Episode 168

I remember asking one of the nurses like, “Will I ever feel better?” And she’s like, “You will. It’s just going to take time.” There’s no other place like this. And honestly, it’s it’s got a little bit of everything, but can help pretty much anyone, you know? I think that’s the key with TMS. It’s helping you rewire. Mhm. It’s using those neurotransmitters and kicking start the old ones, you know, and dormant ones. Mhm. And I think just having that option alone is life-changing.
Hey everybody and welcome to another episode of Finding Peace, yours truly. Chief Executive Officer, founder Christopher Michael Burns. So grateful to be here today. It is summer August in Colorado. I have a friend, colleague, professional, somebody I admire, look up to, one of the most courageous people I know, my dear friend KJ. How you doing, sir? Doing well, man. Doing well. So grateful to meet you on this side of things. KJ’s also alumni. I think I mentioned it. Um, 2024. Yep. Take me back to 2024. I always like to I one of my quotes, I should do it more often because I haven’t done it lately. uh turning professional conversations personal since 2008. You heard it here first. Yeah. Well, 2024 I came in a beginning of April. Um I came from a place where living up in the mountains, part of the party scene, bartending, um burnout. It was just anything that could have gone wrong was going wrong. And I just would had reached kind of this give up point. and I came to Peaks and immediately knew something was different about Peaks. Um, I was greeted and I was made to feel really welcome. Heck, I was picked up and, you know, from Veil all the way here to Colorado Springs and just had a really good experience with the BHT at the time and then the nurses were fantastic and they just really took care of me at the beginning there. Um but just had a light little bit of a detox lasted about 24 hours. Um and from there it was just the groups, you know, the the therapists running it were just phenomenal and really locked in on what they’re doing and my brain just kind of started to soak it up and um yeah, so it was like April was kind of a breeze. um went to PHP early um and that just didn’t work out. That was just not where I needed to be. And so um people got together and they advocated for me to come back to residential which was the saving grace honestly. And I came back and was able to finish all of the programming um for the four weeks and simultaneously I was doing TMS and like I just felt my brain changing and the cognitive distortions just became really easy to get overcome the longer I was in treatment. And you know, I also like ended up being a leader unintentionally, you know, with community voice that’s supposed to last a week, but I’m pretty sure I was there for several. Um, you know, and it was help, you know, it was like wonderful to help someone behind me, too. So, like the newer guys coming in, showing the ropes and like help them, but also making sure I’m covering my own needs. Mhm. And then, you know, just making really solid bonds with people, you know, like you and I definitely hit it off and like ended up meeting up multiple times. And, you know, um Dan Hugle and I hang out, you know, we used to hang out almost every week um doing kung fu and we’ve just maintained a really solid friendship um since my treatment. And that’s cool. It’s just been a journey. Yeah. you know, just when I feel like I’ve overcome something else, there’s another thing that comes on. Um, and I think now I’m able to keep it like in stride and like be like, “Huh, this is a problem, but I’ve solved those before, so we’ll fix this and it’ll it’ll be fine.” Yeah. You know, it’s like it’s going to work out how it’s going to work out. And I think that just reduces my stress immensely, just like, hey, like it’s not worth it. So it’s a beautiful thing, you know, and it’s a you’d been to prior to coming here a handful of programs. Yeah. Prior to coming with, you know, at a very young age without very many results as well. And so I’m I’m imagining when you came into Peaks too, like it wasn’t you weren’t in a position of trust. In fact, it was probably quite the opposite as a result of your history and the experiences that you had had. Yeah. I I wasn’t quite convinced at the beginning. Um I was like, what’s going to be different? I’ve gone to so many other places. Um it was really that initial like introduction, you know, the Trevor picking me up and then bringing me to the facility and making sure that I felt secure. admissions like it was the whole process was different and then you get there and you can tell that people genuinely care. Mhm. I mean they’re there cuz they want to be there and you’re not just, you know, your insurance. It’s not a money grab. It’s genuine care and it’s the only true rehabilitation I’ve seen. Like in all honesty, I’ve the places I’ve been, it’s you see the provider once. Um they put you on meds without consulting you, expect you to take them. Um you’re with higher acuity patients than you need to be. And it’s just you don’t gain anything from groups and things like that. But here it’s like it’s a it turned into a brotherhood for me. Like we we did everything together. We were super on top of it. We bed every night like on our own without BHTs and had like a good check-in with each other and it is the most supportive setting I’ve ever been in. And you know, I remember asking one of the nurses like, “Will I ever feel better?” And she’s like, “You will. It’s just going to take time.” And then when I finally started getting there, everyone noticed. like the nurse, chef, like people noticed that I was feeling better and I’m like feeling confident in myself and starting to really like myself as well. Mhm. So, yeah, it’s it’s interesting how you kind of enforce or reinforce for me like the benefit of the the ecosystem cuz I think a lot of people including myself in the past have been in a position where I’m like, well, it’s this or it’s that or it’s this. And I think what we’re starting to learn and we’re starting to keep a lot of outcome data on this is is is the ecosystem of peaks and and what we’re formulating and putting together from a service offerings perspective and then the humans were putting behind that uh to inform that. So you I mean we talk about TMS, we talk about individual therapy, we talk about psychiatry, we talk about group therapy, we talk about holistic health, we talk about outings, you talk about brotherhood, community, food, hospitality. I mean, Ivonne over in housekeeping, it’s the whole thing. And maybe that TMS thing, maybe it’s like the jump start. I was actually talking to somebody about it the other day. I was touring. We’d been here in 2019. She’s going to come back for her mental health. She was here for 2019 for substances and she’s very interested in this opportunity because um what I’ve heard is it’s like a jump start. And when you get the jump start, you can begin to integrate and be a part of some more complex things like in my own story, individual process, unpacking and unloading, looking for needles, whatever it might be. Um so that you can engage and really um sink into the culture, which can be difficult when you’re depressed, right? Yeah. I mean coming from a place where complete exhaustion just you know just mentally burnt out completely and just like I don’t know what to do to help myself anymore and I think coming in with this well what’s the worst that can happen you know having an open mind and just being able to soak it in like because I I wanted change but I didn’t know how to ask for that and ask for changing and I think coming to Peaks and just observing people that were before me and just seeing the whole process and what can be um was really inspiring. Mhm. And I think with TMS, I felt like it did really, you know, kickstart my treatment. Um I I noticed the cognitive distortions, you know, just were really easy to come out of. Um, I mean it took time, but you that’s the first thing I noticed. And I’m like, I’m not being so negative. I’m feeling pretty good. I’m excited to get up in the morning. And like I’m just like feeling my brain firing. And I think that’s the key with TMS. It’s helping you rewire. Mhm. It’s using those neurotransmitters and kicking start the old ones, you know, and dormant ones. Mhm. And I think just having that option alone is life-changing. Yeah. So, correct me if I’m wrong. You probably know, you probably know more about this than I do, but so you go in Mhm. the initial session is a brain mapping session. Yeah. Right. And they’re targeting or measuring the individual’s prefrontal cortex. Yeah. On the left side. On the left side, which is different in all individuals. Mhm. So you might have someone getting a reaction right here at line one, you know, but during the mapping they’re mapping up here and so it’s just kind of and then it kind of inverts and then you know which line to get them at. Okay. And it’s like mapping is really important cuz you know like it’s not everyone’s going to be at the same line. Mhm. You know, you might have someone with a larger head where their prefrontal cortex is completely in a different spot like really that and so you got to find that right sweet spot and it’s all about reaction movement. Yeah. Yeah. During the testing, you’re looking for hand movement um and you know, best out of best out of five typically to get a good result. And then that’s where you set the threshold it and then you just raise it from there. And then every time an individual comes in, it’s already mapped. It’s already mapped. So it goes right to the spot. Yep. You have your own cap. Um and typically it’s the same person uh giving it to you like doing the session. Cool. Um, and it’s been it’s really easy thing to train someone to do as well. That’s beautiful. Yeah. I love it too because I think even the the company that does the TMS machines comes out and does trainings. Yeah. You know, and you know, they’re really quick to respond if we have any issues or have any questions. You know, troubleshooting has been kind of fun, too. So, you know, something pops up, I can pop in there and be like, “Hey, no, it just needs to be reconnected here.” Mhm. It’s It’s a really cool experience being on the other side of it now versus like when I was getting it done on myself. It seemed at first it was surreal. Like I’m like I can’t believe I’m in this position. Heck, I couldn’t believe that I was working at Peaks. So, you know, it’s like this is too good. Like this is what I’ve always wanted. and then just watch other people like brighten up and change and go from like basically Eeyore to take it really fast. Mhm. Um it’s pretty cool. It’s really cool and I feel really blessed to have that opportunity. Um and it’s nice that it’s you know not just right cuz on label with insurance it’s an outpatient modality. it’s a service line or an outpatient uh service line, but it’s really nice too to be able to bolt it on for residential guests that want to pay a little bit extra cuz we believe in the efficacy uh for treatment resistant depression throughout the residential stay as well. We’re keeping a lot of outcome data to inform that long term for our payer sources. But to have that option within the residential ecosystem, I think is huge. Yeah. I would love for insuranceances to, you know, change their policies because the earlier you get it, it’s like it elevates your entire treatment. Yep. Y, you know, like it’s one thing if you’re in IOP after doing whole treatment and then you started an IOP and then it’s like you’re not getting the full package, I feel like, and it’s a little late to the ball game. So, yeah. And you may you to your point you may have made some different types of decisions with respect to outpatient if you’re felt more integrated and felt like the you know you were you were kind of eliminating the negative thought loop and the and the voice in the back of your head had quieted down a little bit you know the optimization um and the opportunity through that is who knows but it’s huge. Yeah it’s huge. I mean when you have options you know TMS is expanding you have you know smoking sensation you can adapt it for that um uh OCD you know there’s a lot more options coming up and I think that’s wonderful for expanding yeah what if right and this is the lens that we’re looking through it through what if it just reduced overall symptomology um and acute stressors by 5 to 10% and say it was OCD and say it was addiction and say it was depression. Yeah. And we just added it on or something. And so we’re really really excited and that’s a lot of the things I wanted to talk to you about as well was you know we’re getting ready to do a big capex project. We’re building out um what I’m calling kind of like the brain center, the TMS clinic, the spot on our campus. And it’s going to be a really unique and valuable offering because there’s not a lot of residential programs that have clinics on site and because of our special campus style atmosphere. Um we’re really really excited to, you know, have a few TMS rooms, but also bring on and add um into the equation um and into the offerings for guests this OCD and the addiction helmet. A lot of smoking sensation stuff. I’ve heard great things about that. And our point on those ones, even though some of them are off label is like just what if they could help support, you know, when I was going through even though I didn’t have any money um or insurance, I was getting scholarshiped everywhere. Um but if you would have told me if it would have reduced the opportunity for relapse by 5%. Now they’re claiming far more. Um but what an option. Yeah. You know, why not? Yeah. It’s kind of that why not, you know, let’s try everything. And I think having everything like on campus and having it in one place, it it puts people at ease. It’s like I don’t have to go out for this. I don’t have to go, you know, to another place to get another treatment. It’s all under one roof and it’s in a supportive environment. So yeah, one roof. It’s going to be Let’s see. Ready? One, two, four. It’s going to be six roofs. Yeah. when we’re done cuz right now it’s five. We could put another one over there. But um yeah, we’re really excited about it. Just I mean honestly out of anything just creating a few more offices and a few more bathrooms would be really really nice. Yeah, I mean and from a business standpoint, it’s also wonderful because it creates some drops as well. Yeah, I’m really really excited about this. I haven’t approved it with my other ownership group, but I I just keep talking about it. Actually, Joseph’s down. You’re manifesting it? Yeah, I’m manifesting it really bad. Is like I want a hyperbaric oxygen chamber there, too. We want to just reduce inflammatory issues. which are synonymous with addictive processes. Absolutely. And so what if you know that’s another 5 to 10% kicker. Now you’re at peaks and you’re you’re doing all the stuff you’re already talking about. You’re going to group. You’re going to grief. You’re doing identity and purpose. You’re doing the family stuff. You’re going on the hikes. You’re walking the trail. You’re getting the sunshine on the face. You’re meeting with chef. You’re doing the thing. You got Dr. Wade. You’re doing the the physical therapy. You’re doing the cupping, the dry needling, the nutrition. You’re getting the massage on Thursday. But you got TMS daily. Now you’re going hyperaric chamber Wednesdays and um you know individual th it’s like now we’re really talking about a vast ecosystem that can be you know 2 weeks to 90 days long and you can be integrated within it and stay supported. This is uber unique. Yeah. There’s no other place like this, you know. Sweet. It’s It’s got a little bit of everything, but can help pretty much anyone, you know, if as long as they have the open Yeah. you know, open parachute willingness to change. Yeah. And one of the things that I love about all of that is often times those are like, you know, really hard resources to come by and generally not in network. Yeah. I’d never even heard of TMS before. Yeah. Um, I was just excited that there was something else to try cuz, you know, it’s like when you run out of options and you just feel like you’re a burden, it’s it’s just really overwhelming. Yeah. And so, it was really like opening to new ideas, like different types of treatment and like just I think bringing it all on board at Peaks is just going to only help more people. Yeah. KJ, I swear to you that I don’t even think we were billing TMS when you were there. It was all free. Wow. Yeah. All of it. Yeah. Like I can guarantee it actually. Yeah. I believe that because we were just like we didn’t understand it. Mhm. We weren’t in network. So we just we we believed in it. We had a doctor at the time. Bless her soul. She’s not dead. I know I said that. Is that what people say when they’re dead? Bless her heart. I don’t know. Anyway, bless her. I know I said it. But anyway, so she got the way with the TMS machine and we just assumed like, hey, if you’re depressed or if you’re struggling, like let’s do it. We did it for people that were addicted, not he never got any money for it. And so when I came in back in a year, 18 months ago, Joseph and I, Joseph mainly, figured out a way to like get a network and actually get some payment for it. Yeah. But back then it was just like we’re just throwing it out. Yeah. Triricare Sweet Being willing to take it. Mhm. is awesome. Like that’s a game changer for our vets, you know, and that’s opened a whole another population. Yeah. That can be helped. So, yeah. And I love what you’re talking about today, too, and and I’ll keep coming back to it because our field is such a big money grab. It’s such an It has such a low bottom. It’s so low. It’s like the Mariana Trench, you know? So, um, I’ve seen like I’ve been in Colorado 12 years. I’ve been doing this almost 20, getting old. And a lot of like, okay, we see the benefit what it pays. We’re going to go light this on fire and, make a bunch of money. So, you have up and down the front range. [  ] I don’t know. I mean, thousands of TMS helmets we have here now, but nobody’s doing anything. Like I want to say nobody’s doing anything. People are doing great work, but I think it’s limited because of the scope in which we’re approaching it. And so I love I really I’m I’m very uh biased to Peaks and what we’re doing and how we’re conceptualizing the model because it’s not TMS, it’s not individual, it’s not light, it’s not this, it’s all of it in in in the whole ecosystem. And so we’re really really excited to begin to roll this out just a little bit differently and maybe just a little bit more curiously because I sure I’m a business. I love making a few bucks. I love watching my employees pull up in new cars and get new things and be rewarded and all of this stuff, but I really really love more than anything helping people. Yeah. you know, and when you can make an impact, and I think we’re on the edge here at Peaks after 12 years, be 12 years next week, um, of scratching the surface of making a a truly a an impact greater than we’ve ever seen. And we’re talking 2500 guests deep at this point, you know? Yeah. But I’m thinking about like I don’t know, KJ, where they invite people like us that do stuff like that, but it’ll be cool, you know? Yeah. Yeah, I mean at the end of the day that’s all we, you know, those of us who have the same mind, we that’s what we want. We want to help people. Um, you know, a lot of us have never been helped until, you know, we come to Peaks and then you see someone that’s genuinely caring about you and it might be for the first time. Mhm. And to be able to come back and, you know, pay it forward. Mhm. You know, I remember all the people that, you know, helped me through and were guiding me, including yourself. And I would have never imagined two years ago that I would be here. Um, I wouldn’t imagine being, you know, engaged. I wouldn’t imagine, you know, like being comfortable in life instead of just surviving. So, it’s a beautiful thing, man. When I was doing that tour today. Yeah. Anytime doing a tour, man, you’re back there just looking fresh, cleaned up. The medical department’s nice. You know, you’re in a good spot. You know, I sit down with guests all the time, just like I did when you were there. And you know, when I get to sit down and they’re like, “KJ, this.” I’m like, “KJ, yeah, I know KJ.” Yeah. Let’s go, man. It puts the biggest smile on my face. There is nothing. I was talking about it yesterday. I was up in Denver meeting with another guy was in Peaks a decade ago. I mean, there is nothing that warms my heart more than seeing people go through peaks recovery that are thriving. Yeah. It is a [  ] the most exceptional feeling I could ever describe. Yeah. And it’s, you know, the those people have put in the work. Mhm. Cuz it takes work. You know, you don’t leave fixed. There’s no fix, unfortunately. Yeah, it becomes a lifetime journey and you’re constantly having to be curious and grow. Y and when you stop growing, that’s where people relapse and have other issues. Mhm. And it’s just been wonderful to like gain all of this knowledge and then be able to go and help other people with it. Yeah. And just feel like I’m raising the status quo cuz it seems like we’re kind of in a dark world right now. So, yeah. And you learned a lot in that 6 months. I remember. Oh my gosh. It was like drinking from a fire hose. Yeah. I mean, and it’s a lot of information. Like it may not hit one way, but if someone presents it another way, that’s when it you’re just like light bulb moment. You’re like, “Oh, that’s why I do that.” Or, “Huh, I never thought about that before.” And it’s just getting the different modalities and like whether it’s an individ individual therapist telling you like hey this is what we’re seeing or in group when everyone’s asking questions and you know you really start to get your brain firing in the way to you know to just change. It’s like you’re inspired by the people around you not just the people you know giving you treatment. Yeah, it’s interesting too to be able to or it’s really cool to be able to like draw strength off of like-minded people and and and the power in those positions, you know, and how much impact you can truly make is is incredible. I bet you can go back in your experience and it was this person, that person. I mean, it’s a it’s really a long list. Yeah. Yeah. I remember that, too. Just very dark moments when people just reached our hand out. And it’s not um it’s very easy to do, you know, and so to have it interwoven within the culture of Peaks, I don’t think is that difficult. Yeah. You know, yeah. And then having the alumni culture that we have, you know, we all kind of connect with each other. You know, we may have been from a different year or different, you know, month even, but we all kind of seem to come together. And it’s th those of us with the like mind that are just like let’s just change. And it’s just as simple as that. But it can be really complicated for some. Mhm. Also too when you leave treatment like when we used to meet it’s like well okay sober and then recovery and then it’s like but how do I say no when how do I have boundaries? Yeah. How do I not get ran over by the job that I have at 92 days of sobriety? you know, how do we how do we navigate this [ __ ] Because like I’ve seen this field too, like right, wrong, or indifferent. Bring people in, young, sober people, and just chew them up and spit them out. Yeah. So, navigating and being in behavioral health, frankly, is really difficult without taking care of yourself. Yeah. Self-care is immensely important. Um, and giving yourself grace. You know, none of us are perfect and we make mistakes and you know, understanding that the people you’re interacting with, not not just on, you know, patient, but as other providers, other people you’re working with, they’re human, too. Mhm. And kind of keeping the human in it and realizing that, you know, there’s no ego need needed. Um it’s just a really it the you know you hear the trope of like sometimes the people in behavioral health are sicker than the patients and you know I’ve seen that in a lot of places. Mhm. Though that I can say one thing though is never it peaks. M you know I always believe that the people there like they earned my trust and I could see that they were there because they wanted to be they wanted to help people. They wanted to push you to be a better version of you. Mhm. And I think that’s the game changer right there cuz I’ve never seen another place do that. Mhm. You know, so
I hate asking this question, but I’m going to ask it. So then why do some people come and they because I I always play the devil’s advocate. I I am super biased by what we do. I think it’s the greatest [ __ ] thing ever. I mean, for sure, and I’d be willing to just rap out with anybody about it. But um to be fair, like why do some people, in your opinion, why do some people come and is is it not the right? Some people come and they’re like, “Well, this isn’t what I need. I don’t like this. It’s not good.” But it’s is it an initial rea is it an initial introduction? It is a is it what do you think it is? I think some people are closed off to the idea of change. I think people come in with you know preconceived notions of what therapy is, what group is, what treatment is, and their willingness to change isn’t there. Mhm. Um they don’t have curiosity. They’re shutting off. It’s a bunch of no instead of maybe, right? And I think, you know, it’s hard to get through to someone that’s already shutting everything down. Mhm. And sometimes you just have to wait for those people to reach the point where they’re like, I’m willing. And it’s unfortunate cuz you see people that might come back to treatment, but every time you’re peeling back a different layer and then eventually that person’s going to get it. It’s just sometimes it takes more time. It’s like, “Yep, you need to go back in the world and cook.” Yeah. You’re not quite ready yet. Yeah. But yeah, that’s really well articulated. And it’s interesting when I ask it, I’m like, I think I knew that, but I just needed to hear that. Yeah. And
and suffice it to say in that that they may go to another program that doesn’t inform change and they will thrive. Yeah. Right. It’s like how many times you have to do it till you hear it just right. Right. Yeah. Cuz some place right I [ __ ] I went to treatment to get my family off my back multiple times. You know, leave me alone, whatever. Fine. And I’m not trying to go into a place like Peaks. You’re like, “All right, now when we go into group, we work.” Yeah. We do this thing together. And you’re like, “This is your 9 to5 now. This is You’re going in. This is mental health boot camp.” Yeah. You just didn’t realize it. Yeah. And you’re like, “Shit, I didn’t want to do that kind of treatment.” And then you find yourself at like, I don’t know, one of these phenomenal places in town with whatever. and you’re there and you’re like, “This is the place for me because they don’t maybe they don’t make me work or that’s not even part of the curriculum.” Yeah. You know, I mean, at the end of the day, it’s like whatever is going to help someone. Um, but I think, you know, having that drive and being around people with the drive to just change is huge. I don’t feel like you’d be as successful in an environment that isn’t asking you to be curious. Yeah. I mean, I that’s just been my general experience is, you know, like the the different places in Denver, Fort Collins. Uh, are you from Denver? No. No. Um, I’m actually originally from Sweden. That’s right. You’re the second person that’s been through Peak is from Sweden. Yes. Now, you know the other one. And we’re both from the north, so it’s kind of a We definitely had some You speak Swedish, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That’s so cool. So, haven’t been back in a long time, but yeah, it’ll be really good to go go home soon. Hopefully, it will be cool. Yeah, especially under a different light, you know. It was pretty dark when I was there, so Yeah, we’ll just do we’ll do sauna and cold. Yep. Exactly. And no logger. Cold pledges. All of them. Yeah. We’re just hanging out with another gentleman who came through our program, but he wasn’t from he wasn’t from Sweden. Yeah. somewhere in the Baltic though, older gentleman. Gosh, I forget where he’s from. Anyway, he sent me a video the other day of him swimming down in the thing with the water and and it’s in the Baltic and then they have this like sauna up on the hill. I forget where he lives. He’s got an accent and everything. Yeah, he was like chief of HR for some big company. Uh second, he was with us twice. Yeah. But yeah, I know I know one the my fellow Swede was the HR exeact, but Oh, I know another one. Yeah. So, I know another one. Younger guy. Younger guy. Yeah, younger guy. So, that’s three then. Yeah. Sweet. Yeah. So, Peaks is uh we do Sweden and um Swed Sweden does Peaks. We do it really well. We are international. It’s interesting how many people I’ve met who aren’t from the United States in the 12 years we’ve done Peaks. Yeah. I mean, I’ve just wonderful relationships just since I’ve started. I mean, I’ve seen, you know, people from other places. Uh we had a you know, whether it’s Poland or, you know, anywhere else. It’s it’s good to see my fellow Europeans. Yeah. Um because and I can just relate then and help get them where they need to go. Yeah. I see more breakthroughs when you have like something in common. So, I agree. It really is like that relatability, you know. Um Well, thank you. Yeah. It’s been really nice having you on the show. It’s been really nice kind of like re-engaging with you. Yeah, man. You know, we haven’t had a coffee in a long time and Yeah. It’s uh jiu-jitsu, too, right? Yeah. Yeah. So, I thought we r out about that. When I first started was when you came Yeah. You were just going with it and uh you’re you’re still over what was it? Prime. We’re prime. Yeah. Yeah. Prime Brazilian jiu-jitsu. We got kids class tonight. I’ll be uh coaching alongside the per the one and only Professor Marcelo Mota, fifth degree black belt. We’ve had him on the show, sir. Good to see you. Um, but he’s been on the show before. So, I’ve been loving going on Wednesdays and just hanging out, man. We’re just playing games and like, you know, making sure like kids going around beating the crap out of each other like, “Hey, make sure you’re doing it better. Check this out.” Yeah. Here’s proper form of this. My my son Garrick, like they’ve been doing a while, but there was this kid. He was on top and had him in full mount. And I’m like I’m like, “No, man. You got to you got to get your knees up in the armpit.” My kids looking at me like, “Mother of God, what are you doing?” I’m like, “I’m Coach Kristen right now, dude. You can’t be biased. Get your knees in his armpit.” Now really smother his face. Dad is not here anymore. This is coach. Yeah. He’s like, and I’m just Garrick’s just sitting there. I’m like, “You better not tap when he does that to you.” Yeah. It’s so much fun though, man. All just kids. Oh, yeah. A a good like, “Hey, man. great job. They see me come and they’re like, “Was it a great job again?” I’m like, “Dude, right here.” Kids are so much fun. And I uh I worked at a place in town when it was with kids that are coming from foster homes, you know, corrections and all sorts of really tough situations. And it was so nice to just see these people who have grown up too fast turn back into kids. Yeah. And that was that was as much fun as you can have. It’s just wonderful. You know, it’s a tough it’s tough working with kids though cuz you know, you see a lot of things that you want to fix and help, but you can’t. You just got to step back and let them learn. Yeah. It’s going to be of a unique and very dynamic offering when we get there for peaks. Yeah. You know, the adolescent expansion is tough. We’re sitting in the building where we’re doing it. it’s right here. But, you know, being really thoughtful and mindful of how we approach that is going to be cool. But I love what you said about kids being able to be kids. You know, I look back throughout my childhood and there’s these moments and you’re like, “Oh, yeah. Just got to be a kid. I know this guy, really good guy. His name’s Devin High Totower. He was the captain of the Air Force wrestling team a number of years back. He is the founder of a youth grappling uh association nonprofit called Architect. So once we get this adolescent thing going, I have just big plans for it with the self-defense side and the grappling side and helping not only not only helping kids to like to your point to like to to to feel better from a mental health perspective, but also teaching them something that for me I’ve been doing recovery couple decades, really half my life. There has been nothing more formidable than martial arts for me. Yeah. And I love ball sports. I agree. Like you know what I mean? Like just from a a community thing and a knowing. I think like I grew up in a sports world. So you know it was very much the athlete life. Up early for hockey practice, getting to hockey practice, going to school for a little bit just to come back to hockey practice and the games and Yep. I think, you know, integrating sports and anything physical, especially with kids. Is just monumental changing like Yeah. just to see like boxing or any physical movement. It keeps kids away from the iPads. Yep. Keeps, you know, the screen parenting to a minimum. And I mean, that’s that’s where the disconnect often is. And then you have kids that are looking at their neighborhood and their whole neighborhood’s the problem. Yeah. But they can’t escape that. Yeah. So they’re trying to escape in other ways, but I think martial arts would be an okay escape. Yeah. You know, cuz Yeah. Get addicted to that. Yeah. Get That’s harm reduction. Yeah. It the cost I don’t know what it is. I’m not a doctor. Yeah. The cost of walking around scared all the time, hypervigilant, uncertain, and in fear. That’s tough cuz I did that a long time. Yeah. You know, and there’s something about um walking through and that’s what I tell my boys. I’m like, and they love it. You know, I’ve been doing it for four and a half years, but do they love going to practice three days a week? No. And I said, “You’re going to thank me big time for this one day cuz you got to know how to you got to know how to protect yourself.” And since I’ve known how to protect myself, man, this funloving this really jovial funloving side of me has is emerged that I think is so authentic to who I am over the last few years that I don’t even know if I would have ever met. And I love it so much. I can just kind of be who I am and like I don’t have to be cool. I don’t have to be tough because I know who I am and and and there’s a foundation to that that’s really really cool and unique and and I know that my friends are the toughest people that I know. They are so tough. There’s some tough nuts here in Springs. Yeah. It’s like they’re like you’re friends with who? And I’m like whoa. Yeah. Yeah. He’s just a you know just a light mixed martial artist. No, no big deal. Yeah. What these people can do like manipulate your body. Yeah. like as a man like you know it’s like dude like what okay okay with your foot. Yeah. I think that like the discipline aspect too of any like any sort of sport. Mhm. But I think martial arts is typically known for it. Yeah. And it’s just one of those repetitive things. I think that also like translates to life and so you know you become more disciplined in the art and then at home you know things are getting done you’re staying disciplined at home that pile of dishes is not as big anymore. It’s you know it’s dwindled. Mhm. And I think it also brings a lot of like joy. Mhm. And like self-love cuz that’s self-care. Yeah. It’s 100% selfcare. Yeah. It really is. Yeah, I’m a big fan of it. Obviously, you are as well. Yeah. Uh, you know, schedule’s been a little off, but now I could get back into kung fu and, you know, potentially come roll with you sometime. Sweet. Yeah, that’s right. You do the kung fu stuff as well. Yeah. Yeah, I’ve been doing I had to take a hiatus from that. Just different work schedules and stuff, but I’m really looking forward to getting back to that. And that’s cool. Just, you know, doing something for me cuz selfcare. Mhm. But it is so like it is a lot like I learning mish martial arts is a lot like kind of getting sober or like get starting to work around a recovery process for your mental health. Yeah. I mean it’s also just rewriting neural pathways too. Mhm. Hey instead of going for a bottle I’m going for you know nunchucks. Just kidding. Yeah. But yeah be sweet essentially. Yeah. Like don’t get me wrong if I knew how to swing Dan knows how to swing nunchucks. Yeah. That’s that’s been fun to watch before too. Yeah. Yeah. I would probably knock. He’s like a kid in a candy shop in that dojo. I bet. Just all the things. Yeah, that’s cool. Well, it’s been awesome having you on, man. I sit here and talk to you forever, but I think you and I both go back to work eventually. Yeah. Um, but it’s just a real honor and and to to have you on to see you uh at one point survive and and thrive and survive and thrive and just be be on life’s journey with you personally and professionally, man. It’s um it’s a real honor for me. So, thank you. Oh, no. Thank you. Like I can, you know, it’s great to be consider you a friend, you know, if not a great friend. Yeah. Um and I just appreciate you creating an environment where I could find myself. Yeah, absolutely. Now we’re doing it together and I couldn’t be happier and help other people now. Let’s go. Well, it’s been awesome. Happy freaking heart day. Okay. Happy heart day. It’s Wednesday, right? Is it Wednesday? It’s Wednesday. It’s happy heart day. Yeah, it’s happy heart day. Heart day is a day in in during the week when most people call it hump day and they’re descending into the weekend. We are ascending because we’re in recovery. We’re part of ODAT Nation. One day at a time where people in recovery get stronger from Wednesday forward. This is where we pass all the people that aren’t doing one day at a time. I’ll tell you that much. And so grateful to have you on. Grateful for the people. Um check us out. We’ll be on Sunday. Love you very much. Until next time.