is interested in developmental/behavioral pediatrics and increasing access to care” (Child Wellness Center, 2022) ​

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She is excited to support the LifeWays program. Dr. Heidi provides physicals, prescriptions for medications, and medical consultation for students and their families. She is also embedded within the Durango School District and the HUB therapeutic program which has significant crossover with LifeWays’ program partner, La Plata Youth Services.

Loren is a certified AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, a Wilderness EMT, and a seasoned wilderness therapy guide who, over the past 10 years, has led climbing and backpacking trips across the country. He graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Outdoor Education, where he studied rock climbing instruction and the therapeutic applications of adventure programs at the nation’s premier wilderness therapy research university.

Loren has dedicated his life to the instruction of rock climbing, mountaineering, and survival skills. Most importantly, he teaches how these activities can inspire personal growth and support deep, holistic healing. Whether you are an advanced climber or a complete beginner, Loren has the experience and empathy to meet you where you are and guide you to new heights.

As a father himself, Loren especially loves working with families and children, teaching how outdoor adventures can strengthen bonds and bring people closer together.

Hello and thank you for your interest in collaborating with us at LifeWays! My name is Luke Flynn and I am thrilled to be joining the LifeWays team at this exciting moment of growth and change. I have many years of varied experience as a therapist in wilderness, residential, crisis, and outpatient settings all of which inform my current practice. Nature-based therapy is the heart and soul of what we do at LifeWays, and all my clients will have the opportunity to participate in any number of our guided courses in addition to attending regular outpatient therapy.

I was born and raised on the rocky coasts of Maine where my parents instilled a love and need for the outdoors and wild spaces from a young age. As a young man I traveled widely throughout Europe and Latin America before moving to Durango in 2019 to work at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy. I left Open Sky in 2022 to pursue my Master’s in Social Work from Colorado State University, graduating with honors in 2024.

As the first full-time outpatient clinician with LifeWays, my priority is translating the magic of the wilderness program to a front country environment. I employ person-centered, cognitive -behavioral, and mindfulness-based modalities to help our clients build authentic and stable relationships and blossom into mature adulthood. Our convenient downtown location gives me the option to consistently get clients outside whether it be on a walk, a bike ride, or simply sitting under a sweet smelling tree.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to schedule an appointment or free consultation.

Millie is a Registered Nurse certified by the National Nurses Association. She has been practicing medicine and working in the field of health care for nearly a decade. She received her undergraduate degree from Northern Michigan University where she fell in love with snowboarding and started her own therapeutic journey. Post college – Millie obtained substantial experience working in an outdoor setting as both a medic and field guide for Open Sky Wilderness Therapy.

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Millie is an avid user of the backcountry and has varied pursuits including climbing, backpacking, yoga, gardening, cooking, and crocheting. She is passionate about providing and studying alternative and human centered addiction and mental health treatment. Millie is hoping to pursue her Nurse Practitioner License with a concentration in Psychology.

Morgan has a passion for experiential therapy and believes deeply in the healing power of nature to restore both mind and body. With extensive experience in both Wilderness therapy and private practice, she integrates outdoor-based approaches with evidence-based techniques to support holistic healing and personal growth.

She is excited to join the LifeWays team, where she looks forward to supporting clinicians on their journey toward licensure and being part of a growing, collaborative community of professionals.

Nick is a wilderness therapist in his heart and soul, and he cannot imagine separating personal growth from the natural world. He grew up backpacking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and his time outside as a young one helped him cope with the struggles and challenges of adolescence and young adulthood. In 2013, he thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. This was a time of adventure and healing, and it inspired him to help others do the same. Since then he has grown from an outdoor trip leader at a summer camp to a fully licensed wilderness therapist in Colorado and Utah. In between, he has devoted himself to working with people – from an orphanage in Brazil to a secondary school in Thailand. His desires to forge relationships and be of service have led him to the San Juan Mountains of Southwestern Colorado, where his personal story keeps him passionate about guiding adolescents across the threshold into adulthood.

Treatment approach:

Nick spent several years as a lead therapist at Open Sky Wilderness Therapy. The majority of his therapeutic experience involves helping adolescent males navigate the transition to adulthood. Family therapy is an essential part of his background, and he incorporates systems work into all of his facilitation. Nick believes that humans are basically good, and that we all act out because we are in pain – not because we are broken. He prioritizes human connection, and believes that relationship is the number one building block of any therapeutic alliance. Before any work occurs, he focuses on building trust. Nick utilizes holistic healing methods, with the understanding that the most effective way to heal trauma is through the body – ideally in conjunction with the natural world. He shows his heart in his work, and often finds himself laughing and crying alongside his clients. While he brings compassion to his clients, he will push them to dig deeper. He draws on the latest neurological research, and uses techniques in somatic experiencing, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy. His ultimate goal is to stimulate awareness and insight in his clients – this will empower them to thrive on their own, making healthy choices and taking accountability for their actions.

Credentials and Training:

Nick holds a Master’s degree from Naropa University in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology, with a concentration in Wilderness Therapy. His academic research focused on the neurobiological effects of screen overuse in adolescents, and he is a certified researcher through the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) Office of Extramural Research. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in both Colorado and Utah, and he holds a certificate in post-traumatic growth therapy.

Nick has attended several 10-day long Vipassana meditation retreats, and his practice remains a core part of how he relates to himself, the world, and others who inhabit it. Music is also a huge part of his life: writing songs, playing music, listening to music, talking about music…singing and dancing are some of the oldest ways humans grieve, praise, and connect. He is also passionate about sports – just ask him the stats of any Boston sports team. In the winter, he loves to snowboard; in the summer, he is often in or alongside the water. But the outdoor activity he returns to the most is backpacking. He grew up on the trail, and when he hikes nowadays, it is the ultimate grounding experience. His mission is to share the healing power of nature with the world. With it, we can all come closer to ourselves and each other.

Rowan began climbing over 12 years ago in the midwest on some small boulders in the Osage Hills. After moving west and earning degrees in Psychology and English, she spent many years guiding outdoor trips and mountaineering expeditions in the backcountry of Colorado’s many unique mountain ranges. She has earned and maintained various certifications in the outdoor industry throughout her career, including: Wilderness First Responder, AIARE AVY Level 1, Mental Health First Aid, AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, and AMGA Rock Guide Course.

Rowan currently co-manages the local Durango climbing gym, Gravity Lab, and works as a rock guide on the Lifeways team. She is passionate about finding joy and community through climbing outdoors, and aspires to create a safe and supportive environment for climbers of any and all backgrounds.