I’m Ryan Reese—professor, licensed counselor, author, speaker, dad, and husband—doing my best to make sense of this spectacular yet mystifying world. For the past 15 years, I’ve researched how nature supports mental health and human growth, but my journey hasn’t stayed on the trail. I’ve wrestled with privilege, deep insecurity, and my own mental health struggles, learning that life isn’t about reaching some polished state of balance. It’s about showing up, embracing the chaos, and living deeply within it.