My story

I am a lifelong learner—and by no means do I claim to have anything completely figured out. In fact, I’m continuously humbled by, and still sometimes struggle myself with aspects of what I’ll share below. But I have experienced positive growth that I believe everyone has the potential to tap into within themselves, and I am passionate about holding space and facilitating that process for others. I share pieces of my story below to set the table for vulnerability, and in hopes of inspiring others to honor all parts of themselves as human—including the messy, imperfect, and emerging. I’m also following the tradition of vulnerable teachers and mentors whom I’m lucky enough to have learned from, and whose torch I hope to help carry.

“Within each of us there once was a fire. And for some of us it seems as though there’s only ashes now. But when we dig in the ashes we find one ember and very gently we fan that ember. Blow on it, it gets brighter. And from that ember we rebuild the fire. The only thing that’s important is that ember.”

—Ram Dass

In 2017, I found myself at rock-bottom. It was at that point in time when it became abundantly clear that my coping mechanisms and poorly informed operating strategies (e.g., trying to out-think my problems over taking action; over-working; perfectionism; overly catering to others to the detriment of myself; avoidance of vulnerability, risk, and conflict; various methods of numbing; and reluctance to ask for help) were not leading to the type of life I wanted to live, the type of relationships I wanted to cultivate, or the type of man I wanted to become: namely, one grounded in self-respect, direct experience, connection to my core, and emotional maturity, and less driven by fear, with the ability to lead and respond effectively to my environment and relationships. I couldn’t see all the ways in which I was contributing to my suffering, let alone know what to do about it. Nor did I have the tools to combat my inner critic, who seemed to have no volume control and was often stuck on the highest setting. What I did know, from the anguish I was feeling, was that the time to stop running and get help was now. I felt empty, disempowered, fearful, insecure, exhausted, lonely, and shut down—in a word, stuck. It was staying connected to one ember—not giving up on myself—that kept me afloat.

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”

—Joseph Campbell

The next few years were turbulent, confronting, and gut-wrenching for me, yet also enlightening, awakening, and—necessary. My mission was to become my most authentic self, break down the hardened walls of my comfort zone, gain more personal sovereignty, and pursue emerging passions and dreams I’d once thought were no longer possible. It was (and still is) a quest of building a more aligned life—one based on my values, and a calling-in of more enjoyment, freedom, meaning, purpose, and mutually fulfilling relationships.

This involved going deeply inward and considering changes I was terrified to even look at. The process started slow, was often solitary, and required self-discovery and deep healing as I shoveled myself out of layers of neglect and began to shore up my mind, body, spirit, and relationships. I dove into therapy, yoga, meditation, physical fitness, outdoor adventuring, and built community while obsessively pursuing personal development by attending workshops, conferences, retreats, men’s initiations and consuming countless books, articles, and podcasts. This work resulted in my acquiring new skills, a better self-understanding, connection opportunities, a helpful new vocabulary, and other corrective experiences. I framed the process as embarking on my own “hero’s journey.” This framework of leaving what’s familiar and comfortable to face challenges and the unknown—to risk coming out the other side, transformed and in a position to give back—provided me with the perspective and motivation to keep going when things got hard.

“The degree to which a person can grow is directly proportional to the amount of truth they can accept about themselves without running away.”

—Leland Val Van de Wall

On the other side of an amicable divorce, I learned how to be more accountable and self-reflective, and to embrace the vital role of healthy conflict. I embraced forgiveness (for myself and others), leaned into the lessons of grief, and learned about moving toward secure attachment and interdependence. In singledom, I improved my self-reliance in meeting my needs, rediscovered what brings me joy, redefined my meaning of what love is, worked on removing barriers within myself to connection and intimacy, and gained greater appreciation for non-romantic relationships. While healing from burnout, I learned the importance of self-care rituals, self-advocacy, and investing in other aspects of the wellness (balance) wheel. I also developed a better understanding of what truly motivates me and redefined my own version of success, both of which contributed to my becoming a coach.

“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.”

—Carl Jung

In approaching familial challenges, I learned the importance of setting boundaries and letting go of resentment; differentiated my values, beliefs, and behaviors from those I had inherited; and worked on removing the charge from my triggers. Importantly, I gained a greater understanding and sense of compassion for my entire lineage, and for the essential value of men’s work. In summiting big mountains, I experienced what it feels like to live at my edge, face uncertainty, and confront death. In navigating modern dating, I learned the importance of radical transparency, direct communication, vulnerability, and an approach to intimacy that honors everyone involved.

“There is some strange intimacy between grief and aliveness, some sacred exchange between what seems unbearable and what is most exquisitely alive.”

—Francis Weller

A major catalyst for me was attending my first men’s initiation in 2019, where I was able to connect to and process my experiences from a more mature and compassionate perspective, practice breathwork and other somatic techniques, become aware of signs of reactivity and when my shadow might be driving my actions, learn how to more effectively navigate relationships, reframe fear as a sign-post toward growth, and feel the power in supporting others in a group format. I sheepishly walked into a cabin full of seventeen strangers, and walked out a few days later with seventeen brothers and the courage, skills, and inspiration to take responsibility for my life.

Above is just a snapshot of experiences and lessons throughout my journey. If I could summarize the main through-lines, they would be humility, patience, compassion (for self and others), curiosity, consistency, nervous system awareness/regulation, and an embrace of the full spectrum of ever-present, nuanced and always-flowing human emotions as helpful signals.

“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we will ever do.”

—Brené Brown

After working on foundational aspects of myself, my focus began to shift toward supporting others and creating community. I completed a yoga teacher training in 2020 that supported developing deeper presence and mindfulness, applied both to myself and to others with whom I share space. I started facilitating men’s gatherings in 2021, creating community with other like-minded, growth-oriented, supportive men. In 2023, I became a certified life coach, having completed an International Coaching Federation accredited coaching certification program that provided me with the formal training to support others through applied positive psychology, active listening, deep empathy, and appreciative inquiry—all of which help me reflect back to my clients what they wish to cultivate within themselves and in their lives.

In 2024, in pursuit of a previously abandoned dream, I left my corporate job, moved out of my apartment, and hopped on a one-way flight to Portugal to start a fourteen-month pilgrimage that would ultimately take me across Europe and Asia, along awe-inspiring routes through sacred sites. During this journey, I had the privilege of connecting with people from around the world, learned to surf, trekked in the Himalayas, climbed volcanoes in Indonesia, completed a ten day Vipassana meditation training alongside monks, motorbiked with a tent across the Mongolian steppe, volunteered at a school in Sri Lanka, and became an official UNESCO “dual pilgrim” after hiking El Camino de Santiago and the Kumano Kodo. None of these outward adventures would have happened for me without the inner work it took to build up my self-trust and resilience, plus the logistical planning to make it happen. My exploration inspired the creation of travel-based offerings to help get others out of their comfort zones, break down biases and fears, connect to global cultures and traditions, and importantly, reconnect with themselves through novel experiences and new connections.

“The more important a call or action is to our soul’s evolution, the more resistance we will feel toward pursuing it.”

—Steven Pressfield

I hold a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a Master of Business Administration, and previously led a seventeen-year career managing large-scale projects and launching new affordable medicine products. This experience has contributed to my ability to apply strategy and project management goal planning and execution methodologies to my work with coaching clients, effectively helping clients get from where they are now to where they wish to be. Outside of coaching, I enjoy skiing, photography, film, comedy, music, and being in nature.

Drawing upon my personal experiences and formal training, I now support others on their journey to living their best lives, not just for themselves but for their relationships, their communities, and for our planet as a whole. Using the modality of coaching, along with elements of teaching and mentoring, I create a space to meet you where you are, leading with compassion while employing an effective structure to help you make tangible progress against your goals. My philosophy is that you are your own best expert with the inherent wisdom, creativity, and resourcefulness you need already within you, and my role is to help expand that awareness and empower your capability in a format that yields meaningful results.

I know this was a long one! If you’ve gotten this far, thank you for reading, and for visiting my website. Head on over to the Contact page if you’d like to connect further.

Cheers to your growth and success,

Justin